Poundmaker Cree Nation celebrates exoneration with powwow festival

The vibrant colours of the regalia shone in the sun and the sounds of drums and singing filled the air as community members gathered to celebrate the exoneration of Chief Poundmaker.

The original chief of Poundmaker Cree Nation — who was convicted of treason-felony and imprisoned in 1885 following the Northwest Resistance — happened in 2019, but people in the community say they did not get a chance to celebrate properly at the time to due to financial challenges and the pandemic. 

The festival, which began Tuesday and continued during the week, included powwow dancing under a new arbour, Indian relay races, chuckwagon races, food trucks and people celebrating the victory of justice, progress and harmony. 

Poundmaker's Cree name was Pîhtokahânapiwiyin, which means buffalo pound, sacred seat in a buffalo pound. He is also known as "peacemaker" because he wanted to negotiate for peace. 

Chief Duane Antoine has been the chief of Poundmaker Cree Nation for 16 years. He noted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came to the First Nation in 2019 when the government exonerated Poundmaker, and celebrating the event now is important for the community.

"He did nothing wrong," Antoine said. "Our people were starving. He wanted to negotiate the rations — it all started from starvation," Chief Antoine said. 

Antoine said he applauds the federal government for exonerating Poundmaker and settling their claims. 

Floyd Favel, curator of the Chief Poundmaker Museum and Gallery, has been working to repatriate artifacts that belonged to Poundmaker or were connected to him and the history of the First Nation. 

Many of Poundmaker's possessions were seized and ended up in museums across Saskatchewan and around the world, he said.

"We talk often of reconciliation, a word being used often," Favel said. "This is an example of reconciliation … the past has been healed through this exoneration." 

Favel said he feels humbled to have been a part of reviving the museum and pushing for the exoneration.

"What I've enjoyed the most is seeing people smiling, working together, the good will, harmony and the education in our history."

Powwow committee member Delaine Antoine Tootoosis said watching the celebrations feels like a dream and she keeps asking herself if it's real. 

"We brought powwow back," she said. "We got to honour our youth and elders, Chief Poundmaker, residential school survivors, we got to honour our people. I keep getting choked up, I'm so proud," she said.