The Candy Palmater Show

Why every Canadian should attend a powwow: Drew Hayden Taylor explains the spirit of the gathering

Thousands of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians visit powwows each summer.
Hundreds of indigenous people from across Eastern Canada and the United States gathered in Fredericton for St. Mary's powwow in June 2016. (Julianne Hazlewood/CBC News)
Drew Hayden Taylor (Supplied)

Summer is powwow season across the country. But many Canadians have never been to one and don't know much about them.

Ojibway author Drew Hayden Taylor has been attending powwows his entire life. 

"Powwows are a celebration of Aboriginal culture in many different forms," he said. The author's even set two of his plays at the events.

He talks to Candy about what powwows mean to his culture and why it's important for all Canadians to attend one.