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Powwow Saturday

4/8/2015

14 Comments

 
This weekend we headed out to Central Newfoundland, for the second time this summer, to attend the annual Micmac Powwow at Conne River!
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Conne River is a two hour drive from Lewisporte, where we were staying for the weekend. The route to Conne River was very scenic, with a bit of fog making the landscape all the more atmospheric (we're really trying hard to look for a bright side to fog in August). Aside from some rough patches here and there along the highway, it was smooth sailing all the way, and we arrived at the Powwow shortly before the festivities began for the day.

The Micmac (or Mi'kmaq) community at Conne River (or Miawpukek) have been holding an annual Powwow on the Reserve since 1995. The event has become a popular attraction for people throughout the province. After some warm up singing, drumming and dancing, the participants of the Grand Entrance Parade lined up ready to begin the main festivities. The regalia on display were amazing. There were groups of men dressed in elaborate feathered regalia for dancing, women with their fancy shawls, and the chief leading the parade with his magnificent headdress.
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After the parade, during which the participants walked and danced their way around the central arbour, the singing, dancing and drumming then continued almost non-stop for the rest of the afternoon. More and more people showed up at the site as time went on, making for a very lively and interesting event.
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We explored the arts and crafts stalls surrounding the central ceremonial area, and lunched on some fish and chips, before heading off for a short hike. Right beside the site of the Powwow there were several trails, one of which climbed very steeply to the top of Clem's Lookout. Scrambling to the top, we were rewarded with a beautiful view of the Conne River valley and the Powwow below. As high up as we were, the drumming and singing were still very clear, although we were completely immersed in nature.
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After descending from the lookout, we set off to explore the community of Conne River and surrounding area. We had the opportunity to skip some rocks and walk around the sea floor at low tide, exploring this stunning part of the province that is known as the "Coast of Bays".

We drove back to Lewisporte that night and on Sunday we did a bit more exploring of the area around Lewisporte before starting the journey back to town.
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All in all, it was another busy, but enjoyable, weekend exploring Central Newfoundland. The Powwow in particular was a great event to see and it is something that we have been looking forward to for a while. A couple of years ago, we attended a musical aboriginal fundraising showcase called Spirit Song, which was just a small sample of what we experienced on Saturday.

Here are some more pictures from our weekend:
Curious what we were doing this time last year? Well, we had a weekend full of activities which included Elizabeth opening a time capsule that she created when she was 13, plus a couple of shows around town.

And two years ago this week we visited Cupids Cove Plantation, an archaeological dig and Provincial Historic Site, and had our annual family reunion at the cabin.
14 Comments
Lisa link
5/8/2015 06:21:26 am

Nice! I actually went to the powwow here in Kamloops this past weekend as well. It was awesome.

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Elizabeth link
6/8/2015 02:33:03 am

Cool, and what a coincidence! Dare I say, twinsies?!

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Joanne
6/8/2015 09:27:00 am

Awesome pictures..looks like you had a terric adventure! Love your blog!

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Elizabeth link
10/8/2015 12:16:08 pm

Thanks! :)

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Elizabeth link
9/8/2015 08:23:53 pm

What is that thing on the front of the train?

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Elizabeth link
10/8/2015 12:17:00 pm

Funny you ask that, because Luke was wondering the same thing - it's a snow plow!

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Christine | A Keane Sense of Adventure link
11/8/2015 03:28:50 am

The powwow looks so fascinating and so much fun! Honestly, I don't think I have ever typed out "powwow" before lol. The view from Clem's Lookout looks beautiful!

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Elizabeth link
11/8/2015 11:14:04 am

It was such an amazing experience and view from the lookout was absolutely stunning!

And I was also wondering if "Powwow" was all one word or two words, but it turns out that it can be either! haha

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Van @ Snow in Tromso link
11/8/2015 06:44:45 am

That looks like so much fun! Have never experienced a powwow (even though I'm studying that stuff, what a shame) but would love to :D

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Elizabeth link
11/8/2015 11:15:21 am

Right! I'm sure you will at some point - it's an unforgettable experience!

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Karen link
11/8/2015 10:26:48 pm

This looks like a fun event. Beautiful photos. I'd like to experience going to a powwow someday.

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Elizabeth link
12/8/2015 10:38:23 am

It was a great event, and you should definitely go to one if you have the chance!

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jacqueline link
12/8/2015 09:55:34 pm

What a fun experience. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and we would frequently have Native Nations come to our school and teach us about their cultures. The Pow Wow demonstrations were always my favorite! Also, your earrings are beautiful; the beading is so intricate. (Also, where I come from, cars are not supposed to drive on the beach. Is this common??)

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Elizabeth link
16/8/2015 11:58:34 am

Wow, what cool experiences to have growing up! That sounds amazing, and what a great way to teach kids about other cultures.

They had so many beautiful earrings, moccasins, and crafts there for sale that were all homemade. It was really impressive!

And great point about the beach, I'm not really sure. It's not a designated beach per se, and I don't know how many people use it for anything... Although driving that jeep through salt water certainly won't be good for it!

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