The powwow was imagined by the Indigenous Studies program at Smiths Falls District Collegiate Institute with the objective of educating and sharing First Nations culture with youth and the community.  The event is in partnership with the Town of Smiths Falls, and an indigenous advisor from Pikwakanagan First Nations Reserve.   Students worked through-out the year to develop art installations and historical exhibits, showcased on Duck Island, which identified issues central to the history of First Nations in Canada and the importance of Reconciliation but also ReconciliACTION. This term was coined by Gord Downie of the Downie Wenjack Foundation, and is meant to inspire people to not just talk about what needs to change, but to actually do something to change it. Spirit of the Drum powwow is meant to represent this call to action.

In 2017, the SFDCI and the Town of Smiths Falls hosted its first powwow, where the community and visitors came together with First Nations People to celebrate their culture during this fun, interactive and educational two-day celebration.  Each year the powwow grows and we continue to host thousands of people over the two day event.  Powwow did not happen during Covid 2020-2021 and resumed again in 2022.

The Spirit of the Drum Traditional Powwow continues to be an extension of SFDCI’s Indigenous studies program and Real-World Learning opportunities for students which partners with Indigenous Cultural Advisors and Knowledge Keepers who come into Indigenous Studies English and Art classes to provide real-world learning opportunities for students. The powwow is meant to showcase the culmination of the learning that has taken place over the school year. 

The Smiths Falls community has embraced Indigenous heritage and the stories of the First Nations people found throughout the Lanark Leeds Grenville and Frontenac region and Smiths Falls resides on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation.

A powwow is an important event for First Nations peoples, It’s a chance for them to remember and celebrate their traditions through drumming and dancing and ceremony.  For powwow visitors, it’s a vibrant, colorful and exciting opportunity to experience traditional Indigenous culture, and get a better understanding of the issues they face.

The Powwow planning partners had to make the very hard call to cancel this years’ event due to lack of funding needed to pay for the full cost executing the event this year.  The annual cost of the two day event averages $50,000+. Annual core funding is provided by the school board and the Town.  The UCDSB provides a contribution of $10,000.  The Town this year increased its contribution to $20,000,  Parks Canada has also been an ongoing partner providing both monetary and in-kind support since the event started in 2017 and this year we received a contribution of $5,000.  Another smaller grant was also awarded to the school from Desjardins to cover the cost of the Grand Feast.   This left a short fall over approximately $15,000.

The planning partners applied for two additional grants to cover the cost of the remaining funds needed to host the event, being Celebrate Ontario (Provincial) and the Canadian Heritage Trust Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program (Federal).  On April 30th we were advised that our Celebrate grant was unsuccessful (we were also unsuccessful last year).  And we still have not heard back on the other grant.  Over the last 3 years we have seen past grant opportunities for special events become less available and therefore more competitive, favouring larger events that draw huge crowed, which leaves small communities and events at a disadvantage.

The planning partners waited until the last possible second to make the tough call and advise the community, in the hope grant funding would come through. Dancers were scheduled last fall for this event, and were notified of the cancellation once the final decision had been made.

The planning committee and other stakeholders are meeting in June to discuss the future of Powwow and how to ensure it can be sustainable for years to come.