U of T Mississauga holds inaugural All-Nations Powwow

The community, students and alumni are welcome to join a powwow in Mississauga next month.

The University of Toronto Mississauga Indigenous Centre and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation are co-hosting an All-Nations Powwow at the Mississauga campus.

The Powwow, an Indigenous social celebration where community members can gather and enjoy traditional singing and dancing, is on March 25.

“All community members, including non-Indigenous are welcome and strongly encouraged to attend,” the event listing states.

Experiencing a Powwow emphasizes the importance of relationship-building with everyone while providing opportunities to learn more about Indigenous culture and knowledge.

Doors open at 11 a.m. and the Grand Entry Ceremony begins at 12 p.m.

There will be intertribal, spot and exhibition dances.

At 2 p.m., the Tia Lyn Copenance Jingle Dress Special competition, sponsored by the Duke and Copenace Family, starts with cash prizes for the top five dancers.

Jingle dresses are lined with rows of metal cones, which create a sound like falling rain as dancers move.

In addition to dancing and music, there will be several Indigenous-owned businesses selling apparel, beadwork, jewelry and more.

For those new to Powwows, the organizers offer a few etiquette tips:

• Visitors are strongly encouraged to ask permission from Dancers before taking photos.
• Do not touch the dancers’ regalia (clothing) without asking permission first.
• Wait for the Master of Ceremonies’ instructions before taking pictures or videos. Some parts of the event are sacred and prohibit any photography or videography.

For more information and to register to attend, visit the All-Nations Powwow website page.