Syllabics
People from across Turtle Island journeyed into Treaty 4 Territory, Regina, SK., to take in the 2025 Spring Celebration Powwow over the April long weekend.
The annual Celebration at the Brandt Centre, REAL District, on April 19th and 20th welcomed over 7,500 attendees, including close to 700 dancers and 19 drum groups from across Canada and the United States.
As part of the tradition for the annual Spring Celebration Powwow, a daily pipe ceremony guided the Celebration well throughout the weekend. The spirit and energy of the first noon grand entry on Saturday could be felt through the songs and the excitement of the procession of the eagle staff carrier, flag bearers, dancers, special guests, Chiefs, dignitaries, and sponsors, as they danced their way onto the dance arena.
FNUniv had special guests from Hanyang University, South Korea, who attended and experienced First Nations culture and teachings. Professor Ban Neunggi and Kim Jun-hee, Assistant Professor, were invited by President Ottmann and made the stop in Regina, while travelling to Vancouver, BC. A current partnership enabled FNUniv to connect and collaborate with Hanyang University on a project.
Along with the South Korean guests, the invited head staff for the Powwow also travelled from as far away as Oklahoma, Arizona, Minnesota, North Dakota, and not-so-distant Treaty Territories 4, 6, & 7 to share their lifetime of Powwow expertise and knowledge with the committee. The Powwow Committee relies on the head staff to ensure the Powwow runs smoothly with all the facets associated with the agenda, from the singing contest, dance contests, specials, grand entries and any other happenings during the 2-day event.
This year, the Powwow Committee invited Powwows.com, a well-known live stream service throughout Powwow country, to be the official live stream service for the Powwow. With viewers worldwide, the social media reached 72 countries, and over 1.1 million viewers tuned in to the 2025 Spring Celebration Powwow over the weekend. A definite first for the Celebration!
As a long-time supporter of the annual Powwow, Access Communications hosted the yearly live broadcast during the 7 p.m. grand entry and evening session on Saturday, April 19th. Along with the live broadcasts, CFNU Radio was on location over the two days, interviewing spectators, dancers, singers, head staff, and sponsors to get their impressions of the annual Powwow.
There was something for everyone who attended; whether you were a first-time visitor or you’ve been coming to the Powwow for years, you left the Powwow with memories that you’ll cherish. Chili For Children, a local charity organization, was the official Indigenous Food Vendor for the weekend. Serving up a variety of homemade soups, bannock burgers, Indian tacos, Saskatoon berry desserts, and beverages, the line-up to taste their delicious foods stretched down the Ag-Ex building. While in the Ag-Ex building, the Indigenous Tradeshow offered powwow go-ers items such as clothing, hand-made goods, beaded items, or information, all supporting the Indigenous artisans and businesses in mind.
Another weekend highlight was the crowning of the 2025 Miss FNUniv Ambassador, Aaliyah O’Watch, a proud member of the Carry the Kettle and George Gordon First Nations. Aaliyah is a student in the Indigenous Education Program at First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv). The Spring Celebration Powwow Committee thanks outgoing Ambassador Calista McArthur-Moser for her representation at the University and the Spring Celebration Powwow.
Overall, the 2025 Spring Celebration Powwow was a huge success! The powwow committee couldn’t have made the event possible without the unwavering support received from the Co-Presenters, K+S Potash Canada and the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA), SGI Canada, our returning Singing Contest Sponsor, SaskPower, along with our many other sponsors of 2025.
If you enjoyed the 2025 Celebration, mark your calendars for next year’s dates, April 18 and 19, 2026! We’d love to see you back!
The full list of winners in the Singing and Dance Contests are available on the Powwow Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/fnunivpowwow
For campus locations, maps and hours of operation, please visit our contact us page.
(the good path through life)
(the good path through life)