Last weekend I attended the Tsuu T'ina First Nations Pow Wow, here in Alberta. It was a big party with thousands of First Nations people from around the country celebrating their culture. The sound of drums filled the air,singers wailed in the backgound and dancers, dressed in the most amazing vibrantly colored costumes, decorated with beads, bells and feathers, filed into the wooden arena one by one. They circled around the arena dancing to the drums beat. It was awesome to watch them swirling this way and that way, pounding their feet, bells jingling in a riot of color. Set up outside in the fields, were booths selling Indian tacos, and bannok burgers, as well as cotton candy, hot dogs, and souvenirs.The air was smoky from all the campfires and Tee Pees were visible everywhere, some with colorful designs painted on them, while others where plain. Most of the native people attending the Pow Wow were camping there for the weekend, and it was interesting to see the mix of traditional tee pees with modern trailers and motor homes! I took it all in, enjoying the abundance of color everywhere I looked. It was a most memorable evening!
