Mi'kmaw powwow knowledge shared at Lennox Island Mawi'omi
Insights from a dancer on regalia crafting and a drum keeper on the responsibilities of drum care
Working with feathers, fur, ribbons and material is all in a day's work for Michael Julian, a dancer who recently attended the Lennox Island Mawi'omi, or powwow, in P.E.I.
Julian, a men's fancy dancer from Eskasoni Mi'kmaw Nation on Cape Breton Island, showcased his talents and wore regalia he meticulously crafted.
Julian was first inspired to craft while watching his family create traditional items such as baskets and beadwork during his youth.
"I see them, like they're concentrating on their creation of their crafts and I'd ask them 'Can I sort out those beads?'" he said.
Julian and his two fellow competitors were all wearing regalia he created.
He said he's passionate about passing on knowledge about regalia-making to other men, and said the lessons they learn are a part of the creation process.
"I'll teach him how to sew; I know he gets mad about it sometimes," he said.
"But teach him that, like turtle. Be patient about what you really make."
Julian expressed pride in his work, and said he's always on the lookout for men wearing his creations as he attends powwows on the East Coast.
Drum 'a grandfather'
Sunrise Scouts is a drum group made up of members from across Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral lands of the Mi'kmaq. They come from places including Millbrook, Membertou, Eskasoni, and Paqtnkek in Nova Scotia, Metepenagiag in New Brunswick and parts of P.E.I.
Joseph Sylliboy, the group's drumkeeper, is responsible for maintaining and transporting their drum while attending to its physical and spiritual needs, too.
He said his tasks include making sure the drum is attended at all times, protecting the drum from the elements, maintaining the hide and conducting ceremony to honour the drum.
"Our people that use drums, they refer to them as a grandfather," he said.
"So you take care of it as if it's your grandfather."
Sylliboy said drummers complement — and celebrate — dancers at the powwow by providing them music to exhibit their talent.
He said it's not done for personal gain but to serve the community in memorials, to help those who are ill, missing or who have died. When a memorial song or an exhibition song is requested by a dancer or community member, tobacco is traditionally offered to the drum.
Sylliboy said when approaching the drum or taking photos or videos, it is always important to seek permission first.
"Be mindful that the drum in itself is a sacred item so it's not a toy, it's not something to just be treated as any old instrument… it's something that's there to heal people."
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