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Lonechild dancing powwow for 40-years

Ivan Lonechild has been dancing powwow for more than four decades. “I’m 66 today, and still going strong,” he told Yorkton This Week during a break at the traditional powwow being held in Yorkton this weekend.
powwow

Ivan Lonechild has been dancing powwow for more than four decades.

“I’m 66 today, and still going strong,” he told Yorkton This Week during a break at the traditional powwow being held in Yorkton this weekend. The event is being organized by Yorkton Tribal Council Child and Family Services with a focus on ‘Honouring Our Children, Our Families’.

Lonechild said he became interested in dancing at a young age.

“Dad used to be a powwow singer,” he said. “Me and my two brothers used to dance around the stove (when he sang at home).”

Then, when attending school in his early years there was a dance club he was involved in.

“I just kept on going,” he said.

Lonechild who now hails from White Bear First Nations in southeast Saskatchewan said he simply grew to appreciate powwow was both a spiritual thing, and a competitive aspect, adding the latter is a big draw for him.

“The competition, being a good dancer with other dancers from all across Canada and the U.S., it’s not only cultural and spiritual, but also a competitive sport,” he explained. “That competitive spirit kept ne interested, kept me wanting to be better.”

Lonechild is a grass dancer, also often referred to as traditional style.

“In my mind it’s about strength and balance to be in time with the drum,” he said.

As an experienced dancer Lonechild said he appreciates a good drum and how their effort helps those dancing.

“To me, a good drum and that first hit on the drum, a feeling comes through your body that says ‘this will be a good song’,” he said.

There was a time Lonechild hit the powwow trail pretty hard, taking in about 30 a year. Today he is content getting to about half that many. A few are traditional like the one in Yorkton, but he still prefers the excitement of competitive powwows where dancers are judged.

“This is kind of like a social gathering,” he said of the Yorkton event at the Nexera Flexihall, adding there is more laughing at such an event, but less feeding of one’s competitive spirit.