Poundmaker Cree Nation celebrates exoneration with powwow festival

The vibrant colours of the regalia shone in the sun and the sounds of drums and singing filled the air as community members gathered to celebrate the exoneration of Chief Poundmaker.

The original chief of Poundmaker Cree Nation who was convicted of treason-felony and imprisoned in 1885following theNorthwest Resistance happened in 2019,but people in the community say they did not get a chance to celebrateproperly at the time to due to financial challenges and the pandemic.

The festival, whichbegan Tuesday and continued during the week, included powwow dancing undera new arbour, Indian relay races, chuckwagon races, food trucks and people celebrating the victory of justice, progress and harmony.

Poundmaker's Cree name was Phtokahnapiwiyin, which means buffalo pound, sacred seat in a buffalo pound. He is also known as "peacemaker"because he wanted to negotiate for peace.

Chief Duane Antoine has been the chief of Poundmaker Cree Nation for 16 years. He noted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came to the First Nationin 2019 when the governmentexonerated Poundmaker, and celebrating the event now is important for the community.

"He did nothing wrong," Antoine said."Our people were starving.He wanted to negotiate the rationsit all started from starvation," Chief Antoine said.

Antoine said he applauds the federal government for exonerating Poundmaker and settling their claims.

Floyd Favel, curator of the Chief Poundmaker Museum and Gallery, has been working to repatriate artifacts that belonged to Poundmaker or were connected to him and the history of the First Nation.

Many of Poundmaker's possessions were seized and ended up in museums across Saskatchewan and around the world, he said.

"We talk often of reconciliation, a word being used often," Favel said."This is an example of reconciliation the past has been healed through this exoneration."

Favel saidhe feels humbled to have been a part of reviving the museum and pushing for the exoneration.

"What I've enjoyed the most is seeing people smiling, working together, the good will, harmony and the education in our history."

Powwow committee member Delaine Antoine Tootoosis said watching the celebrations feels like a dream and she keeps asking herself if it's real.

"We brought powwow back," she said."Wegot to honour our youth and elders, Chief Poundmaker, residential school survivors, we got to honour our people. I keep getting choked up, I'm so proud," she said.