Whitefish Juniors group was the host drum for the weekend celebration. Left-right, are Dale Morin, Freeman Trottier, Harv Dreaver, Caden Dreaver and Larson Morin.
Hundreds celebrated aboriginal culture at the annual Driftpile Competitive Powwow, held Aug. 10-12. Colourful outfits, drummers and singers delighted the crowds in the arbour as community leaders, dignitaries and flags led the grand entry for each of four powwows. Some 250 dancers were registered from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia and Ontario and Washington State in the USA. Dancers competed in Men’s Chicken Special, Women’s Jingle Special (18 years and older), Men’s Buckskin. Tiny Tots, Juniors, Teens, Junior Adults, Senior Adults, and Golden Age competed in Traditional, Fancy, Grass and Jingle in women’s and men’s categories.
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- Government representatives walk in the grand entry on Aug. 11. Left-right, are Driftpile Cree Nation Councillor April Willier, Lesser Slave Lake MLA and Children’s Services Minister Danielle Larivee and Sucker Creek First Nation Councillor Charmaine Willier-Larsen.
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- Bringsthunderwoman Badger of Edmonton shows her colours in the Junior Girls’ Shawl dance.
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- Young boys from Driftpile participate in Tiny Tots all decorated in colours. Left-right, are Mistahaya Laboucan, 11 months, and Owen Cardinal, 10 months.
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- Young girls participate in the Tiny Tots girls dance. Left-right, are Eliylah Morin, 7 months old, of Big River, and Daylah McdAleer, 1 year old, of Tallcree First Nation.
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- Deanne Hupfield of Toronto participates in the Ladies’ Shawl dance.
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- Peter Kiyawasew of Sturgeon Lake competes in the Men’s Buckskin division
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- Golden Age Women also participated. Left-right, are Violet Poitras and Louise Bird, both of the Paul Band.
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- Sisters from Sturgeon Lake compete in Junior Girls’ Tradtional dance. Left-right,are Emily Soto and Jenny Soto.
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- Driftpile Cree Nation Chief Dwayne Laboucan, left, walks in the grand entry beside Alexander First Nation Chief Kirk Burnstick.
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- Several tipis lined along the powwow grounds where people camped overnight.
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- Leading the grand entry on Aug. 11 in the afternoon were, left-right, Manny Campbell of Buffalo River and Larson Yellowknee of Samson Cree Nation.
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