When you invite everyone, you need to make sure you have plenty of space.
With that in mind, the University of Toronto Mississauga's All-Nations Powwow will be moving outdoors this year.
"A Powwow is a space for everyone," says event co-lead dancer John Hupfield, who is Anishinaabe from Wasauksing First Nation. "A Powwow is not a show. It is a space to work and gather together, share and pass tradition with everyone.
"That's the beautiful aspect of it and I hope it continues to grow at UTM."
The free Sept. 28 event is hosted by the U of T Mississauga Indigenous Centre (UTMIC) and will be held on the north field in front of Maanjiwe nendamowinan, also known as MN.
Moving the event to an outdoor venue is welcome news for Hupfield, who specializes in grass dancing.
"Traditionally, when our people relocate, folks are sent out ahead to pat down the grass to allow work and settling to be done on the land," he says. "It is done with song and ceremony - so when the people arrive, they know this place is safe. It is a way of taking care of the community."
Community is a huge part of Powwows, adds Hupfield, who pursued his postdoctoral research in Indigenous forms of movement on both the U of T Mississauga and St. George campuses.
He says he is honoured to have been asked to lead the dancers into this year's Powwow as part of the grand entry ceremony.
"It's really humbling," says Hupfield, who also assists the UTMIC with firekeeping in the Tipi on Principal's Road for events that require sacred fire, as well as giving guest talks and dance demonstrations. "It's a big responsibility and a chance to invite and honour all who came before us."
Among the dancers he will be leading is MJ Singleton, a fourth-year U of T Mississauga student who is double majoring in psychology and criminology law and society.
Singleton, who is Anishinaabe and a two-spirit person, will be participating in both the fancy shawl and jingle dress events. They say they became involved in the Powwow through host group UTMIC, where they have participated in beadwork seminars and luncheons, led a paint session and helped create a community art installation for the MN building. Singleton says the centre, and Office of Indigenous Initiatives Director Tee Duke and Special Projects Officer Jessica Tabak, have been vital in helping them adjust to life at university.
"I didn't grow up in a city - I was in a small northwestern town, four hours west of Thunder Bay, so coming from there and transitioning to Mississauga was a big challenge," says Singleton, 21.
"Through the Indigenous Centre, I was able to meet people who were having a similar experience moving from up north to the hustle and bustle of southern Ontario. They gave us community."
Singleton, who designed the Every Child Matters charity shirt sold in campus bookstores, says hosting an event like a Powwow at U of T Mississauga goes a long way to help Indigenous students overcome their feelings of isolation, and that the gathering and amplifying of Indigenous voices on campus is an important part of U of T's ongoing reconciliation process.
"To be able to see everyone in person and celebrate with other people is really important," says Singleton, who plans to take their U of T Mississauga education home to Migisi Sahgaigan First Nation (Eagle Lake) to help improve legal representation for Indigenous people in northern communities.
"Having access is especially important for those who have never been to a Powwow."
Singleton says the benefits are magnified in places like U of T Mississauga, which draws students from around the world.
"UTM has such an amazing and diverse population of international students and local students who have never seen a Powwow, so this is a chance to learn about our culture," Singleton says, noting they discovered a new relative through interaction at last year's event.
"One of my best friends is from Peru and she thought last year's Powwow, her first, was the most amazing thing. We had so much fun and I was so proud."
Singleton says they hope many first-timers will turn out for the event and share in the spirit of community. In addition to a full afternoon of traditional ceremonies, singing and dancing, there will also be a marketplace featuring Indigenous-owned businesses.
"Come with an open mind, come with an open heart," Singleton says. "Get to know the people in regalia, make those connections, form friendships and celebrate us as a people. It's wonderful to be able to invite people of all kinds to dance during intertribal. It's just so much fun for everyone."
