What Does The Fox Say: Want a way to meet people, go to a round dance!

Novalee and sister, Kiauna pictured here at RPC Round Dance

Regina, SK – Last weekend on (Feb. 7) I had a wonderful time attending a round dance with my sister, Kiauna at the Core Ritchie Neighbourhood Centre. This was so awesome for my sister and I to attend a good place where she is not exposed to the negative influences that we all know are out there.

This round dance was hosted and sponsored by the Regina Police Service (RPS) as a way to help mend some of the strained relationships with First Nations people.

A round dance is a great way for people to come together and respect one another. We can look deeper and acknowledge some of the injustices that have occurred amongst our people, especially First Nation’s women.

With a round dance comes healing, especially for those who are grieving. Some round dances you might find a “drying of the tears” ceremony accompanied by the heartbeat of mother earth: our sacred drums. The singers sing the songs of our ancestors while some may introduce their own songs of their friend’s family, and their own.

We dance in fellowship and prayer and we feast and share food with one another to nature our bodies. We also pray and give thanks to our ancestors in the spirit world and to all the people who helped contribute…I think this is beautiful.

This reminds me of a teaching of all ceremonies of our people. There are four things that make the spirits happy; when you pray in the spirit, when you feast in the spirit, when you dance in the spirit, and when you sing with the spirit.

The good spirits will come close and help us and recognize what we need and help us. This is why we have the good feeling when it is time to leave, we leave with a good feeling with renewed energy.

The round dance this weekend showed better relations between the RPS and First Nations and respect for our ways. It also supports the good will that all people have. With our First Nation’s people over represented in the jails and prisons, the relations have not always been positive. While there is still some work to do and some understanding this is a start to a safer community.

Many of our First Nations are police officers, I even have a Mosom (Cree for Grandfather) that was a Corporal in Regina, and my Kokum (Cree for Grandmother) was a Parole and Probation Officer and they ate rabbit and bannock and swam in the same sloughs like we did back home on the Reserve (lol). People like this broke ground for our people to be mentors and role models to help our people out of the oppression of the justice system.

Personally, I am not perfect but I am trying my best to live a good life, and what a way to do it is through my culture. This round dance was a good way to start it. And by the way we have the most beautiful First Nation men with their dark hair and beautiful brown skin. Way to go Regina Police Services, you served our people well this weekend.

By Novalee Fox, What Does The Fox Say?