17th Annual Akwesasne International Powwow

The 17th Annual Akwesasne International Powwow took place this past weekend, September 9th and 10th, 2017. The weekend turned out to be a warm and beautiful one, with many coming out to enjoy the event. This year the powwow also provided free shuttles for folks to get picked up in Cornwall. The free shuttles were a nice way to help many get to the powwow, whether they had no vehicle or not enough money to pay the toll both.

The event was packed right from the beginning, with many from Akwesasne and other territories coming to compete in the different dance categories. The powwow also had special guests, Whakatopu Kotahi, a Haka Dance troupe who derives their dance from the Maori Tribe. Although it was a Maori presentation, the individuals in the troupe were from many different backgrounds, including Mohawk and Lakota. The troupe is a group of people who share a respect, honor and passion for the practice of the Maori culture specifically through the Maori Haka (breath of fire). The group performed several times on Saturday, so everyone had an opportunity to experience and enjoy the Maori culture.

This year the host drum group was the Black Bear Singers, a drum group from the community of Manawan, of the Atikamekw Nation in the Province of Quebec, Canada. The group has opened for the Juno Awards with Buffy Sainte-Marie, Tanya Tagaq and A Tribe Called Red.

There were many different categories and dance styles to compete in and there was definitely no shortage of healthy competition. Young children all the way up to golden ages were able to dance their hearts out while many watched and enjoyed. It turned out to be a great weekend, and another fantastic Akwesasne Powwow in the books.

2017 Akwesasne International Powwow Winners

Big Drum Contest

1st: Young Creek

2nd: Charging Horse

3rd: Northern Voice

Women’s Golden

Age 55+

1st: Vicki Montour-Mohawk-Kahnawake

2nd: Violet Recollect-Ojibway

3rd: Pat Smoke-Dakota-Alderville, ON

4th: Donna Phillips-Oneida-London, ON

Men’s Golden

Age 55+

1st: Stephen Pelletier-Odawa-Wikwemikong

2nd: Mike Dasher-Ojibwe-Walpole Island

3rd: Bruce Smoke-Ojibwe-Alderville, ON

Sr. Women’s Smoke

Age 35+

1st: Cecelia Skye-Cayuga-Six Nations

2nd: Sue Isaacs-Cayuga-Ohsweken

3rd: Lisa Parker-Tonawanda Seneca-Basam, NY

4th: Rakwiieosta Hall-Cherokee/Mohawk-Akwesasne

Sr. Men’s Smoke

Age 35+

1st: DJ White-Mohawk-Akwesasne

2nd: Clayton Logan-Seneca

3rd: Richard Antone- Oneida

Girls Traditional

Age 6-12

1st: Sofia Smith-Mohawk-Six Nations

2nd: Rylan Bomberry-Mohawk-Six Nations

3rd: Jaylah Burke-Mohawk

Girls Jingle

Age 6-12

1st: Marie Snake-Ojibwe Dakota-Peterborough

2nd: Isabelle Wilson-Navajo Mohawk-Akwesasne

3rd: Sierra Doxtator-Oneida-Tyendinaga

4th: Addyson White-Oneida Ojibwe-Walpole Island

Girls Fancy

Age 6-12

1st: Nya Barnes-Mohawk-Akwesasne

2nd: Anaiyah Good-Ojibway-Shawanaga

3rd: Anayah Larocque-Mikmaq

4th: Ionieh’to:ron Snow-Patton-Mohawk-Kahnawake

Girls Smoke

Age 6-12

1st: Ellie Booth-Seneca-Onondaga

2nd: Kaie:wate Jacobs-Mohawk

3rd: Tsiawentiron Mitchell-Onondaga-Akwesasne

4th: Tei’akotenharose Montour-Mohawk-Kahnawake

Boys Traditional

Age 6-12

1st: Ethan Warner-Mohawk-Orillia, ON

2nd: Wacante Pompana-Mohawk-Tyendinaga

3rd: Memphis Shawanda-Whitefish River

4th: Shushep Gros-Louis-Pessamit

Boys Fancy

Age 6-12

1st: Cohen Carpenter-Mohawk-Six Nations

2nd: Dawson O’Neil-Ojibway

Boys Smoke

Age 6-12

1st: Arrow Booth-Seneca-Onondaga

2nd: Hohneyayehwahs Mitchell-Onondaga

3rd: Errick Antone

4th: Jaxon Tarbell-Mohawk-Akwesasne

Teen Girl’s Traditional

Age 13-17

1st: Madeline Douglas-Mohawk-Six Nations

2nd: Wenzdae Brewster-Ojibwe/Metis

3rd: Naliyah Barnes-Mohawk-Akwesasne

4th: Brittany Cada-Ojibway

Teen Girl’s Jingle

Age 13-17

1st: AJ Douglas-Mohawk-Ohsweken

2nd: Marissa Anderson-Mohawk-Six Nations

3rd: Samantha Miller-Mohawk-Akwesasne

4th: Shailee Sandy-Cayuga-Ohsweken

Teen Girl’s Fancy

Age 13-17

1st: Waasnock Lightning-Samson Cree-Sudbury

2nd: Nicole Dashner-Ojibway-Walpole Island

3rd: Ashley Meness-Algonquin-Casselman, ON

4th: Maddison MacDonald-Mohawk-Six Nations

Teen Girl’s Smoke

Age 13-17

1st: Danielle Duby-Onondaga

2nd: Jamisin Cathers-Oneida

3rd: Vanessa Martin-Onondaga

4th: Grayce Anderson-Mohawk-Six Nations

Teen Boy’s Traditional

Age 13-17

1st: Creed BigMountain-Plains Cree Mohawk-Port, ON

2nd: Preston (Buddy) Tone-Pah-Hote-Kiowa/Oneida-Connecticut

3rd: Hayden Recollet-Ojibway

4th: Noah Hare-Ojibway-Michigeeng

Teen Boy’s Grass

Age 13-17

1st: Jayden Moberley-Cree

2nd: Chayton Hedgepeth-Oneida-Windsor, ON

3rd: Zane Daybutch-Ojibway

Teen Boy’s Fancy

Age 13-17

1st: Ascension Harjo-Mohawk, Kickapoo

2nd: Tyler Dashner-Ojibway-Walpole Island

3rd: Liam Sands-Cree Ojibway Oneida

4th: Wassnodeh Recollet-Ojibway-Toronto

Teen Boy’s Smoke

Ages 13-17

1st: Dodie Shenandoah-Seneca

2nd: Elton Logan-Tonawanda Seneca

3rd: Katsenhaien:ton Lazare-Mohawk-Kahnawake

4th: Chancey Lazare-Mohawk

Women’s Jr. Traditional

Age 18-34

1st: Kaitlyn Douglas-Mohawk-Six Nations

2nd: Chelsey Recollet-Ojibway Odawa-Wikwemikong

3rd: Jasmine Phillips-Oneida-London, ON

4th: Samantha Moses-Onondaga-Nedrow, NY

Women’s Jr. Jingle

Age 18-34

1st: Erica Isennock-Rosebud Sioux-Pennsylvania

2nd: Savanah Phillips-Navajo/Shinnecock

3rd: Shannon White-Oneida-Walpole Island

4th: Seven BigMountain-Cree, Mohawk, Comanche

Women’s Jr. Fancy

Age 18-34

1st: Brittney Shki-Giizis-Anishinabe

2nd: Cylene Morrison-Temegami

3rd: Steevi King-Mohawk-Akwesasne

4th: Ember Sarazin-Algonquin-Golden Lake

Women’s Jr. Smoke

Age 18-34

1st: Monique Powless-Onondaga

2nd: Logan Booth-Seneca-Onondaga

3rd: Monica Papineau-Onondaga-Akwesasne

4th: Sugar Thomas-Mohawk-Kahnawake

Men’s Jr. Traditional

Age 18-34

1st: Talon Whiteye-Lenape Ojibway

2nd: McKenzie Ottereyes-Eagle-Waswapi Cree

3rd: Shady Hafez-Algonquin

4th: Matthew Oshkabewisens-Odawa-Wikwemikong

Men’s Jr. Grass

Age 18-34

1st: Darwin Charley-Navajo-North Carolina

2nd: Josh Richardson-HaliwaSaponi-South Hampton, NY

3rd: Sampson Sixkiller-Sinquah-Hopi/Cherokee-Arizona

4th: Quinton Wilson-Navajo Mohawk-Akwesasne

Men’s Jr. Fancy

Age 18-34

1st: Hunter Burridge-Coushatta-Alabama-Pennsylvania

2nd: Paskwa Lightning-Samson Cree Nation-Sudbury

3rd: Eric Plainbull-Lumbee Cree

Men’s Jr. Smoke

Age 18-34

1st: Matt Myke-Cayuga-Ohsweken

2nd: Lakwaho McLester-Oneida-Wisconsin

3rd: Frank Phillips-Mohawk-Akwesasne

4th: Vincent Rockwell-Mohawk-Salamanca

Women’s Sr. Traditional

Age 35-54

1st: Veronica Smith-Mohawk-Six Nations

2nd: Melanie Tone-Pah-Hote-Oneida-Connecticut

3rd: Angel Recollet-Ojibway-Wikwemikong

4th: Christal Ratt-Anishnabe-Kitiganik

Women’s Sr. Jingle

Age 35-54

1st: Melanie Bomberry-Mohawk-Six Nations

2nd: Paula Hedgepeth-Oneida-Windsor, ON

3rd: Tina Riley-Ojibway-Walpole Island

4th: Abby Carpenter-Mohawk-Six Nations

Women’s Sr. Fancy

Age 35-54

1st: Tracy Recollet-Odawa Ojibway-Wikwemikong

2nd: Lisa Hill-Oneida-Oneida

3rd: Amanda Larocque-Mikmaq

4th: Katrina Fisher-Plains Cree-Port, ON

Men’s Sr. Traditional

Age 35-54

1st: Brian General-Seneca-Six Nations

2nd: Gabriel Whiteduck-Algonquin

3rd: Jonathan Yellowhead-Ojibway-Whitefish Bay

4th: Chris Warner-Oneida-Six Nations

Men’s Sr. Grass

Age 35-54

1st: Moontee Sinquah-Hopi-tewa/Choctaw-Arizona

2nd: Gordon Sands-Cree Ojibway

Men’s Sr. Fancy

Age 35-54

1st: Wesley Cleland-Ojibway-Niagara Falls, NY

2nd: Adrian Harjo-Kickapoo/Seminole