Humboldt, Sask., photographer's powwow image chosen for Canada 150 exhibit

A photographer living in Humboldt, Sask., will have her work featured in an exhibit at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights this year.

Melanie Gray's photo, called The Next Generation, was taken in August 2015 at a powwow at the Rama First Nation in Ontario.

Out of the 70 photos selected for the exhibit, Gray is the only Saskatchewan-based photographer represented.

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In the photo, girls wearing bright colours perform traditional dancing in the evening light while elders watch from a tent behind them. It was one of 1,300 photos Gray took at the powwow held annually at Rama, where she is from, but to her it stood out.

Gray says the photo shows the pride the girls have intheir culture.

"Not that long ago our children weren't able to practise their culture, our elders weren't able to, no one was able to, and you see these girls and they're dressed in their traditional dress, they're outside and they're celebrating."

'I see healing and I see hope'

She points out that some of the girls have shawls and some are wearing a different style of dress.

"This is actually known as an intertribal," she said.

"The thing that's so nice about intertribal is there's people from all age groups, from all types of dances, men and women, boys and girls, and there's even people that come in from the crowd and they'll dance together, so it's really a picture of togetherness as well."

All the same, Gray says she struggled with whether to submit the photo to a contest honouring Canada's 150th anniversary.

"Canada 150 has a different meaning to different people. People will celebrate it but they don't know the true history of Canada. And I thought, well, if I put this in there then it gives me that platform to educate people on Canada's true history and to give First Nation people a voice."

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights issued a call for photos reflecting four categories, including freedom of expression, inclusion and diversity, and human rights and the environment. Gray's photo is included under the category of reconciliation.

In the image, Gray said, "I see healing and I see hope that, no, we can't change the past but I think we can move forward in a good way in building and strengthening relationships between First Nations and non-First Nations people and working towards a better Canada."

The photo exhibition, called Points of View, will open a week before Canada Day at the museum in Winnipeg and runs until Feb. 4, 2018.

Six awards chosen by the jury that selected the photos will be announced when the exhibit opens.