A Manitoba chief says his community will hold its annual powwow next month even if provincial public health orders continue to limit the size of public gatherings due to COVID-19. “It is our culture,” said Cornell McLean of the Lake Manitoba First Nation.
Thousands of people usually travel across the country to dance and reconnect during the powwow season. This year, most traditional gatherings have been cancelled or delayed over concerns about novel coronavirus or due to restrictions on how many people can gather.
Two months ago, Lake Manitoba was one of the first reserves in the province to restrict travel in and out of the community, about 160 kilometres north of Winnipeg.