Portraits from the Squamish Powwow 2011

This past weekend marked the 24th year of the Squamish Nation Youth Pow Wow. It was 30 years before that when the annual event had been forced into oblivion as the nation's children were sent to residential schools and the elders passed away.

Sunny Dhillon wrote in Rhythm nation: Squamish youth celebrate tradition with 24th annual powwow [The Globe and Mail]:

In the mid-1980s, [Gloria] Nahanee regularly took her two daughters to events at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre. She would occasionally speak with people who remembered the Squamish Nation powwows and encouraged her to start them back up.

She listened...

“I can’t believe it’s 24 years already. After five years, it was like holy cow. And then 10 years. And now it’s like 24th annual? It’s so amazing,” the event organizer said.

The event draws thousands of visitors and performers from across Turtle Island - "a far cry from the inaugural celebration when the performers were essentially [Ms. Nahanee] and her daughters."

Farah Nosh captured beautiful portraits - see the whole set here.

Also, YouTube user cyberska has a number of fantastic videos up, like this one of the Women's Fancy Crowhop: