Content
Skip to Main ContentAccessibility Help
New Brunswick·Ann's Eye

'The river's calling us home' — anticipation builds for first powwow in Saint John

The 2024 Menahqesk powwow, taking place this October, is expected to draw thousands of visitors to the area.

Indigenous people share what the area's first official gathering will mean to them

CBC News ·
A young woman with long, dark hair wearing a brown fur coat stands outside in front of a river.
Kateri Hibbert is from Sipekne'katik Mi'kmaq Nation in Nova Scotia. She says there is a large Indigenous population in the Saint John area. 'Our ancestors are here. They haven't gone anywhere and neither have we,' she said. (Ann Paul/CBC)

This is part of a series called Ann's Eye, featuring the work of Ann Paul, a Wolastoqey content creator. You can see more Ann's Eye pieces by clicking here.

The Saint John region will have its first official powwow this fall, and Indigenous people in the area are excited.

The 2024 Menahqesk powwow, which will be hosted by Wolastoqey and Mi'kmaw community members, will take place at the TD Station in October and feature food, dancing, drumming, vendors and singing. Organizers estimate the event will attract 10,000 visitors to the area. 

WATCH: The Saint John powwow will bring people together 'in the place where it all began': 

What the first powwow in Saint John means to Indigenous peoples

8 months ago
Duration 3:01
This fall, the Indigenous community will have its first official powwow in Saint John. Ann Paul visited Fort La Tour, a place rich with history and the presence of the ancestors, to hear why this event is so important.

A group of Indigenous people spoke with CBC contributor Ann Paul about their excitement for the powwow.

Menahqesk is the Wolastoqey name for the area, meaning "where the sea takes the land."

Kateri Hibbert of Sipekne'katik Mi'kmaq Nation in Nova Scotia said the water in the area is sacred, referencing the Reversing Falls that used to be used for vision quests.

"There's a massive hunger here in Saint John. The river's calling us home," she said.

 Scroll through the photos and watch the video to find out more.

A man with a moustache and two long braids wearing a black cowboy hat sits on a cement bench. In the distance is a river and a bridge.
Connor McFarlane is from Flying Dust Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. He said a powwow is a big thing for Saint John. 'This is the gathering place. There should be a powwow down here.' (Ann Paul/CBC)
Four people stand in a line outside in a field of dead grass.
In the place where it all began: Kateri Hibbert; Cass Mclaughlin, who's Inuvialuit, Connor McFarlane and Patti Bouchier, a Mi'kmaq Sixties Scoop survivor. (Ann Paul/CBC)
A painting standing on two wooden posts sits on a small hill overlooking a paved path.
Kateri Hibbert feels a connection with Place Fort La Tour in Saint John, where she says she feels the presence of her ancestors. (Ann Paul/CBC)
Rocks piled together form an inukshuk.
Ann Paul came across this inukshuk while visiting Fort La Tour. (Ann Paul/CBC)
A man wearing a black cowboy hat and gray t-shirt stands outside with his back to the camera, looking out at a bridge over a river.
The 2024 Menahqesk powwow will be held at the TD Station, not far from Fort La Tour. (Ann Paul/CBC)

Ann's Eye

Photographer Ann Paul brings an Indigenous lens to stories from First Nations communities across New Brunswick. Click here or on the image below to see more of her work. 

Clarifications

  • A previous version of this story said Kateri Hibbert said ancestors are buried at the Fort La Tour site. In fact, Hibbert said she strongly believes ancestors are buried there and she has undertaken a research project to find evidence.
    Apr 03, 2024 12:28 PM AT
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News
Corrections and clarifications|Submit a news tip|

Related Stories