Cultural exchange between 2 nations brings round dances to Mi'kma'ki

The Mi'kmaw communities of Paqtnkek and Sipekne'katik in Nova Scotia are learning round dancing this week from members of the renowned drum group Northern Cree, in the second year of a cross-cultural exchange between the two nations.

Paqtnkek, about 175 kilometres northeast of Halifax, hosted its first round dance with Northern Cree last year and will welcome the drum group back for a second round dance on Friday night. Sipekne'katik, 50 kilometres north of Halifax, will hold its first round dance the following night. 

While round dances are not a traditional Mi'kmaw event, aspects of the practice are occasionally performed at mawiomis, or gatherings. 

Organizers said although they're social events, they are rooted in ceremony — with both nights featuring pipe ceremonies, a feast and dancing into the dawn hours.

Bradley Paul, who is Mi'kmaw from Paqtnkek and organizer of the Paqtnkek round dance, said he's honoured to learn from Northern Cree. He said the connection with the group has grown since they shared cultural teachings with one another last year. 

"We're creating not just this community bond, but we're actually creating a family bond," said Paul.

Last year's round dance included teachings on the Mi'kmaw game of waltes, the Mi'kmaw song and dance of kojua and a unique salmon harvesting technique practised by Paqtnkek fishermen.

"I dubbed it the 'snare and share,'" said Paul.

Paul said the community catches their salmon using not a rod or net, but a snare, and the feast during their round dance will honour those fishermen and those practices.

"Steve Wood [of Northern Cree] has been absolutely amazing in all of his teachings, but also in the respect of incorporating our own Mi'kmaw teachings into this round dance," he said.

Sipekne'katik round dance organizer Brian Knockwood said he was inspired after last year's event and was proud to bring it to his home community. 

As a drummer and singer, he sees an opportunity to share songs during winter months after the powwow trail has ended and fewer gatherings are taking place. 

"There's nothing more that fills my heart [than] being able to share our gifts from the Creator, with the people, of our voice and song," said Knockwood. 

He said although round dance is not a Mi'kmaw custom, he hopes to continue learning and sharing in the teachings. He said the introduction of this new kind of gathering reminds him of the introduction of powwow, which is now widespread across Mi'kma'ki. 

"Lots of times people travel and communities change, right? The powwow culture over the past 30 years has changed and gotten pretty big out here on the East Coast … when 30 years ago we didn't really have any of that," he said.

Steve Wood, co-founder of Northern Cree, is nehiyaw from Saddle Lake Cree Nation and grew up watching his father and uncles sing for round dances in homes. 

"This is a ceremony that calls on your ancestors and recognizes all of the people that have departed… your relatives and whatnot and having the pipe there, you're asking them to come and feast with you and to come and dance with you," he said.

"You're probably going to learn a few things while you're there. You're going to learn language, you're going to learn some of the historical things that we've done … you're going to hear a little bit about history that you're not going to get in the Western classroom." 

He said he sees similarities between the Mi'kmaw kojua song and dance and the round dancing of the Cree, in that they're both social dances that bring people together. 

He said the kojuas given to the group last year have been put to use. He hopes there will be opportunities for Mi'kmaq to travel out west and share their song and dance.

"I don't think a lot of people out here have ever seen that," he said.