Powwow inspires Manitoba artist
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/07/2023 (960 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Winnipeg-based artist Gerald Kuehl found plenty of inspiration in the faces of the dancers and the attendees at the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation powwow which took place this past weekend.
Kuehl has been travelling around Canada, attending powwows and immersing himself in Indigenous culture, for more than 25 years. Though not Indigenous himself, he said he has been welcomed with open arms by communities such as Sioux Valley, located 50 kilometres west of Brandon.
“I’ve been going to Sioux Valley for probably three or four years before the COVID-19 pandemic,” Kuehl said. “I draw the First Nation people of this land. It’s all I’ve been doing for 26 years.”
Helena Soto of Enoch Cree Nation dances in a jingle dance category during the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation Dakota Oyate Wacipi Powwow late Friday evening. The powwow featured a new two-storey arbour that was built by Keller Developments. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)
In addition to drawing portraits of seven people at the event, Kuehl presented portraits to Elder Wilson Kennedy, 92-year-old veteran Nelson Tanner from Waywayseecappo First Nation, and powwow dancer Kevin Haywahe from Carry the Kettle First Nation in Saskatchewan.
“I wanted to present the portraits,” he said. “That’s what primarily brought me back to Sioux Valley … the rest of the time, I circulated the powwow and took photographs.”
Sioux Valley First Nation Chief Jennifer Bone told the Sun the powwow had a great turnout, and a lot of people were excited to see the new two-storey arbour that was built by Keller Developments. A new powwow arbour became necessary when a newly built arbour collapsed two weeks before last year’s powwow.
Sioux Valley has always had a great working relationship with Keller Developments, Bone said.
“They were really doing a great job of keeping us up to date on where they were at and meeting timelines, and ensuring that everything would be prepared, and you really have to commend them for that.”
Keller Developments’ employees put in a lot of effort and extended hours to ensure the powwow arbour was ready in time for the event, Bone said.
“We’re really appreciative of that.”
The arbour will also be used for other community events, such as Family Day, Bone said.
Powwow attendee Dee Cassidy said the new arbour was a great place to enjoy the singing and dancing that was part of the event.
“It seems like a lot of First Nation communities are putting up newer arbours,” Cassidy said. “The Sioux Valley arbour is good.”
The Sun contacted Keller Development on Friday and Monday to speak about the powwow arbour project, but did not receive a reply.
» mleybourne@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @miraleybourne