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Group of First Nations youth head to China to dance on the Great Wall

THUNDER BAY -- Allen Wemigwans is taking his dancing from Ginoogaming to the Great Wall. The 20-year-old will be one of six First Nations youth from the region heading to China Tuesday as part of a Sister Cities initiative. "It means a lot.
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THUNDER BAY -- Allen Wemigwans is taking his dancing from Ginoogaming to the Great Wall.

The 20-year-old will be one of six First Nations youth from the region heading to China Tuesday as part of a Sister Cities initiative.

"It means a lot. I get to represent not only myself but my community and also canada just to go dance on the Great Wall," Wemigwans said Monday morning at city hall.

"It just feels awesome . I can't even explain the feeling."

The group will perform the first demonstration on the Great Wall in history. Wemigwans said he's also looking forward to a cultural exchange .

"Just give them the real teachings of North America, Turtle Island," he said.

City Aboriginal liason Ann Magiskan said while the trip was originally supposed to coincide with a Tai Chi festival in  Jiaozou, a city Thunder Bay is looking to make its fifth sister city. Funding shortfalls pushed that trip to October but the group coudlnt' get enough sponsorship money until now.

"It's through sponsorship and fundraising that we've been able to pull this trip together," she said.

Magiskan said after making the original plan, she wanted to do whatever she could to make sure the dancers got their chance.

"I've followed these young people right from when most of them since they were children and know their decisions to their culture," she said.

The group leaves Tuesday morning.





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