Local to Perform at biggest North American Pow wow

Later this month local
Cree singer Rhonda Head
will be going to North
America’s biggest pow
wow, the Gathering of
Nations which is set to
take place in Albuquerque,
New Mexico down in the
United States. Head will
be representing
Opaskwayak Cree Nation
while performing.
There was a submission
process undertaken by
Head to take part in the
pow wow, and she was
chosen among many others
to perform.
“I’m excited because
it’s one of the biggest pow
wow’s in North America.
We have to go through like
a submission process, I
guess they juried the selections,”
said Head.
The Gathering of
Nations will be taking
place starting on April 26
and it will last for three
days until April 28.
Head herself is excited
to meet different peoples
from North America as
well as other indigenous
peoples from elsewhere.
“They’re all from different
indigenous backgrounds.
I know there’s
people from Australia this
year, and there’s going to
be a real diverse group of
people from all different
areas of North America, so
I’m very excited to be a
part of that and excited to
share my Cree heritage as
well,” explained Head,
adding she is eager to also
represent The Pas and
area.
Head will be performing
on Stage 49 which is
part of the Gathering of
Nations alongside a large
number of other indigenous
peoples from all over
North America.
“I’m excited to represent
Opaskwayak Cree
Nation and The Pas,” she
said, adding, “I’m performing
some of the songs
I composed and wrote
from my last CD.”
Other parts of the
Gathering of Nations aside
from Stage 49 include the
pageant Miss Indian
World, the pow wow dancing
itself, the horse and
ride regalia parade and the
Indian Traders Market.
She has also been
receiving lots of support
from her fans and friends
from The Pas and area.
“I really appreciate the
support I’ve been getting
from back home,” Head
said.
The Gathering of
Nations has its origins 35
years ago, beginning unofficially
in 1983 at the
University of
Albuquerque. Over the following
years it outgrew
the University of
Albuquerque to the New
Mexico Fair Grounds,
afterwards moving to the
University of New Mexico
basketball arena before
finally relocating to an
even bigger venue in 2017,
heading back to the New
Mexico Fair Grounds
which is now called Expo
New Mexico which had by
this point been expanded.
Today the Gathering
of Nations is the biggest
event dedicated to bringing
North American peoples
together on the continent.
Submitted by Rhonda Head.
Head’s poster for her upcoming performance.
Local to perform at biggest North American pow wow
Trevor Wright
Times Staff
10 Opasquia Times, Fri. Apr. 13, 2018