The Pas opens its doors for Northern Manitoba Trappers' Festival
CBC
The Northern Manitoba Trappers' Festival is underway, celebrating the culture and history of The Pas, northerners and the fur trade.
The 79th edition of the region’s biggest winter event kicked off Feb. 18 and will continue until Feb. 22.
The festival dates back to 1948, but some of its main events have a much longer legacy. One of the cornerstone events, the World Championship Dog Race, is the spiritual successor of both use of dog sleds during the fur trade and The Pas Dog Derby race, first held in 1916. The King and Queen Trapper contests reward people for skills in felling trees, cutting and splitting wood, packing flour, boiling tea and other disciplines.
The festival kicked off with an official opening ceremony at the Wescana Inn Wednesday, bringing in local leaders and dignitaries. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew showed up, as did Opposition Leader Obby Khan. MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee and Manitoba Métis Federation president David Chartrand also made the trip north.
Some of the attendees took part in a ceremonial log saw-off to start the festival — two teams of two leaders each, with The Pas Mayor Andre Murphy and Chartrand on one side and Opaskwayak Cree Nation Chief Michael Constant and Kinew on the other side. Murphy and Chartrand came out on top.
“I’m undefeated as mayor,” quipped Murphy.
Tricia Kotz won the Queen Trapper competition in the past — her daughter Dakota ran this year for the title in this year’s Fur Queen pageant.
"I love the ambience,” she said.
“The ambience of everything and everyone? Love it.”
The pageant is held each festival, with young women from around the community sponsored by businesses and local groups. Former Fur Queen Caylin Hopper said the pageant winner’s job is to represent the community and be a positive role model.
"She does a lot. They start in October, start fundraising and showing up at community events. By the time the festival comes around, your schedule is pretty packed. You spend all week at every event you can make it to, spend time with the kids at the schools,” she said.
“It's pretty inspiring, honestly. I would say that was one of the big highlights of my life, when I ran for fur queen."
Events are held all around The Pas and Opaskwayak Cree Nation. Some are hosted at Fort Whoop-it-Up, located next to the Saskatchewan River. Several ice sculptures and a full-blown lounge made of ice are found there, along with the trapper’s chair, a throne made of ice that’s featured in plenty of festival selfies.
During the festival, volunteers and organizers are easy to find — this year, they’re wearing matching blue faux-flannel hockey sweaters. One of those volunteers, Shirley Rivalin, manages the youth group of helpers — working with the kids is her favourite part of the festival.
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