The downward dog on the bridge has been canned, and the Pow Wow can now commence.
There certainly weren’t many tears shed in the local Aboriginal community when an International Yoga Day event to be held on the Burrard Street Bridge was shelved, prompted by the landmine side-stepping of, first, Premier Christy Clark followed by event sponsors LuluLemon.
Cries of indignation filled the air when it became known that National Aboriginal Day — which already struggles for attention — would have to compete for the media spotlight when Clark announced the Burrard would be closed for the mass yoga celebration on Sunday, June 21.
The prospect of protests from the Aboriginal community on either side of the bridge no doubt facilitated the event’s swift cancellation.
And now the full focus can switch to National Aboriginal Day celebrations, including Richmond’s very colourful and dedicated Pow Wow dancers outside the Gulf of Georgia Cannery.
“We did have some conversations that went like, “wow, they’ve arranged this (yoga event) on National Aboriginal Day?” said Jamie Holt, cultural activities worker at Pathways Aboriginal Centre, run as part of Richmond Youth Services Agency.
“It was perhaps a little insensitive, and it could’ve taken even more attention away from our day.
“We don’t see a lot of focus for our day, and it’s really too bad that we can’t get the whole community behind it; obviously, we’d love more recognition for National Aboriginal Day.
“But this year, we have our Pow Wow dancers — a group of about 10 youth from Pathways. They’ve been dancing together for more than a year.
“They started last year on National Aboriginal Day, but now they’ve had a whole year of practising behind them, so we’re all very excited about the performance coming up this week.”
Holt, who has Aboriginal ancestry through her grandfather, said each dancer has worked very hard on their “regalia,” a term she and others use as opposed to the frowned upon “costume.”
“Some of them are Jingle Dancers, with their hands around their hips; some are Fancy Dancers; who use a lot of different moves,” explained Holt.
“All of them are local and every year in Richmond, the aboriginal youth do a great job. It’s not a large population, but we do get a fantastic level of interest from the community.”
This year, for the first time, Richmond’s National Aboriginal Day celebrations will be at the Cannery, instead of at the smaller Richmond Cultural Centre venue.
“We’re going to be right next to the Farmers’ Market, so we’re very hopeful of drawing a good crowd,” said Holt, adding that Richmond has lots of families with indigenous backgrounds — more than 50 people use the various programs at the centre.
Richmond’s National Aboriginal Day celebrations kick off at the Cannery in Steveston at 1 p.m. on Sunday with a prayer from special guest and Musqeaum elder Henry Charles. The main attractions will be the Pow Wow dancers and a ceremonial “traditional canoe entrance” from the water near the cannery.
