![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6944089.1719525749!/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpeg)
Hundreds celebrate Sigwan Spring Festival at Madahoki farm
As part of the March Break festivities, many families made their way to Madahòkì farm celebrating the annual Sigwan Spring Festival.
“It’s fun to get out and enjoy the fresh air with the family on a beautiful day,” said Fred Koch.
Free to the public, the festival offered visitors a chance to learn more about Indigenous cultures and traditions.
“We arrived in time for the puppet show and the pow wow dancing and the girls loved the dancing the most,” said Lysa LaPointe, who brought her children Marin and Francis Carter to the farm. “It’s our first time visiting so I didn’t know the farm existed.”
“Our goal is to share the land with everyone and bridge those gaps to teach people who we are,” said Awema Tendesi, a cultural ambassador with Indigenous Experiences.
The farm, located in the Ottawa’s west end, was created in 2021. The space houses a marketplace that supports Indigenous artists and businesses as well as agricultural land, the permanent home for a growing herd of a rare breed of horses.
“These are the Ojibwe spirit horses; they are an endangered breed that is indigenous to North America,” said Avery Taylor who works with the horses regularly.
There are nine Ojibwe spirit horses on the farm, the goal is to help restore the breed and share the role these horses played in the past.
“We talk about the history of the horses, the way these horses have helped our people in the past,” said Tendesi.
For Tendesi, who is part of Algonquin Kitigan Zibi, these kinds of festivals brings us closer to the meaning behind madahòkì, which in Anishinaabe means to share the land.
“When I get children asking what does this mean, what does that mean, it means a lot,” he said. “You’ll see these children will have a basic understanding of Indigenous culture.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6944536.1719570373!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
Debate takeaways: Trump confident, even when wrong, Biden halting, even with facts on his side
Thursday’s U.S. presidential debate was a re-run that featured two candidates with a combined age of 159, but it went especially poorly for one of them, President Joe Biden.
NEW Car thieves tried accessing Ontario transportation ministry database
One of Canada's largest police forces has knowledge of car thieves attempting to breach Ontario's Ministry of Transportation database, CTV News has learned.
Liberal caucus staying quiet after major byelection defeat that rattled party
Liberal campaign co-chair Terry Duguid insisted Thursday that his caucus is united behind Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, even as the majority of elected Liberals remain silent on the prime minister's political future.
FACT FOCUS: Here's a look at some of the false claims made during Biden and Trump's first debate
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump traded barbs and a variety of false and misleading information as they faced off in their first debate of the 2024 election.
Analysis of the CNN Presidential Debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump
U.S. President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump went head-to-head in the first of two planned presidential debates.
When heat waves strike, Environment Canada can link it to climate change -- fast
The heat wave that gripped Eastern Canada last week brought stifling conditions, put pressure on the electricity grid and broke several temperature records as residents sweltered.
Buying a car? Why you may have to pay more at some dealers if you use cash
It used to be cash was king and that you could get a better deal if you paid for a car in full, but now many dealers want you to finance your purchase so they can make more money.
What is going on with immigration in Canada? Here's what the data shows
Canada has welcomed more than 3.9 million new citizens since 2005, with nearly one third coming from India, the Philippines or China, according to a CTVNews.ca analysis.
Different schools of thought on why Canada drapes itself with red and white
Canada's unofficial national colours will be on full display Monday as Canadians don patriotic T-shirts, wave hand-held flags and hang bunting to celebrate their country. But while the red-and-white flag for the most part unites Canadians, the colours' meaning is open to interpretation.