Photo from 2025 Calgary Stampede Competition Powwow / Photo by Keith Driver
Community and connections are going to be the center of focus at the upcoming Kiitaamoko O’passkaan Traditional Powwow this weekend in Calgary.
Well over 50 per cent of those who use the various services at Inn from the Cold are Indigenous, making it important for the non-profit to have a strong understanding of Indigenous culture.
Because of the organization’s strong commitment to the community it serves, it was decided to host a Traditional Powwow back in 2022, as many of its Indigenous clients are far away from their home communities.
Inn from the Cold has employees from various cultural backgrounds outside of Canada who aren’t familiar with Indigenous history and culture. Many of its frontline staff often see Indigenous people at times of struggle.
Tiffany Pompana, Indigenous Engagement Manager at Inn from the Cold, said that it’s important that their staff have a greater understanding of those they serve.
One of the key differences between a Traditional Powwow and a Competition Powwow is the focus on everyone who has gathered, versus dancers competing for titles.
At Traditional Powwows, dancers in regalia are given an honorarium for sharing their talents and healing brought to those in attendance.
That greater focus on the gathering allows more time for Intertribal dances that offer a space for everyone to take a physical part in the drum’s beat.
For many of the staff at Inn from the Cold, it’s their first time attending a Powwow. Pompana says a fond memory of Intertribal when attending a past Powwow was seeing a co-worker from Nigeria come alive as she felt included.
The Traditional Powwow will be taking place Saturday, September 13, at the Harley Hotchkiss Garden located downtown Calgary, with Grant Entry starting at noon.
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