Canadore College’s 36th annual Pow Wow honours the Elders

Honouring Our Elders – the focus of this year’s pow wow – acknowledges the importance of knowledge keepers and teachers. As part of the celebration, Canadore’s Head Elder and Grandmother-in-Residence, Lorraine Liberty-Whiteduck, was recognized for her years of service to the college community with the presentation of a star blanket.

The recognition came as a surprise to her because her work is guided by care and commitment rather than expectation of acknowledgment.

“My expectation isn’t to be honoured for the work that I do,” she said. “The work that I do is from the heart. It’s not for any form of award or honorarium. It’s because I really care for the people.”

Liberty-Whiteduck is an Ojibwe grandmother and cultural carrier from Nipissing First Nation. In her role as Grandmother-in-Residence, she shares a wide range of traditional teachings that support spiritual growth and cultural understanding across the Canadore community.

Sarah Julian, Director of the First Peoples’ Centre and Indigenous Engagement, says this recognition is vital. “It’s really important to acknowledge those who are carrying forward traditions, carrying forward our culture, carrying forward our knowledge and history,” Julian said. “A lot of our traditions are spoken orally, so when we’re sitting with our Elders we’re gaining knowledge that we continue to carry forward.”

Cultural Advisor Katharine Sarazin has volunteered at the Canadore Pow Wow for nearly its entire history. She describes the event as a longstanding tradition for her family and many others.

“This is family,” Sarazin said. “My children were raised sleeping under my craft table at nap time, and my oldest is turning 37 at the end of the month. This is an annual tradition, and that’s why we see family after family returning. Many of the men here were once babies, and now they’re here with their own families. It’s not just about the cultural elements—the vendors, the smudging, the dances—it’s about coming together as family.”

Liberty-Whiteduck says judging by the turnout this year, she has confidence in the  future of the annual event, noting the importance of steady, thoughtful growth.

“I think our future is going to be safe. We’re resilient,” she said. “There could be more, but I’m satisfied with the number. We’re going slow, because if we go too fast, we risk losing things along the way.”