Calgary Stampede powwow draws 800+ Indigenous dancers, drummers to compete in Saddledome
First time drummers compete among themselves with $12,000 prize for winning team; first woman co-hosts historic event.
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More than 800 Indigenous dancers and eight drum groups are competing at the Calgary Stampede Powwow in the Scotiabank Saddledome, with historic firsts marking this year's event.
For the first time, drummers are competing among themselves for prize money. The winning drum team will receive $12,000. Dancers are judged on their choice of music and ability to stay on beat, with first place earning $1,200.
It is also the first time a woman will co-host the event. Livia Manywounds, an Indigenous fashion designer and former Stampede First Nations Princess, will lend her voice alongside the MC. When she first heard she would co-host, she said she burst into tears. "I was speechless," she said. Manywounds emphasized the importance of the role, noting that Indigenous women have been victims of negative stereotypes throughout history. "I'm taking..." she began before the source material ends mid-thought, but the sentiment is clear: the appointment carries symbolic weight for representation.
The competition is organized by the 26 families who hold tipis dating to the earliest days of the Calgary Stampede. The organizing committee received many more applications than available spots and selected performers based on experience and standing within their communities. "We try to choose people who are respectful and knowledgeable, and know how to run a good show," said Astokomii Smith, an administrative assistant to the organizers.
Trevor Pelletier, a 42-year-old drummer representing his group, Blackfoot A1 Club, reflects the pride participants bring to the event. Pelletier, who grew up in Calgary, was initiated into drumming at 16 after his grandmother's death. His drumming has taken him to competitions around the world — the Vancouver Winter Olympics, Calgary Stampede's Grandstand Show, and cultural exchanges in New Zealand. He credits drumming with bringing out the best in him and his community. "By listening to the songs, by dancing, feeling good, getting in shape, being healthy, eating healthy, having a better train of thought, you know, teaching my kids respect, kindness, how to love one another," he said.
