Powwow aims to bring Siksika Nation and Strathmore residents together in honour of slain Indigenous man
CTV
The Town of Strathmore and Siksika Nation hosted the first Lead By Example Powwow this weekend in honour of a young Indigenous man who was shot to death four years ago.
The Town of Strathmore and Siksika Nation hosted the first Lead By Example Powwow this weekend in honour of a young Indigenous man who was shot to death four years ago.
Family of Kristian Ayoungman describe him as a talented powwow dancer and hockey player whose life ended far too soon.
“Anything you put in front of him, he excelled in it,” his mother, Melodie Ayoungman-Hunt, said.
“He was just happy, hard-working and very smart. He was one of the First Nation’s finest gentleman.”
The 24-year-old was found dead in his vehicle on a rural highway south of Strathmore on March 17, 2019. An autopsy determined he died of a gunshot wound.
Over the weekend, hundreds gathered in Strathmore at the Lead By Example Powwow to celebrate Ayoungman’s life.
“This just goes to show the impact that he’s made on everyone. He’s touched someone in some way,” Ayoungman-Hunt said.
