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
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.