Humboldt to host inaugural powwow celebrating Indigenous culture and reconciliation

Humboldt is set to mark a new public gathering for Indigenous culture, with the inaugural Humboldt Partnership Powwow bringing drum groups, dancers, students and vendors to Elgar Petersen Arena at 619 17th St. The free event is meant to be welcoming from the start, and organizers are also using it to help first-time attendees understand powwow etiquette and how to participate respectfully.

The powwow is scheduled for June 18 at the Humboldt arena and is planned to run from noon to 8 p.m., although Horizon School Division’s event page lists the overall window as 12 to 9 p.m. It is being presented by George Gordon First Nation, George Gordon Developments Ltd., the City of Humboldt, Carlton Trail College and Horizon School Division, with the theme Honouring the Land and Our Relations.

For many in Humboldt, the scale is the story. Horizon School Division expects more than 1,000 students from its schools, along with students from Humboldt’s two local separate schools. Bryan McNabb said the event grew out of the division’s annual National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration, which had previously been held at the division office, and that organizers wanted to expand it in Humboldt. He said the gathering is intended to strengthen understanding, reconciliation and community connections, and described it as treaty education in a place where an Indigenous celebration of this size has not before taken place within city limits.

The day’s schedule is built around a competition powwow. It begins with a pipe ceremony at 8 a.m., followed by dancer and drum-group registration at 9 a.m., which closes at noon. Morning programming for invited guests and school students starts at 10 a.m., then Grand Entry is set for noon. Afternoon events include intertribal dances and a student street-clothes special dance at 1:30 p.m., Golden Age, Junior and Teen contests at 3 p.m., and Adult contests and dance specials at 4:30 p.m. A Give Away is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., followed by the announcement of winners.

The city says the event will also feature speeches, blanket presentations, food trucks, craft vendors and a marketplace with Indigenous artisans and vendors. Amanda Moosemay and Patrick McNabb have been helping explain what first-time guests should expect, including how to move through the arena respectfully and when to join in.

Organizers are tying the powwow to National Indigenous Peoples Day, which Canada observes on June 21 to recognize the history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. For Mayor Rob Muench, the event matters both as a celebration of Indigenous culture and as a draw for cultural tourism. Amy Yeager said it reflects what is possible when partners work together with purpose, while Kevin C. Garinger said it is meant to uphold the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation while strengthening relationships in schools and communities.