abegweit powwow - mcpei

The Native Council Of Prince Edward Island 1

Abegweit PowWow

Information Guide& Coloring Book

2 The Native Council Of Prince Edward Island

The information shared is intended as ageneral overview and does not focus on any

particular aboriginal practices or beliefs. It issuggested that individuals wishing to learnmore about cultural practices, contact theNative Council of Prince Edward Island.

We hope you enjoy the information sharedand that it provides you with a better

understanding and appreciation of theAbegweit PowWow and some of the cultural

practices of some of your Aboriginalneighbours.

The Native Council Of Prince Edward Island 3

A Mi’kmaq Prayer to Our Creator

Oh Great Spirit, you have created all life.We know that you live in everything; in every person, in every place.

We ask you to come to us; to be with us; to help us.

Oh Great Spirit of the East, where the sun rises.Who holds our life with the opportunity of each day in your hands.

Protect us so that we do not lose our gifts and the hope of today through laziness.

Oh Great Spirit of the South,Whose fragrance speaks of the coming spring and warmer days of summer.

As you speak to our hearts, remove our fears;dispel our hatred; renew our love for one another.

Teach us in your wisdom they that are strong, must also be kind.That justice must show mercy and the brave – compassion.

Oh Great Spirit of the West,where the sun sets and where the mountains soar to the sky.

Bless us with peace that comes with striving to follow a well-disciplined life.Teach us that dying is better than living where we die of ourselves.

Just as the sun glories not in the ending of a daybut the promises hope for a new tomorrow.

Oh Great Spirit of the North,Who gives breath to the winds that brings us the cold air

and sends snow to cover the earth with its beauty.Strengthen us and let us be thankful for the cold,

the storms and for the beauty of wintertimeas your beauty covers over Mother Earth.

Oh Great Spirit of the heavens,where the blue of the sky and the countless stars of the night.

Speak to us of your greatness.Where the flowering plants speak of your nearness,

while we lift up our spirit and hearts to you.

Oh Great Spirit of our Mother Earth,The provider of all that we use to sustain us.Help us to always give thanks for your gifts.

Oh Great Spirit of my soul, which burns in our hearts.Speak to us so that we will always be thankful for the life you give us,

and let us always be ready to give up this lifeand come to you without shame.


PowWow Etiquette

1) Listen to the Master of Ceremonies. He will announce who is to dance andwhen.

2) When in the sacred circle, dress and act appropriately. (Hot pants, halter tops,swim wear and bare feet are not acceptable).

3) If you want to take pictures or a tape recording, check with the PowWow hostfirst, then check with the person you are taking pictures of and ask theirpermission.

4) Women on their moon time should stay away from the dance area because theyare in the process of their own ceremony at that time.

5) Stand and men must remove their hat (unless an Eagle feather is attached)during the Grand Entry, Flag Songs, Invocation, Memorial, Veterans Songs andthe Closing Song.

6) Please do not permit your children to enter the dance circle unless they aredancing.

7) Certain items of religious significance should be worn only by those qualifiedto do so. Respect the traditions. Never touch another person’s dance Regaliawithout their permission.

8) If you see a lost feather, or you yourself drop a feather, do not pick it up.Notify the nearest Veteran, Head Man Dancer or Master of Ceremoniesimmediately.

9) Pointing with the fingers is considered poor manners by some nations. If youmust point, use your head and nod in the direction you wish to indicate.

10) PowWows do not allow alcoholic beverages. The PowWow is a time of joyfulgathering and celebration of life. These “bad” spirits are not welcome.

11) Make an extra effort to walk to the trash can. Respect Mother Earth.

Remember always: Aboriginal dances are more than the word “dance” candescribe. They are a ceremony and a prayer which all life encompasses andproduce many emotional and spiritual reactions. Some dances are old, some arebrand new, the culture continues to live and evolve.

The Native Council Of Prince Edward Island 5Tipi


What is a PowWow?

PowWow time is the Aboriginal people’s way of meeting together, to join indancing, singing, visiting, renewing old friendships and making new ones.The PowWow is a spiritual as well as a social gathering to celebrate life. ThePowWow brings together all nations, from different locations, speaking manylanguages.

Sacred FireBefore the PowWow begins, a sacredfire is lit at sunrise of the day thePowWow is to begin. It is theresponsibility of the men to take careof the fire, so a man knowledgeable inthe traditions and teachings of firekeeping is selected and given tobaccoand requested to take care of the firefor the duration of the PowWow. Thefire keeper is responsible for makingsure the fire stays lit and peoplevisiting the sacred fire follow certainprotocols. Only sacred medicines,such as tobacco and cedar, are placedin the fire and people enter the sacredfire area through the eastern doorway,smudge themselves usually withsweet grass or sage smoke, offertobacco containing their prayers to thefire and move around the sacred firein a clockwise direction exitingthrough the eastern doorway.

Grand EntryDuring Grand Entry, staff and flagcarriers, elders, head dancers and allother dancers in regalia enter thePowWow circle through the easterndoorway, which is the only openinginto the PowWow circle, also calledthe arena. Spectators are expected torise and remove hats (unless an Eaglefeather is attached) during GrandEntry and no pictures or videotapingis allowed at this time.

DrumThe term “drum” refers to the actualbig drum and the singers who sit atthat drum. The drum is not just aninstrument. It is considered a sacredbeing connecting us to the heartbeatof Mother Earth. There can beseveral drums at the PowWow andthey are located in the cedar arbor inthe center of the PowWow circle.

Eagle StaffThis staff is usually carried into thecircle by whoever has been given theresponsibility of caring for it; perhapsan elder, veteran or dancer carries it.This staff honours the eagle whoguards the Eastern direction. Theeagle is the bird who flies the highestand closest to the Creator andrepresents farsightedness, strengthand beauty.

InvocationThis is the prayer said by an elder tobegin the PowWow after Grand Entryhas happened and all participants inGrand Entry are in the PowWowcircle. The elder is given tobaccowhen he or she is being requested todo the invocation or any other dutyduring the PowWow

The Native Council Of Prince Edward Island 7Sacred Fire


Flag SongsThese songs honour the flags of allthe nations that have been broughtinto the PowWow circle during GrandEntry. The flags are usually carried inby veterans or warriors. There is nodancing during the flag song.

Veteran’s SongThis may follow the flag song and issung to honour all those who havefallen in battle.

Honour SongsThese are special songs honouring anindividual or group for some specialaccomplishment or contribution to thecommunity. All spectators rise andremove hats and no pictures orvideotaping is allowed during thistime. The person being honouredusually dances around the circle onceduring the honour song, followed bytheir family. Then once they havedanced around once, they stop at theEastern doorway and the communitycomes out to shake their hand andoffer congratulations then joinsbehind the family. Once allcongratulations are received,everyone dances around the PowWowcircle until the honour song isfinished.

Intertribal SongsAt a PowWow, there will be manyintertribal songs sung. All spectatorsare welcome to dance to intertribalsongs. Entry to the arena is throughthe eastern doorway.

Eagle FeatherAn eagle feather is sacred toaboriginal peoples. When an eaglefeather is dropped from someone’sregalia during a PowWow, it shouldnot be picked up. It represents awarrior who has fallen in battle andcan only be picked up by anotherwarrior. The Arena Director willstand over the feather and protect itwhile a veteran is asked to come andperform a ceremony to pick it up.

Blanket DanceThese dances are called to help withthe traveling expenses of the drum orthe costs of producing the celebration.During this dance, four women oryoung ladies carry a blanket or shawlaround the arena. We encourage youto contribute and give you thanks fordoing so.

GiveawayGiveaway is a ceremony that is doneon a number of different occasions.There will often be a giveaway duringa PowWow. Giveaways are normallydone when someone has somethingspecial happen to them and it is toexpress their gratitude for this gift.

The Native Council Of Prince Edward Island 9Arbour


Singers and Drummers

PowWow singers are very importantfigures in the Aboriginal culture.Without them there would be nodancing.

The songs are of many varieties, fromreligious to war to social. As varioustribes gathered together, they wouldshare their songs, often changing thesongs so singers of different tribescould join. With these changes camethe use of “vocables” to replace thewords of the old songs.

Thus, some songs today are sung invocables with no words. Yet they stillhold special meaning to those whoknow the song. Many songs are stillsung in native tongue whether newlycomposed or revivals of old songs.Their songs are reminders to theAboriginal people of their old waysand rich heritage.

Dancers have always been a veryimportant part of the life of theAboriginal peoples. Most dance seenat PowWows today are social danceswhich might have had differentmeaning and importance. The outfitsworn by the dancers, like the styles ofclothing today, evolve over time. It isnot a stagnant culture, but a vibrantand changing way of life.

One of the most important things inthe life of some Aboriginal peoples isthe drum.

Our whole culture centers around thedrum. Without the drum and thesingers around it, the Aboriginalpeoples could not have PowWows.The drum brings the heart beat of ourEarth Mother to the PowWow for allto feel and hear. Drumming bringseveryone back into balance. Whetherdancing, singing or just listening,people around the drum can connectwith the Spirit.

Being Head Singer is a great honour.The man who receives this honour ischosen for his experience and thenthat singer has the right to lead allsongs unless he chooses other men tolead and help him carry the load.Songs are started with a lead line sungby the Head Singer. This lets thedrum and the dancers now what songis coming. After the lead line, thesecond (another person at the drum)will take up the lead line, andeveryone will join in with him. Atthis point the dancers begin to dance.The loud beats during the songs,sometimes called “Honour Beats” as atime for dancers to honour the drum.The Head Singer has the first and lastword and has complete control ofwhat goes on at the drum.

A closed drum means the Head Singerhas chosen the singers he wants tosing with him. The dance arena couldbe filled with good singers but theyshould not sit at the drum unless theyare asked by the Head Singer.

The Native Council Of Prince Edward Island 11Drummers


Some additional things toremember:Liquor is never permitted at the drum.

Women, usually do not sit at the drumand beat the drum, if women sing,they may sit in the second row behindthe men singers. There are somewomen’s drums emerging now.

If a special song is called, thoseasking for the song should donate tothe drum. Taping of songs will onlybe done with permission of the HeadSinger.

DancersThere are many different dancers thatperform in PowWows. There are menand women’s traditional dancers, headdancers, grass dancers or fancydancers to name a few.

Head DancersMale and female head dancers are atradition. The head dancers have theresponsibility of leading all the peoplethrough all the dances that take placeduring the gathering, with theexception of exhibition dances. Theseindividuals have to know all thedances and usually have been learningthe different dances for many years.

It is an honour to be asked toundertake this responsibility andmany of these people are handpickedfor the task. These people usuallycarry the momentum of the dance andusually have to possess a great deal ofstamina.

Men’s Traditional DancerTraditional dancers usually have quiteelaborate regalia of feathers and beadwork. They are dressed in bonebeaded breast plates, war shields andfaces painted in an array of differentpatterns. Some of these dancers spendyears assembling their regalia,gathering different accessories towear on their outfits. This regalia iswell respected by the individual thatassembled them. Many of the regaliainclude sacred articles and is thedancer’s most valued possession.Some traditional dancers try torecount the hunting methods of oldtell stories during their dance.

Women’s Traditional DancerA women’s traditional regalia mostoften consists of leather but can alsobe made of fabric. Leather regalia isoften adorned with lots of extensiveheavy Bead work. These women willoften have a full length breast plategoing almost to the ground. The skirtcomes to the top of her moccasins.Dresses are often decorated withbeadwork, shells and/or ribbons.Traditional women’s dancers usuallycarry a folded shawl over one arm andan Eagle feather fan and possibly asmall bag. The fan is held up duringthe Honour beats of a song to givethanks to the Creator. Beadedhairpieces, earrings, chokers and/orfull bone breastplates can also beworn.

The Native Council Of Prince Edward Island 13Blanket Dance


The traditional women dancersrepresent the connection that allwomen have with Mother Earth.When they dance, one foot is alwaysin touch with Mother Earth. This iswhy they barely lift their feet abovethe ground when they dance.Traditional women’s dancers movewith slow, rhythmic steps that allowtheir fringes to swing and swayrepresenting the slow, steadymovement of life on Mother Earth,such as the rhythmic movement ofwater.

Men’s Grass DancersOver the last decade, the grass dancehas grown in popularity and is fastbecoming a favorite for the youngboys and teens. Their regalia is madeof bright colored yarn or ribbonfringes. Most dancers have stunningbeadwork, but some are making thetransition to colored fabric to accenttheir regalia. This type of dancingalso requires a great deal of staminaand flexibility. Many of themovements are precise and intricate,which allows the viewer to catch aglimpse of some of the footwork thesedancers use. This style of dance isalso favored because the dancer candevelop and exhibit his ownindividual steps, which makes eachdancer differ from another.

This dance was introduced by thewestern tribes. The dancer tries toimitate the grass as it moves in thewind or the mane of a horse’s back asit gallops across the plains.

It was the responsibility of the grassdancers to be the first ones out in thedance area and to pack down the grassfor the rest of the dancers who were tofollow.

Women’s Jingle DressThe Jingle Dress dancers are healers.Tradition and the teachings say thatthis dress came from a man from theLake of the Woods area whosedaughter was ill. He had a vision ofthe Jingle Dress which was originallymade of shell. His vision was for thisdress to be given to the Aboriginalpeople for the purpose of healing.The jingles are rarely made of shellanymore, instead the shells werereplaced by cones made from snuffcan lids that were used early in the20th century. The regalia consists of aknee-length cloth dress with rows ofjingles sewn onto the fabric. Dancerswear beaded moccasins withmatching leggings, a belt, a bandanaaround their necks, a feather fan, abeaded bag and an eagle feather heldin their hair with a beaded hairpiece.Dancers do a beautiful hopping stepin a zigzag pattern to the drumbeat tomake the jingles tinkle and their stepsstop precisely when the drum stops.

The Native Council Of Prince Edward Island 15Male Dancer


Fancy Feather DancerThese dancers are dressed in brightcolored regalia’s. Most wear themulticolored neon feather bustles ontheir back. Many of the younger menand boys begin their dancing as fancydancers because it is a high energystyle of dance. This regalia alsoexhibits amazing beadwork andhandiwork. Fancy dancers usuallybegin their dancing at a young ageand perfect their style over the courseof their lives. The fancy dancersexhibit an explosion of energy thatwould impress any aerobicsinstructor. Stamina and agility playmajor role in the life of the fancydancer and more are in tip top shape.Fancy dancing was introduced to theeastern provinces from the westerntribes. The fancy dance is alsorecognized as a war dance because atone time the dancers used to dance inpretty much the same manner to‘psyche’ themselves for the battle.Today these dancers are known fortheir high flying, quick spinning styleof dance, combined with a multitudeof different dance steps.

Women’s Shawl or Fancy ShawlMany young girls and teens start outas shawl dancers. This style ofdancing requires a lot of movementand therefore a lot of stamina. Thedancing itself requires high stepping,

twirling movements. Shawl dancersrepresent the butterfly which is whythe dancer is supposed to move herarms with the shawl draped over themin movements representative of thefluttering of the butterfly. Women’sshawl dancing came to the east fromthe western tribes where the dancersare also referred to as Women’sFancy Shawl Dancers. Traditions inthe west say that the women’s shawldancers are similar to the men’s grassdancers in that they represent awarrior’s dance. The reason that thewomen were given the right to dancea war dance is because long ago thewomen used to be runners who ranfrom village to village warning ofdanger, which in return earned themthe title of “warrior.”

Women’s shawl dancers regaliaconsists of outfits made of colorfulfabric and ribbons, often adorned withbead or sequin work. This is made upof a skirt, leggings, beadedmoccasins, beaded hairpieces, a yokeand shawl which is draped over theshoulders. It is made of colourfulfabric and ribbons, often adorned withbeadwork or sequins. The dancersmove with quick, fancy high-steppingfoot work accompanied by constantmovement of their arms.

The Native Council Of Prince Edward Island 17Female Dancer


SongsThe songs that are sung at many ofthe gatherings are unique to theAboriginal representatives that singthem.Many of the songs are presented inthe language dialect the drum grouppresents. Some songs have beenshared or passed on from group togroup as singers interact over thecourse of the PowWow season.

Some of the songs are chants andhave no word arrangement. Thesesongs are sometimes referred to asvocals. Some of these songs arecenturies old and some are newlycomposed by individual drum groups.Songs that have lyrics describe theactions of the dancers and sometimesdescribe the dance itself. All songsdictate who should be dancing andsome songs fall into specialcategories. As an example, Honoursongs are speciality songs.

The Honour song is offered for manyreasons and should be respected bystanding and removing of the hats(unless an Eagle feather is attached).Some examples of Honour songs areGrand Entry, Flag and Veteran songs.These last few examples are songsused to open a gathering and shouldbe acknowledged and respected.

PowWow dancing and songs are morethan just keeping the old way alive,because it brings out the meaning ofwhat it is to be aboriginal. It bringsthe aboriginal people closer to oneanother, and helps them to recognizethe links between the bands andgroups, and makes them more awareof the good things of the past whichthey will be able to pass on to theirchildren and grandchildren. It is partof making an Aboriginal people feelproud of what they are and what theyrepresent, and feel hopeful of thefuture. It is the very heart and soul oflife for the Aboriginal people.

RememberIn each area you travel to and visitthings can and will be slightlydifferent from your area. Differentgroups have different customs andmethods of doing things. Different isnot wrong, just different. Berespectful of the uniqueness of eacharea.

The Native Council Of Prince Edward Island 19Drum


Cultural Practices

The EagleThe Eagle is symbolic to Aboriginalpeoples spirituality beliefs. With itsgreat ability to soar high in the sky, itis believed that the Eagle serves as amessenger between all people and theCreator. To see an Eagle is thought tobring good luck or happiness. TheEagle shows great courage, strengthand vision. These qualities enable theEagle to hunt and fish - skills that areimportant to the aboriginal culture.Eagle feathers are used duringspirituality practices and great respectmust be shown at all times. Eaglefeathers are presented to individualsfor their wisdom, talents or otherreasons deemed important by thegiver of the feather and it is one of thegreatest honours.

Importance of EldersElders are individuals who arerespected for their wisdom, vision andunderstanding of the culture.Although most Elders are normallyolder, they may also be younger inage. Individuals will seek out anElder and meet with them to seekguidance. A person may also haveseveral Elders in their life’s journeydepending on the guidance they seek.Showing respect to an Elder is one ofthe most important facets of theAboriginal culture. It is the teachingsof Elders that we have come to learnthat an Elder who demonstrateshumbleness possesses one of theunique gifts provided by the Creatorand seen as one of the most importantteachings.

SmudgingSmudging, a common name given itthe burning of sacred grasses, is apowerful technique derived from theAboriginal tradition. It is a ritualisticway to cleanse a person, place or anobject of negative energies orinfluences. The theory behindsmudging is that the smoke attachesitself to negative energy and as itclears it takes the negative energywith it, releasing it into another spaceto be regenerated back into positiveenergy. Remember that when yousmudge, you are asking the spirit ofsacred plants for assistance and youmust pay proper respect to theirhealing power.

Sweat LodgeSweat lodges are circular shapedstructures designed for the purpose ofcleansing the mind, body and spirit.Through the use of heated stones,known as grandfathers, water issprinkled to create a steam needed tocleanse. Sweat lodges are conductedby a leader who has earned the rightto hold sweats by gaining thenecessary wisdom and knowledgetaught by the Elders. Sweats can befor general prayer time or for specifichealing of a person or community.

The sweat lodge ceremony is aceremony that is very humble andstarts with Mother Earth. The sweatlodge teaches us how to have respectfor the women in our community andin the world. It teaches us respect,patience, endurance and speaking ourminds freely.

The Native Council Of Prince Edward Island 21Eagle


Sacred HerbsAboriginal people utilize many kindsof sacred herbs in various ways. Themost commonly used herbs are sweetgrass, cedar, sage and tobacco.Sacred herbs are symbols ofAboriginal spirituality practices andwhether burned or given as a sprinkleoffering, respect must be shown at alltimes. When the herbs are burned, therising smoke helps take messages orprayers to the Creator. In sprinkling,herbs are spread around an area that isbeing used as a sign of respect.Sacred herbs can be carried in amedicine pouch or offering bag.

Medicine PouchThe medicine pouch, or sometimesreferred to as an offering bag, is seenas a sacred object. The pouch can beof various sizes, colour and design. Itcan be worn around the neck, thewaist or carried in the pocket. Theitems in the pouch are deemed forbeing good medicines and can varydepending upon personal preference.Some may choose to carry sacredherbs, stones or other significantitems that are important to anindividual. Medicines can changedepending on the circumstances forwhich it is being used. It is verydisrespectful to touch or opensomeone’s pouch without theirpermission.

DrumThe most common drums used in theAboriginal cultures are the rounddrum and the hand drum. Both drumsare used in community gatherings andfor other ceremonial purposes.

The hand drum or small drum, isusuallyplayed by an individual and can beplayed alone or with others. Theround drum, or big drum, is played bya group of individuals during specialgatherings. All drums are cleansedwith sweet grass or sacred herbsbefore playing. The beat of the drumsymbolizes the heart beat of MotherEarth and helps to send messages tothe Creator.The drum has power waybeyond “making music” and tounderstand some of this power is tounderstand some of what it is to beAboriginal. One never “beats” or“pounds” on a drum. Instead, onemakes a drum speak with power andconviction.

Talking CircleThe talking circle is a method used forcommunicating in a group setting.Conducted by a leader, a talking stickor item is passed to individuals in aclockwise direction, allowing them toshare their thoughts. Although theleader of the circle will mention theexpectations of the circle, the mostimportant aspect is to ensure that theperson holding the talking item is theonly person allowed to talk. Allothers must show respect and waittheir turn. The circle, sometimesreferred to as a healing circle, is anopportunity to speak about somethingspecifically or talk in general. Thecircle formation enables everyone tobe treated equally.

The Native Council Of Prince Edward Island 23Sweat Lodge


Medicine WheelThe medicine wheel is a concept usedfor teaching how to live a balancedlifestyle. It represents wholeness andteachings may vary depending onpersonal practices or beliefs.Generally, the teachings are foundwithin the four directions and takesinto consideration the four races ofthe world - red, yellow, black andwhite, the four elements, four sacredanimals, four seasons, four sacredherbs and the four aspects to ournature - the spiritual, physical, mentaland environmental well being of aperson. As an item, the medicinewheel is a reminder of the teachingsand that one must try and showrespect to the creator and all creationsat all times.

PipeThe pipe is a sacred item earned byparticipating in a number ofspirituality practices such as attendingsweat lodges, fasting, and otherpractices deemed necessary by anElder of the person wishing to earn apipe. Normally, the pipe carrier willperform a sweet grass ceremony andmake offerings to the creator. Thepipe is filled with tobacco and passedin a clockwise direction to otherparticipants. The sharing of the pipeis a sign of friendship and respect andhelps to open the heart and spirit. Toparticipate in a pipe ceremony. It is agreat Honour for the participants andto the pipe carrier.

Dream CatcherThe dream catcher is symbolic toAboriginal culture and can vary insize, design and colour. It is believedthat the dream catcher helps toprevent bad dreams and encouragesgood ones. There are several legendswritten about the dream catcher andthe following is a commonly usedstory. One day there had been an oldwoman and a spider had caught hereye. She was fascinated with thespider spinning its web. For severaldays the woman returned to that spotand each day the web grew larger.The woman’s grandson came to visitand she showed him the web. Thegrandson wanted to destroy the weband kill the spider, but the womanwould not let him harm either. Whenthe boy had left, the spider spoke tothe woman, “because you saved mylife, I am going to grant you onewish.” The woman replied that heronly wish was to learn how to weavea web like the spider. So, using a ringand thread, the spider taught thewoman how to weave. The spiderexplained that the circle of the webmeant continuous life and the hole inthe center would help get rid of baddreams. The bad dreams would getcaught in the weave and parish at thefirst light of dawn.

The Native Council Of Prince Edward Island 25Dreamcatcher

26 The Native Council Of Prince Edward IslandPipe

The Native Council Of Prince Edward Island 27Medicine Wheel


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Thank you for your interest in the Abegweit PowWow. If you would like more information on thePowWow or any of the services of the Native Council of Prince Edward Island, contact us at any time.

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