For the first time in its 20-year history, the Manito Ahbee Festival hosted a Canadian citizenship ceremony, welcoming 43 new citizens during one of North America’s largest powwows at Red River Exhibition Park in Manitoba.
The ceremony, facilitated by Suzanne Carrière, Canada’s first Métis citizenship judge, marked a symbolic moment in the festival’s celebration of Indigenous culture. Carrière emphasized the shared responsibility of reconciliation, stating that even new Canadians must commit to building bonds with Indigenous communities.
Festival board chair David Dandeneau called the ceremony a “joyful” experience and the “perfect setting” for newcomers to experience the foundation of Canadian identity. “The Indigenous peoples were the first ones here. The very essence of Canada is rooted in that,” Dandeneau said.
New citizens like Hugh Oates, originally from Jamaica, expressed deep appreciation for joining the Canadian family within such a culturally rich setting. His wife, Kera Blake-Oates, said the moment made them feel especially welcome.
Following the ceremony, hundreds of dancers participated in the grand entry powwow, which left many attendees, including photographer Katie Lambe, deeply moved by the unity, rhythm, and celebration of Indigenous heritage.
Manito Ahbee, which celebrates First Nations, Inuit, and Métis cultures, is looking to make the citizenship ceremony a recurring tradition, further strengthening the festival’s role in cultural reconciliation and national identity.
Source: Swifteradio.com
