Title: Spirit of Powwow
Description: Welcome to “Spirit of Powwow” or the website http://www.spiritofpowwow.com .  You may be asking yourself “Why is an English woman writing about Pow Wow?” Take a few moments and read my story and then you will understand why this is a labour of love and that I really had very little choice in the matter! It was one of those breathtaking Chilcotin days – high, blue skies, land that rolled away into forever. I pulled my truck in beside Takla Lake, unfolded my long legs and got out. I sat down on the grass and gazed out over the water, drinking in the beauty and power. It was overwhelming! I could almost touch the silence! I allowed myself to become one with the earth and the sky. I was so full that tears rolled down my cheeks.  A “voice’, or a ‘knowing” floated into my mind. So clear. So strong. I heard words, but there were no words. The message formed behind my eyes:

You must work with and for your First Nations People and for your Today People. You have felt the beat of the drum, the rhythm of dancing feet. The spirit of the drum and dance transcends the spoken word. The drum is the heartbeat connecting the dancing feet to Mother Earth. The drum and the dance; the dance and the drum. Use the tools you have to travel this road and build a bridge of understanding!

I “returned”, (I can’t think of any other way to describe it) to my place on the grass, somewhat stunned.  “So……..what was that all about?’ I asked myself. I sat for a while realizing that whatever this was going to be I HAD TO DO IT. Slowly I began to understand the message as I made my connections. I have been an avid follower of the Pow Wow since I came to Canada in the early seventies, I loved to write and had had some success in publishing. My photography was OK, but had room for improvement! I now knew I had to do work around Pow Wow using my writing and photography somehow. I didn’t know how it was going to happen though. 

Time passed and I worked on improving my tools. I took many photography courses and continued to write. I went to every Pow Wow I could find, always experiencing the power and the magic of them all. I was becoming frustrated however. I was ready to start but I still was not sure how.  About a year later, I was on Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands in Northern British Columbia) working and one afternoon I spotted this dirt road which seemed to head off to somewhere interesting , well I love to explore, so off I went. The road was very narrow and rough , twisting along by the edge of the ocean taking me onto a stark, beautiful beach. I gazed out over water and pondered my “mission.” I was taking lots of photos, reading everything I could find, talking to people and WAITING…..for something! I leaned against a tree and in sheer frustration called out to the 'air'  "For heaven’s sake give me a clue what I’m supposed to look for next!” A single eagle feather appeared at my feet! I looked up and there he sat watching me from on high. I heard in my mind:

“A dancer…there is a dancer with a vision.. You will know her when you see her and hear the beat of the drum. Together you will walk this path.”

The eagle spread his wings and soared off over the trees. I picked up my feather. I had my answer, it was cryptic to say the least, but I now knew I was to find a First Nations woman, a dancer who would be willing to work with and guide a non-native along the Powwow path.  Finding this woman was not as simple as I thought it would be.  She had to be unique, a dancer and a woman who had vision and heard the beat of the drum.  Several times I thought I had the right person, then something would happen to prevent us from being able to work together. “Patience Kay “ I would say to myself as I would experience disappointment. Finally, I found her! I heard her name at the Squamish Nation Powwow. A drum was beating when the M.C. introduced Gloria Nahanee as the organiser of the Powwow. I sat bolt upright in my seat. I KNEW this woman was whom I was meant to work with.

I discovered that Gloria was the person who had been the force behind the renewal of the Squamish Nation Powwow, a traditional dancer, and a teacher. Eventually I found the courage to approach her and ask if she would be willing to work with me. I was nervous, this was a woman with a quiet, powerful spiritual presence.  I was ecstatic when she said she would be pleased to work on the project.  I feel so proud and privileged to have Gloria as my guide and friend.
Here we go along the path together, well I’m a step behind, following, but I do now know where I’m going.  Come with us and learn about a tradition as old as time.
Subjects: Powwows, Indian dance, North america, history