echo of a proud nation
It is the largest pau-vau in Quebec and brings in thousands of people from many different regions. It was first held in 1991, a year after the Oka Crisis, the infamous standoff between Mohawk protesters and the Canadian military.
The event has been organized every year since then and works to bring people from all the surrounding areas together to rebuild relationships.
Skye Deer, Grand Chief of Kahnawa’s Mohawk Council, said it was important for those not living in the community to learn and learn about the indigenous people.
“All the land around us is still our land and if they are going to live on our land, it is important that they know about our people, our culture, our ways”.
Pow-Vau is a major tourist draw for the area and typically brings in around 8,000 people each year.
“It’s an event that many of us in the community eagerly await, we get to see a lot of faces we haven’t seen before,” Dear said.
Spectators can enjoy lots of traditional dancing, including contests, singing, and costumes, but they can also try different types of food, shop at different booths, and talk to people in the community.
The highlight of the event is the grand entrance parade of dancers, but for many in Kahnawa: ke pow-wah is about pride.
“They say every day is a proud day to be indigenous, but there is something about the pow-wow that makes it stand out even more,” Deer said.