THUNDER BAY -- Doug Turner has always considered dancing to be an honour and a privilege.
“It’s always a great opportunity to let out and show our pride,” Turner said.
Turner performed a sneak-up dance Saturday at Fort William Historical Park’s Annual Anishnawbe Keeshigun Festival. The festival engages visitors with, and promotes Indigenous culture.
“Our culture is a lot about learning from our elders. This is a family event… and to see our youth following our footsteps and that’s a pretty awesome thing to see,” said Turner who says he teaches his three-year old daughter dance in his spare time.
The two-day festival features traditional activities such as dancing, wood carving, bannock making, fire lighting contests, and traditional sports.
“It really helps with things like racism. It’s a really harsh thing nowadays, so to show them our traditions and ways we celebrate life, it helps people understand,” Turner said.
Sandei Beattie, manager of business and enterprise services, says the park’s story is rooted in Indigenous history, and it gives them a unique way to engage with Indigenous culture.
“Indigenous people had a very important role to play in the fur trade, as well as the making of Canada. That’s the story we tell every day,” Beattie said. “So we take this opportunity every year and celebrate their contributions to the story we tell here.”
Fort William Historical Park typically sees a turn out in the hundreds.
“The local community is always very supportive of this,” Beattie said.
The festival runs from 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
