'Lots of colour, lots of movement': Organizers gear up for annual spring powwow

Spring will explode into colour at the First Nations University powwow being held at the Brandt Centre in Regina this weekend.

"Lots of colour, lots of movement," said Richard Missens, chair of the powwow committee atFirst Nations University.

"It's a time when Mother Earth wakes up from the winter," he said."It's a very sacred time of year, so a great time to celebrate."

With more than 20 drum groups, hundreds of dancers and thousands of spectators, this celebration is often seen as the kickoff to the powwow season.

"All of the dancers and the singers, they're preparing the new songs and they're doing repairs to the regalia and they're unveiling their new beadwork and they're meeting old powwow friends that they see on the trail," said Missens.

It's the 39thyear for the powwow, which began as a small celebration by students to share their culture with others.

Missens says that vision endures even as the celebration has grown with the decades, as non-Indigenous people are invited to attend and learn.

There are four grand entries during the weekend, at noon and 7 p.m. CST on Saturday and Sunday, which Missens recommends as a chance to see all of the dancers, dignitaries and veterans at once.

Doors open at 10 a.m. and the dancing and singing continues each day until about midnight.