Powwow! Ohcîwin The Origins

Oh-cÎ-win:
Ooo-chi-win, Cree
1. “The Origin” or telling of a story of where something originated

Powwows are Indigenous cultural celebrations where many forms of dance styles are performed as part of the ceremony. These social gatherings, held across North America, bring people together to sing, dance and share teachings all while celebrating Indigenous culture. Each dance style has a meaning or origin story and a specific purpose. Regalia, the distinctive clothing and ornamentation worn by the dancers, corresponds to the different dance styles.

Powwow! OchÎwin the Origins was created by Patrick and Marrisa Mitsuing of Powwow Times. Working with a diverse team of Indigenous Artists they assembled each of the individual dance regalia on display. During the 2019 and 2020 Powwow season, they met with knowledge keepers across North America to record the origin stories of the dances they perform.

The dances are: Men’s Traditional, Men’s Fancy, Men’s Chicken, Men’s Grass, Women’s Traditional, Women’s Fancy and Women’s Jingle.

This award-winning exhibition is currently available to book to other museums and heritage sites. Contact [email protected] to inquire about availability.

AWARDS

“Heritage Awareness Award”,  Alberta Heritage Awards, 2022

“Richard Martin Exhibition Award”, Costume Society of America,  2022

WHERE IS THE EXHIBIT TRAVELLING?