During a jingle dress dance at this weekend’s powwow in Panmure Island, P.E.I., 16-year-old Carly Simon honored her late cousin.
Her cousin’s cheerful graduation picture was attached to the inside of her belt.
“I love him dearly, and I want to do this for him,” she expressed.
Carly’s cousin, John Gerard Doucette, tragically lost his life in a car accident last March, just 20 years old.
20-year-old John Gerard Doucette passed away in a car accident in March last year. (Camryn Farquharson/CBC)
“She always finds a way to include John in everything she does, and I believe it aids her in coping with her loss,” remarked Jenna Doucette, Carly’s mother. “Jingle dancing is a form of prayer, so she is essentially praying for him.”
Jingle dancing is traditionally seen as a healing ritual. Carly mentioned that each metal cone on her pink dress, which produces a jingling sound when they touch, symbolizes a unique prayer.
“I pray for everyone,” she stated. “I send them to the stars to pray every night and evening.”
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Doucette and her two daughters made the journey from Eskasoni First Nation in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, to participate in the annual Panmure Island powwow. Doucette recalled the “relaxed vibe” from her first visit at 14, believing it would be a friendly environment for Carly, who she described as neurodivergent.
“After seeing her in more competitive local powwows and watching her feel disappointed… I thought, we’ll go up there,” Doucette explained. “She feels acknowledged and dances with all her heart.”
Jenna Doucette, left, recalls bringing her daughter Carly to the Panmure Island powwow this year due to its welcoming atmosphere. (Camryn Farquharson/CBC)
This year marked the 32nd iteration of the Panmure Island powwow. Bradley Cooper, a political adviser with P.E.I.’s native council, mentioned that about 800 attendees participated last year. On Saturday, he informed CBC News that this year’s target is to reach a thousand.
“The powwow grows in size each year,” Cooper noted. “For many Canadians, their first exposure to Indigenous people occurs in social studies classes… they lack that firsthand experience.”
Before the Indian Act was revoked in 1951, powwows were predominantly prohibited throughout Canada. Cooper emphasized that this event is about reclaiming a significant cultural festivity.
Bradley Cooper, political adviser with P.E.I.’s native council, states that the Panmure Island powwow celebrates Indigenous cultures in P.E.I. (Camryn Farquharson/CBC)
“For a long stretch of Canadian history, we were not allowed to hold our powwows,” Cooper stated. “This event represents a reclaiming of what was attempted to be taken from us. It’s a demonstration that we are still present.”
Drummer George Snache explained that performing at the powwow can assist individuals in processing grief by honoring those who have passed away. He elaborated that he and his fellow drummers are typically offered tobacco to guide their performance style for certain songs.
“It can dictate if we sing in a mournful style when grieving a loss, or whether we celebrate,” he added. “There are numerous tones and expressions.”
Snache shared that he has been drumming since the age of three.
A group of drummers performing at the 32nd annual Panmure Island powwow this weekend. (Camryn Farquharson/CBC)
“I’ve become so immersed in the drumming culture and singing that it has become part of my identity,” he remarked.
For him, the powwow plays a crucial role in passing down Mi’kmaw culture and identity to future generations.
“The young children you see at the powwow… they are growing up with it,” Snache stated. “It was a part of my life. Now it’s also a part of theirs.”