28th Annual Silver Lake Pow Wow

Jeff Green | Aug 28, 2024

There has always been something a little incongruous about holding a Pow Wow in a provincial park, during high season. The Silver Lake Provincial Park was full last weekend, with ideal temperatures. The campsites had been booked for months, and with the weather delivering, everyone showed up. The beach was packed, and the lake was alive with summer fun.

At the same time, tucked in on an inlet, the sites, sounds, and aromas of the Silver Lake Pow Wow, drifted over the summer scene. Its ancient rituals were intact: the fire; the drummers in the middle and dancers in regalia on the well trodden path around them; with the convenor (Danka Brewer) in charge, flanked by the Pow Wow elder (Larry McDermott).

The contemporary touches were all there as well: vendor booths, food – including venison chili and 'Indian Tacos' on bannock, and more.

The weather helped draw a larger crowd on Saturday, and smaller crowd on Sunday, a mixture of tourists and members of the extended community of Algonquin descendants from across the Mississippi and Madawaska watersheds.

The Host Drum this year was “One Nation” and Robert Manson was the firekeeper. As is the tradition at Silver Lake, the vibe of the Pow Wow, perhaps aided by the warm weather, was decidedly relaxed. After so many years, the Pow Wow organisers have seen it all, and dealt with it all. Free of much stress, the Pow Wow maintained a focus on visiting friends and relatives, catching up, and enjoying the spectacle of the Drum and Dance schedule, throughout the afternoon.

The one issue that continues to be a concern for future Silver Lake Pow Wows, is a shortage of organisers. A few volunteers handle the major behind the scenes organising throughout the year, including Trudi Knapp, Danka Brewer and a few more people.

Anyone interested in getting involved can contact them through the Friends of the Silver Lake Pow Wow Facebook page, which also has a good gallery of photos from this year's Pow Wow.