The 19th NLC powwow celebration is also known for the infamous men’s fancy dance spotlight special where spectators fill the seats in the crowd. It was an idea of mine and with a lot of help, it became the special that it is.” “When we started our planning for the powwow, I thought we should do something to honour those that didn’t make it back. It was an idea that was more fitting to introduce this year. Ahenakew’s parents are residential school survivors and a lot of his staff have lost family members who disappeared and had never returned home.

“I was pretty nervous but it turned out really good.”Īhenakew, the general manager of the Northern Lights Casino (NLC) and is also the NLC powwow chair, said over the last year he came up with the idea of holding a generational special where grandparents danced with their grandchildren on behalf of the individuals who did not make it home from the residential schools, the Sixties Scoop and men and women who are missing and were murdered. “They danced for those who did not make it back to their communities,” said Richard Ahenakew who added there were over 20 pairs who entered the dance special. The Northern Lights Casino (NLC) powwow is always a huge attraction for singers, dancers and spectators and this year, a new dance special was introduced to honour those who did not make it home.