'You feel more connected': Thousands turn out for STC Pow Wow
More than four thousand people attended the Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) Pow Wow and Concert at SaskTel Centre on Friday.
The event featured a concert from Canadian country music star, George Canyon.
A product of Nova Scotia, who only recently discovered his Mi’kmaw heritage, Canyon said days like today are about learning and connecting.
“Just to be a part of it and learning more and more, you feel more connected,” he told CTV news.
“Everyone feels connected and that’s what we need to do. Even if you don't have Indigenous heritage.”
Canyon says his heritage was hidden from his family by his great aunt until about five years ago.
“They were bullied back in Nova Scotia when they grew up and they were called all these names, and they didn’t want the next generation to suffer that pain,” he said.
“But I’ve since learned that my great grandmas were full Mi’kmaw and I’m learning more and more about my history. So getting to be a part of something like this is very important to me personally.”
The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is meant to remember the survivors and families of residential schools. While Canyon said it’s easy to be distracted by negativity in the word, coming together builds a sense of community.
“We need more community now than we ever have and less divisiveness,” said Canyon, a Juno award winner and member of the Nova Scotia Country Music Hall of Fame.
“And I think opportunities to come together like this for the whole province, it just means the world to me.”
STC chief Mark Arcand said to him, the day was about three things.
“To me, today is a significant day about culture, language and identity,” Arcand told CTV News. “This is why we wanted to do a pow wow. To put it back on the forefront of our people, and healing from the residential schools and the trauma so they can come to some sort of resolution.”
Celebrating culture, language and identity is the way to move forward from the trauma left behind by the residential school system, Arcand said.
“A lot of people are saying we’ve got to forgive, but how do we move forward? By practising our identity and being proud of who we are.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for "all parties" to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
Taylor Swift drops 15 new songs on double album, 'The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology'
On Friday, the pop star released her 11th album and at 2 a.m. Eastern, she released "The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology," featuring 15 additional songs.
Israel gave U.S. last-minute warning about drone attack on Iran, Italian foreign minister says at G7
The United States told the Group of Seven foreign ministers on Friday that it received 'last minute' information from Israel about a drone action in Iran, but didn't participate in the apparent attack, officials said.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.