The colours and cultures of the region's Indigenous peoples were on display Thursday at St. Clair College.
The fourth annual Honouring Our Students Pow Wow took place at the SportsPlex on the main Windsor campus, drawing hundreds of students and teachers from all of Windsor-Essex's major school boards. The pow wow is part of the celebration of National Indigenous History Month.
Tyler White, the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit (FNMI) support worker for the Greater Essex County District School Board, said it was the first time the event had been held on a weekday, to allow for students to be able to attend during school hours.
"We've noticed that it's a little bit easier to get the students here if we were to have it on a weekday," said White. "So we decided to try it on a weekday, bus in a bunch of students in almost field-trip style, so now they have the opportunity to come view the Pow Wow and enjoy it."
A standing-room-only crowd watched dancers in colourful costumes perform an opening circle dance, as the sound of ceremonial drums echoed throughout the venue. Many students and teachers then stepped from the stands to join in a dance circle.
Part of White's work is working with FNMI students to support their academic pursuits as well as their cultural wellbeing. He said the Pow Wow is an excellent opportunity for the students to express themselves as Indigenous people.
"I think it's very important just to create that awareness and that point of celebrating who we are as Indigenous peoples," said White. "It's a chance to be proud of who you are and show it off."
The Pow Wow was scheduled to go on for several hours, with dancing, demonstrations and presentations. A special dance was scheduled near the end of the pow wow for FNMI students who are graduating from high school this month.
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