Over 1000 people filled Credit Union Place with song, dance, and celebration for this year's Graduation Pow Wow.
The event was put on by a collaboration of Mountain View School Division and Assiniboine Community College to bring together several communities across the parkland to celebrate this year's graduates.
MVSD's Indigenous Education Facilitator Carole Shankaruk helped organize this event, and she was amazed at the overwhelming community support.
"We've had about a thousand people. It's been fantastic! We've had kids from all 16 schools dancing, learning about the culture, and we've also had outside communities. Ebb and Flow First Nation, Tootinaowaziibeeng First Nation, I also heard there are some people from Saskatchewan. It's been phenomenal"
The ceremonies included a speech from Crystal Shawanda, a massive feast, traditional music, and dancing, and speeches honoring the graduates.
Shankaruk was beaming with pride as she saw how this event brought everyone together
"We saw the community come together, and it was everyone from all walks. Indigenous, non-indigenous and to see those kids from every school dancing together was so beautiful. I'm not going to lie, it brought tears to my eyes"
After this massive turnout, Shankaruk said that next year the event will likely be taken to the land at the Selo Ukraina site, as the CUP was overflowing with support for all of the graduates.
