KAMSACK — In a blend of tradition and community, students from Cote, Keeseekoose, Victoria School and the Kamsack Comprehensive Institute convened at KCI for a round dance event aimed at fostering cultural exchange and understanding.
The event, organized by a collaborative effort led by Good Spirit School Division (GSSD) and cultural coach Robert Severight, sought to introduce students and teachers alike to the rich heritage of round dances.
As the event commenced, Robert Severight, a cultural coach for GSSD, took centre stage to articulate the significance of the round dance tradition. He spoke about the profound meaning behind the dance, mentioning its roots as a tribute to departed loved ones and a celebration of milestones and achievements within the community.
“The whole purpose behind this round dance and what we're doing here today is to give the students the experience and the teachers the experience of the round dance," Severight said. "That's why we invited everybody here today because a lot of people don't know about round dances. They don't have the opportunity to attend one right now, in the wintertime. All of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, B.C. and Ontario are in round dance season, it.started up in November, December, January, February, March all the way until April.
"For the most part, a round dance is a memorial dance. Round dances were created as memorials to honour our loved ones, our late loved ones who made the journey to the spirit world, to heaven, to the Happy hunting grounds with a big powwow in the sky. And so we honour our loved ones with a ceremony round dance for four years. They also do round dances to honour people. Maybe somebody graduated or it is somebody's birthday or somebody did something worth celebrating and they're proud of them. So they'll make a round dance to honour them in a good way, and they’re community members, right? So that's another reason why we have round dances.”
Throughout the event, emphasis was placed on inclusivity and shared experience. Participants were encouraged to shed inhibitions and embrace the dance, regardless of cultural background. In doing so, the round dance served as a bridge, overcoming barriers and creating a sense of belonging among all who gathered.
Severight said to the students, “The biggest thing is, don't be shy. It doesn't matter if you're indigenous or not. You're more than welcome to come and dance. That's the whole purpose of this is to share this teaching, to share the round dance, to share the songs. So everybody has an understanding of why we do this.”
