Sioux Valley hosts pow-wow at Keystone Centre

The Sioux Valley Dakota Nation brought song, dance and community spirit to the Keystone Centre on Saturday afternoon, hosting a powwow in the Canada Room that drew hundreds of people from the community and surrounding First Nations.

The event was organized as a stand-alone gathering after the Nation decided to cancel its annual Coordination Winterfest this year, chief Jennifer Bone told the Sun during the event.

Winterfest, typically held around this time, usually includes a hockey tournament, powwow and other activities.

“As a council, we made a commitment to host something for the community around the same time we normally do Winterfest,” Bone said in an interview. “We decided to have a powwow.”

Originally planned for Sioux Valley, the event was moved to Brandon after organizers received an “overwhelmingly” positive response.

“Our hall wouldn’t hold the number of people we were expecting,” Bone said. “We got a really positive response on social media, so we decided to move it to a bigger location just to accommodate everyone.”

Throughout the afternoon, the Canada Room filled with the steady beat of drums and dancers in regalia representing different First Nations communities from across the region. Bone said attendance was expected to fluctuate throughout the day, but it was safe to say hundreds of people would pass through.

“I’m really pleased with the number of people that have come out today,” she said.

Saturday’s gathering focused solely on the powwow, with no additional programming beyond the dances and drums. Food options were limited to what was available within the Keystone Centre.

The event also marked Bone’s first major gathering since becoming chief of Sioux Valley Dakota Nation. She said seeing the turnout made the day especially meaningful.

“It feels really good,” she said. “It’s really nice to see a lot of people come out, hear the drums, see people enjoying themselves, visiting and seeing their relatives. It’s really good to gather.”

Looking ahead, Bone said powwows will continue to be a key part of Sioux Valley’s cultural celebrations. She noted that next year the Nation plans to return to its regular Coordination Winterfest format, with a powwow held over an entire weekend.

Bone also highlighted new directions for the Nation under its current council, including a growing focus on sports and recreation.

“We have new council members bringing forward new ideas, especially for our young people,” she said, pointing to the establishment of a Sports and Recreation Committee that is already planning activities for people of all ages.

As the afternoon unfolded, Bone said her message to the community was simple.

“I hope everyone enjoys themselves,” she said. “January’s been a long, cold month, so it’s good to get out, gather together and enjoy a good day.”

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