Event Details

The Odawa Native Friendship Centre has been a fixture in the Ottawa community since 1975. Odawa was the first Indigenous organization in Ottawa starting as a small community house with a handful of employees, to an organization that now employs 41 with 17 programs such as Early Years, Life Long Care, Community Justice, with thousands of registered clients and an operating budget of over $6,000,000. The organization strives to maintain tradition for community and to encourage an ethic of self-help and development as well as to provide traditional teachings by Elders. Odawa encourages non-aboriginals to walk through their doors to participate and learn about Indigenous ways of life.

This application is for “50th Anniversary Competition Pow Wow” taking place May 30 to June 1, 2025. Programming includes:

(1) Pow Wow featuring Indigenous dancers and drummers competing in various categories for prize money;

(2) Indigenous contemporary artists, offering an evening of contemporary music reflecting Indigenous youth culture (new this year), will take the stage on the Friday prior to the Pow Wow;

(3) a pictorial display representing Odawa's growth over the last 50 years;

(4) booths for vetted Indigenous vendors, who create handmade articles; and

(5) several information booths, varying in content including (i) Federal government recruitment teams; (ii) historical information; (iii) language information; (iv) opportunities for allies; (v) education; (vi) supportive services; (vii) various Indigenous organizations; (viii) first aid; (x) interactive cooking displays (for example, Cree family cooking and serving game meat in traditional ways); (xi) hide tanning, (xii) Bannock making; and (xiii) traditional Inuit games.