Champions host drum at International

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The Stoney Park Singers are set to perform at this year's International Powwow, said Jim Compton, an organizer for the prestigious event.

The group will be the host drum for the powwow scheduled for Oct. 27 to 29 in Winnipeg, Man., and will be among some of the best drums in the country.

Stoney Park took the World Singing Championship at the Schemitzun Powwow in Hartford, Connecticut in 1993 and 1994. The singers are also popular recording artists with a number of CDs in circulation.

"Most of our songs are based on the Native language, said Coleman Beaver, in a recent interview with Windspeaker. The group is a familiar feature on the powwow circuit.

Stoney Park has been singing for 18 years. Beaver said it started for fun, playing a powwow here and there, but the group's talent couldn't be contained.

Stoney Park is an extended family group with four brothers and a couple of friends and nephews.

The singers are featured on a new CD to be released this fall by the Bare Naked Ladies. The chance to work with such a hot group was an extraordinary experience.

This experience should go a long way towards introducing the group to a wider audience, especially more Aboriginal youth.

"When we started there were hardly any young drum groups. Now, we look around, and there's a whole bunch. We're feeling the people coming back," Beaver said.