In photos: Inaugural All-Nations Powwow draws crowd to U of T Mississauga

Indigenous women in colourful, traditional clothign are seen dancing at the powwow

(Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

An estimated 1,500 people turned out for the inaugural All-Nations Powwow at the University of Toronto Mississauga.

The event, held March 25, was co-hosted by U of T Mississauga's Indigenous Centre and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN).

photo collage shows a drum circle, Vice-President & Principal, UTM Alexandra Gillespie and a female Indigenous ring dancer

(Photos by Nick Iwanyshyn)

“It doesn’t just take one person; it actually takes an entire community to really bring this to fruition and make this successful,” Tee Duke, director of the U of T Mississauga Office of Indigenous Initiatives (OII-UTM) told CityNews. “We are a very small team here, a tiny office, but it really did take the entire UTM community to bring this entire event to success.”

photo collage shows Indigenous man wearing beautiful headdress, a woman with two young children in tradiitonal clothing and an overhead view of a twirling Indigenous dancer

(Photos by Nick Iwanyshyn)

The day included a full program of traditional singing and dancing, spotlighting a Grand Entry ceremony as well as intertribal, spot, jingle dress and exhibition dances.

In addition to the performances, the powwow also featured a busy marketplace of Indigenous-owned businesses with products including apparel, artwork, jewelry and food items, as well as booths sharing information from Indigenous community groups and U of T services.

photo collage shows an Indigenous person wearing traditional clothing embroidered with a deer, Tee Duke Director, Indigenous Initiatives at University of Toronto Mississauga, a young child dancing at the powwow and a group photo of the organizers of the powwow

(Photos by Nick Iwanyshyn)

When the U of T Mississauga Office of Indigenous Initiatives first opened last year, Duke named hosting the powwow as a priority – part of U of T Mississauga’s ongoing commitment to meet the recommendations in Answering the Call: Wecheehetowin, the final report of the Steering Committee for the U of T Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

photo collage shows a spinning Indigenous dancer, Alexandra Gillespie and Tee Duke and a circle of dancers holding hands