After a four-year absence due to the COVID pandemic, the tradition, colours and sounds of the Beaver Lake Cree Nation Competition Powwow was back over the August 4 weekend. The powwow got underway Friday evening, for the first of five Grand Entries over the weekend, and despite a mid-evening thunder storm that ended the event opener a little early, a large crowd saw various groups of dancers who would be competing in the three-day-long contest.
The dancers – who competed in age groups ranging from youngsters to elders — danced variety of categories, including traditional, fancy, chicken, jingle and grass.
Watching the swirl of colour, sound and tradition, attendees looked on as Beaver Lake Cree Nation Chief Gary Lameman led a delegation of visiting chiefs from around Western Canada, elders, councillors, local government officials and representatives of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and fire services into the centre of the arbour for the opening ceremonies.
Before the competitions began, there was the traditional pipe ceremony along with a special prayer spoken in the Cree language, as well as speeches by members of the band council and visiting dignitaries.
The first Beaver Lake Cree Nation Competition Powwow was held in 1982. More than 40 years later, at Friday's Grand Entry, tribute was paid to elders such as Philip Cardinal and Caroline Smallface, who had been instrumental in its origin.
Grand Entries took place on Saturday and Sunday afternoon and evenings.