Powwow to honour Cree cultural icon Tyrone Tootoosis

A tireless promoter of First Nations culture will be honoured this weekend at one of Canada's largest powwows.

Tyrone Tootoosis died last year, buthis influence will be seen at the annual Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nationspowwow in Saskatoon.

Many of the dancers, singers and drummers there have been touched by Tootoosis.

He was a world-champion dancer himself. He was central in the developmentof Wanuskewin Heritage Park. A member of the PoundmakerCree Nation near North Battleford, heplayed the legendary Chief Poundmaker in a feature film. He was also a historian, recording and sharing hundreds of interviews with First Nations elders.

Tootoosis spent more than a decade as an organizer of the FSIN powwow.

His widow, Winona Wheeler, saidhe lived to help others.

"He would not want to take credit in terms of his legacy, because it was a collective effort," she said.

The event is open to the public. It begins Friday night and runs all weekend.

It will include a fancy dance contest Saturday afternoon to honour Tootoosis. Wheeler and some of Tootoosis's 10 children will help judge the contest.

The dozens competing will be whittled down to a top-10, then a top-five by the judges. The one receiving the loudest applauseand cheers will be declared the winner.

Tootoosiswas a proud dad, Wheeler said. Heloved the powwowandwas also grateful to be a part of so many other projects.

"I think he would say that he was blessed to work with many elders in his life," Wheeler said.

"His dream was ensuring cultural knowledge wasn't lost. Not only that, but that people live it and live those values."