Crowds down at Cross Cultural Days

The Napi Friendship Society may not be making much money with their annual Cross Cultural Days, but according to Wayne Helgason, president of the National Association of Friendship Centres, they are "building a wealth of social capital, a network of communications, trust and commitment," between the Peigan First Nation and the community of Pincher Creek.

Speaking at the blessing and opening ceremonies for the seventh cross-cultural conference here, Helgason told the 80 or so assembled guests that the annual exercise in cultural sharing was now known across Canada for it success in "building a sense of community between the Peigan and their white neighbors," while maintaining the "Blackfoot people's cultural integrity."

Though attendance was down at some of this year's events, organizers say the overall concept is still very successful.

In addition to the blessing, conference and competition powwow that the focal points of the event, this year's Cross Cultural Days featured a hockey and basketball tournament, and a Saturday Social, featuring country music award winners the Johner Brothers.

"We lost money this year bringing in the Johner Brothers," said Janet Potts, on staff with the friendship center. "Next year, if we have a social, we'll just use a good local band. But, overall, I think things went well."

Carol Specht, executive director of the friendship center, agrees with Potts.

"I feel pretty good about it," she said. "The new chief and council came to a lot of the events and really got involved. It gave them a chance to meet the mayor and a lot of the council members from the town, and I think that in itself was really important."

Specht said she has also received phone calls from members of the Blood Tribe, who want to get involved in future Cross Cultural Days. Blood Tribe councilor Narcisse Blood acted as host for this year's blessing, and many members of the area's other Blackfoot reserve attended the conference workshops, tournaments and powwow.

"I also had a few phone calls from a Native liaison worker with the Fernie,B.C., school system, who wants to bring a group of students to next year's event," Specht said. "This kind of interest shows we're on the right track and are doing some very positive things."

About 300 people, both Native and non-Native, attended the two days of workshops that comprised the conference, with more than 70 at the seminar on holistic family wellness. Potts said that the valuations for the workshops were very favorable.

"People said they learned a lot and found the talks very interesting."

Equally successful was the 21st-annual Napi Competition Powow, which attracted over 230 people to dance in the final grand entry. Almost 200 dancers competed for approximately $12,000 in pay out, with participants from as far away as Saskatoon, Saddle Lake, Regina and Big Swan, Washington.

First-prize winner in the drum competition was the Stony Park group, from Morley, with lead singer Coleman Beaver. Stoney Park will return as the host drum in the 22nd Napi Powow in 1998.

A Calgary team, Mr. D's, won the senior men's division in the 20th annual Oki Basketball Tournament. The Saskatoon Hoop Dancers won the All-Native Open Basketball playoff. In the hockey tournament, the Sarcee Chiefs were the first place winners. Winning teams went home with cash prizes and merchandise awards.