Blackfoot culture to be Whoop-Up Days highlight

By Lethbridge Herald on July 8, 2022.

Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman Men’s traditional dancer Tobias Provost, along with jingle dress dancer Tiffany Delaney and chicken dancer Punky Daniels, and drummers Cameron Chief Calf and Jeremy Oka, demonstrate some of the different types of dances that will be represented at the Whoop-Up Days powwow, during the Indigenous programming announcement Thursday at Exhibition Park.

Alejandra Pulido-Guzman – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – apulido@lethbridgeherald.com

The Lethbridge and District Exhibition in partnership with the Blackfoot Confederacy announced its Indigenous cultural programming for Whoop-Up Days 2022 on Thursday at Heritage Hall. 

After the official announcement was made, a group of Blackfoot dancers demonstrated four different types of dances that will be showcased during the powwow competition on Aug. 24 and 25 at Whoop Up Days. 

Men’s traditional dance was demonstrated by Tobias Provost, the Women’s traditional dance by Katiedel Pard, the chicken dance by Punky Daniels, and the jingle dress dance by Tiffany Delaney.  

While speaking to reporters after the powwow dances demonstration, Lethbridge and District Exhibition CEO, Mike Warkentin said that the Indigenous cultural programming is something that has been in the making for a year and they were really excited to be able to announce it Thursday. 

“It’s the first step in what we hope to be a fantastic and much expanded partnership with the Blackfoot Confederacy as we prepare to open the Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre here in the heart of Blackfoot territory,” said Warkentin.

“It’s been a piece of what we do here at Lethbridge and Exhibition for 125 years, so re-introducing this element of our programming was incredibly important to us, to showcase the entire community and also welcome people from around the world to experience a really important piece of southern Alberta,” said Warkentin. 

He said they have an evolving partnership with Blackfoot Confederacy that they hope to grow significantly as they prepare to open the Agri-food Hub building, through placemaking and storytelling as Blackfoot culture has always been a piece of their history and they want to make sure that is a strong piece of their history for the next 125 years. 

Inter-governmental relations co-ordinator with Blackfoot Confederacy tribal council, Kirby Smith, said the announcement was a very historic occasion for them. 

“Through Mike Warkentin reaching out to the Confederacy and seeking our participation and just having that sort of real extensive involvement in the planning of all of the events,” said Smith. 

He said they are involved in working out the details of the pageant, the chiefs of each of the nations are going to be the parade marshals for this year among other things.

“And then of course they did above all of that, the two-day competition powwow, so those are very significant events in all of Indian country throughout the summer, there’s all these major celebrations that go on in each of our communities. So, to have that same kind of a format, that  kind of a platform here in Lethbridge is very significant for us,” said Smith. 

He said they are more than thrilled to be part of the planning and to be part of the events that will take place during Whoop-Up Days. 

“We’re expecting a real solid participation in the pageant, as the pageant is very significant in the sense that what we’re doing is we’re creating ambassadors for the Lethbridge and District Exhibition. They will reign for a whole year and will represent this organization and our partnership at other events,” said Smith. 

He said this partnership truly represents the efforts of the Lethbridge community to follow a path of reconciliation. 

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