How to run a powwow
Dancers and spectators gather at the powwow grounds on Tekakwitha Island for Kahnawake’s very first Echoes of a Proud Nation Pow-Wow, which took place on the weekend of July 13th in 1991. (Courtesy: Kanien’keháka Onkwawé:nna Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
Story told by Leonard Atonnion Bordeau
We had a big problem here in Kahnawake and Kanesatake way back in 1990. After everything was over and the dust settled, we tried to reconcile with the neighbours and surrounding communities. We sent out an olive branch, figuratively.
There was a group that got together and talked about what we could do. They came up with the suggestion of having a powwow. Prior to 1990, we never had a powwow in Kahnawake.
I used to always wonder about that. We got some smaller communities out west and out east that have a yearly powwow and here we are, a community of roughly 8,000-9,000. Why is it that we don’t have a powwow?
Anyway, that’s the idea they came up with. We’ll invite everyone and show that we’re a peaceful, accommodating people.
They had to get some help from other reserves because we had no expertise on how to run a powwow. Plus, you have to have some bucks. You need connections and you have to call certain dancers.
A date was chosen. It’s always the second weekend of July to coincide with July 11th which was when we had our big problem, the big to-do.
The wheels are in motion, they got a hold of some funding, they got some drum groups, and they had to secure a site. They decided on Kateri Island.
(Courtesy: Kanien’keháka Onkwawé:nna Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center)
We had this big powwow and I was so impressed with all the different types of regalia, the styles of dance for both men and women, and the sound of the drumming. I didn’t even know there were different categories when it came to powwow. In the male category, there’s men’s traditional, fancy, and grass. On the women’s side, you had jingle dress and women’s fancy and traditional.
Smoke dancing only came a few years after because we were doing strictly powwow dancing at first. But it’s a part of our traditional dancing styles. It caught on big time over here. A lot of our younger dancers are getting involved and they can dance up a storm.
I was working in Valleyfield when 1990 happened. We couldn’t get out of Kahnawake. We couldn’t go to work. As it happened, I was on my two-week mandatory summer vacation. I said, “Well no sweat, we’re on vacation. I’m not gonna go to work.”
Almost every night I would go out to the Highway 138 blockade. There were always a bunch of guys out there. We would sit and talk all night, just shooting the breeze.
One night they brought in a live drum group. They started drumming and they’re singing to it and chanting. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I was so amazed to hear the drums. It was so awe-inspiring. I couldn’t forget about that experience.
I told my wife, “One of these days, I’m not going to be sitting up in the grand stand as a spectator, I’m going to be out there with everyone.”
Tsi ní:tsi ionterihwahtentià:tha’ ne powwow
Leonard dances during the grand entry of Kahnawake’s Echoes of a Proud Nation Pow-Wow on July 12, 1997. That year was Leonard’s second year of powwow dancing. (Courtesy: Leonard Bordeau)
Leonard Atonnion Bordeau roká:raton
Kowá:nen tsi nahò:ten’ ioterihwakà:tehkwe’ ne kèn:’en Kahnawà:ke tánon Kanehsatà:ke 1990 shiiohserò:ten. Tsi akwé:kon onteweiennén:ta’ne’ tánon’ tsi ia’tetso’kenhraientà:’on, wa’akwate’nién:ten’ aonsaiakwarihwahserón:ni’ tsi nihá:ti teiakwanatanekhánion. Iawenié:nare’ kahi’ aò:nhahte’ ia’akwaténniehte’, tewate’nienténhston ki’.
Wa’akwatia’tarò:roke’ tánon’ wa’akwahthá:rahkwe’ oh naiakwá:iere’. Wahonterien’tatshén:ri’ ne powwow aiakwaterihwahténtia’te’. Ohén:ton 1990 shiiohserá:te’, iah nowén:ton teionkwaién:tahkwe’ ne powwow kèn:’en Kahnawà:ke.
Tiótkon nè:’e shos wakerihwaiè:was. Sénha ken’ nikanatà:sa’s kanatakehrónnion ne è:neken nok nà:kon nonkwá:ti thia’teiohserá:ke thonterihwahtentià:tha’ ne powwow. Sok ki’ nì:’i, ka’k nón: ákta 8,000 tóka’ ni’ 9,000 niiátion tsi nikaná:ta’. Oh ki’ nontie:ren tsi iah teiakwaterihwahtentià:tha’ ne powwow?
Tiótkon ká:ti’, né: ki’ thí:ken wahonterien’tatshén:ri’. Akwé:kon eniakhihón:karon’ tánon eniakhina’tón:hahse’ tsi skén:nen í:ken onkwaná:takon, tánon’ onkwehshòn:’a eniakhinaktóthahse’.
Ó:nen’k tsi akò:ren onkwehón:we wahonwatirì:wawa’se’ ase’kénh iah teiakwarihwaienteríhne’ oh ní:tsi aiakwaterihwahténtia’te’ ne powwow. Teiotonhontsóhon ni’ nè:’e aiesahwistaién:take’. Teiotonhontsóhon onkwehshòn:’a ahsheienteríhake’ tánon’ teiotonhontsóhon kwató:ken niiá:kon teienonniáhkhwa’ iahsheiatewennátahse’.
Ó:nen rotirákwen tsi nikahá:wi. Tiótkon Ohiarihkó:wa niwenhnitò:ten ronterihwahtentia:tha’, nè:’e ne tekeníhaton iensewatiahia’kserò:kten’. Nè:’e ne sha’tekahá:wi akénhake’ sha’tewatenòn:ianihte’ sha’tka’nikonhrhá:ren’ ne Ohiarihkó:wa 11 shískare’.
Tsi ó:nen iotahsawátie’ aiakwarihwahserón:ni, wahotihwistaién:ta’ne’, wahatinenhratshén:ri’ ne rati’nahkwakòn:reks, tánon’ ó:nen’k tsi wahatiráko’ ka’ nón:we enhonterihwahténtia’te’. Ia’thotirihwaién:ta’se’ tsi Katerí: Tekahkwì:tha’ tsi tkawè:note’ enkénhake’.
Kowá:nen ionkwaterihwahtentia’tòn:ne’ kí:ken powwow tánon tsi nonkenehrá:ko’ akatkátho’ nia’tewatahkwenniò:ten’s ká:ien’. Tetsá:ron tsi nihotinonniò:ten’s ne rotisken’rakéhte tánon’ ne tsonathonwí:sen, nok tsi niwatahonhsò:ten tsi roti’nahkwakòn:re’. Iah tánon’ tewakaterièn:tarahkwe’ tsi thia’tekanónniake ká:ien’ taienónniahkwe’ ne powwow. Tsi nonkwá:ti ne rotisken’rakéhte’, ká:ien’ ne ronnón:kwe raiotinonnia’ón:we, iotenonniatkwéniens, tánon’ kahenta’kéha tahatinónniahkwe’.
Tsi nonkwá:ti ne tsonathowí:sen, ká:ien’ ne iohwisten’tónnion aonatià:tawi nó:nen tekontinónniahkwe’ eniohwistá:kahre’. Nok iotenonniatkwéniens tánon’ konnón:kwe aotinonnia’ón:we. Tohkára’k niiohserá:ke iotohétston tontáhsawen’ tahontenonniakén:ni’ ne iontien’kwarón:nis ase’kénh powwow na’kanonniò:ten’s khok iakwathón:tatskwe’ tsi tiotáhsawe’.
Nek tsi tho na’kanonniò:ten’ karátie’ tsi niionkwarihò:ten. Akwáh ki’ ne takaié:na’ ken nonkwá:ti tahatinóniahkwe’. É:so rá:ti nontionkwe’ta’shòn:’a ken’ nithotiièn:sa ratiia’tarátie’s tánon’ kwah ratinonniaweiénhen.
Valleyfield tewatió’tehkwe’ sha’á:wen’ne’ ne 1990. Iah teiotòn:’on aionkwa’niakèn:’en ne Kahnawà:ke. Iah teiotòn:’on aionkwaio’ténhson. Tsi na’á:wen’, teiahia’khserá:ke nikarì:wes wakatorishentakwèn:ne’ ase’kénh ionkhiionnién:ni tho naiakwá:iere’. Wa’kì:ron’, “Á:, iah ki’ thé:nen teiontié:ren, ionkwatorishentákwen. Iah tewatio’ténhsere’. Thó:ha thia’tewahsón:take 138 tsi iohá:te’ niahà:ke’ tsi nón: nihotihahakwékton. Tiótkon tho thón:ne’s ne nia’tehá:ti ronnón:kwe. Ahsontakwé:kon átste eniakwentskó:take’ tánon’ teniakwahtharónnion’, eniakwahthá:rahkwe’ oh niiohtonhátie’.
Sewahsón:ta tahonwatiia’tínion’te’ skanèn:ra rati’nahkwakòn:reks. Tahontáhsawen’ wahati’nahkwakonhrékhon’ tánon’ ronaterén:note’. Wa’káttoke’ tsi tha’tkontí:ta’ne’ akenónhkwis ne keniahkarà:ke. Kwah tsi nonkenehrá:ko’. Akwáh í:ken tsi ionehrákwa. Iah thaón:ton’ ne aonsonke’nikónhrhen’ .
Wa’khehró:ri’ khekstén:ha, “Sewenhnísera, iah anitskwahrahtshera’kéhshon thakitskó:take’ akheiaterò:roke’. Enkheiatia’táhrhahse’ ne ronatia’kéhshon.”
Translation by Katsenhaién:ton Lazare