The time is coming when Bear Claw Casino and Hotel holds its Annual Summer Celebration Pow Wow. While the schedule has not been finalized as of yet, the one thing that is guaranteed is that spectators will see plenty of competitions throughout the three day event.
From Aug. 5 to 7, people from throughout the region will flock to Bear Claw Casino to take in some culture and be witness to a spectacular event. With participants coming from as far away as California, Arizona, British Columbia and the prairie provinces, the competition is sure to be stiff. Last year, more than 600 participants attended with thousands of spectators taking in the event throughout the weekend.
The drumming contest, which is a way of keeping the tradition and culture alive within the community includes $25,000 in cash prizes. First place will receive $10,000 with cash amounts working their way down to fifth place, which will receive $2,000. The drumming competition is judged on a five-point system based on six categories. The categories include dancer's response, singing and harmony, drum rhythm, cleanliness, attendance for the number of singers and overall performance. Each of these categories is scored on the scale ranging from weak to excellent.
For the dancing, both male and female participants will be on hand to compete. The junior category includes those aged seven to 12 with categories spanning right up to the Golden Age with participants aged 55 and over. The women's categories will include traditional, fancy shawl, and jingle, while the men's categories include traditional, grass, fancy bustle and chicken dance. Monetary awards will be given to the top five winners in each category.
In addition to the dancing and drumming, all sorts of food booths will be on hand to provide the crowd with a number of traditional entrees. These include everything from bannock burgers to Indian tacos to soup and bannock. Hot dogs and beef-on-a-bun will also be available. If you would like to try more traditional items like neck bones and tripe soup, those are available as well. Not only will there be plenty of food, there will also be a number of arts and crafts booths displaying various items such as jewellery, artwork and traditional clothing.
The Bear Claw Casino and Hotel welcomes all people of all ages to attend and participate in their celebration of First Nation Culture. For those interested in attending, the price of admission cannot get any better. Free admission, camping and parking is available to all that attend. So mark your calendars because this event is sure to be a hit!
