Plainclothes passion at powwow sparks search, generous offer, cultural connection

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This article was published 26/03/2023 (978 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As drumbeats echoed through the Duckworth Centre at the University of Winnipeg graduation powwow, Stefanie Chabot couldn’t help but notice one man amid the sea of traditional dancers.

The man, a stranger, was dancing in his ordinary clothing — a black, grey and white plaid jacket and a pair of dark pants. He stood out against the others, all of whom were dressed in colourful regalia, though he danced the same as them.

The event last weekend was the U of W’s 18th celebration of the academic achievements of First Nation, Métis and Inuit students graduating in June’s spring convocation, back after a four-year pandemic-caused absence.

Chabot, 32, was selling ribbon skirts and star blankets at a table on one side of the auditorium. She watched as the man moved around the circle, engrossed in the moment.

“He was still dancing with as much passion as the other dancers, and I just thought that was super-cool how he could still be himself without the regalia,” she said, adding she wanted to help him with a gift of custom-made attire to wear the next time he dances.

Unable to leave her table, she snapped a photo of him from the back, his face not visible, and posted it on the Parents of Winnipeg and Surrounding Area Village Facebook group.

“Can anyone help me get in contact with that man,” she asked. “He was at the powwow dancing his heart out today and I would like to make regalia for him 100% free.”

Within hours, people started tagging the man in the black, white, and grey plaid jacket but weren’t connecting, because he wasn’t part of the group.

“Love this,” commented one person.

“This is awesome, keep us updated,” posted another.

The post didn’t take long to find its way to 31-year-old Luke Beardy after a friend took a screenshot and sent it to him. He quickly found his way to the social media post, a slew of comments praising him and Chabot’s generous offer.

“When I saw it, I was happy, and I thought that would never happen to me,” Beardy said of the post. “It means a lot that she made it, and I don’t know what to offer her besides friendship to me and my family.”

After the pair connected on social media Chabot told Beardy that she’s made plenty of ribbon skirts and star blankets, but she’s never made regalia before.

But she said she was up for the challenge, and couldn’t think of a better reason or time to learn. During their online conversation she asked Beardy about things that were important to him, including colours and animals, because she wants to make something that reflects his individuality.

“I feel like whatever he tells me he wants is exactly what I’m going to try and do,” she said, adding that she’ll start the project in early May after her classes at the university wrap up.

Beardy said he has regalia, but it no longer fits and is grateful for the gift and gesture from the kind stranger.

Before the powwow recognizing 49 graduates, Beardy hadn’t danced since 2019. He said he started using drugs and drinking alcohol when the pandemic hit, but has been clean from drugs 19 months and sober from alcohol 13 months.

Getting out and dancing to the beat of the drum helped with his overall mental health, he said, adding he plans to attend upcoming graduation powwows.

“I feel I need to get back into dancing,” he said. “I have a family of my own and would like to dance for them and someday hopefully my daughter will dance with me.”

Chabot said sewing is a passion that began in the early stages of the pandemic. She’d never done it before, but the art came naturally to her, and it felt like a way back to her Indigenous roots; she was taken from her mother as a young child, and grew up not learning about her culture.

“When I started sewing it felt like it was in me, in my blood, this is what I’m meant to do. This is my passion and I love it so much,” she said. “Even though I missed all those years, I feel like I’m making my way back to where I belong.”

While studying full time, she sells her work on Instagram. Her account — @Indigify — combines the words Indigenous and identify.

That represents the importance of culture, something Beardy so passionately displayed at the powwow, she said.

“I don’t know his story, I don’t know his life, or anything,” she said. “All I know is that his name is Lukas, but I just feel like when somebody can put that much passion into their dance without needing regalia that he has his own connection to his culture too, so I just feel like I want to do that for him.

“I want to give him exactly what he wants so he can continue to be passionate about his culture.”

shelley.cook@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter @ShelleyACook