Thunder Bay – Hundreds of people from across the region made their way to Anemki Wajiw, also known as Mount Mckay, this weekend to attend Fort William First Nation’s annual summer Powwow.
The annual event honours Indigenous culture and invites people from all over to enjoy the drumming, dancing, singing, and food on the mountain.
Along with the colourful regalia and music, the event also saw dozens of booths with local crafters, food vendors, and community organizations.
Organizers said this year's powwow has attracted more dancers than usual, with over 300 registered dancers taking part including Woodland Dance Special winner Keenan Sanden who said he was really looking forward to dancing in this weekend's powwow.
“It's the one of the few powwows that I like going to around Ontario,” he said. “I just like the community of how, like how it's all organized and the amount of people that it's here and all the traditions and stuff and the people.”
The powwow featured various dance specials with the top prize of both the Men's and Women's special being 800 dollars.
Desiree Paypompee from Whitefish Bay was the General Women's Special winner, and she said that participating in dance contests doesn't just require stamina and physical strength, but mental strength as well.
“For most people, to pull through for that amount of songs, is, you know, where you resort to your mental strength and my mental strength is my son who is going to be thirteen years old this year,” she said. “And I miss him very much, he's away for the year and that's why I come to dance.”
Paypompee says this is her second time participating in the summer powwow atop Anemki Wajiw, claiming the beauty and community were what brought her back.
