COMPETITION POW WOW

Inviting all drums and dancers from across Turtle Island/North America to compete for $30,000 CDN in Prize Money!

Produced in collaboration with Social Distance Pow Wow – a North American Facebook Group with over 250 thousand members.  In 2020 all competitions took place over one weekend with 500 competitors submitting videos while an audience of over 129,000 watched online and 1000 among them cast their votes! This year’s Pow Wow is extended to 7 Days.

Round 1 competitor posts and public audience voting taking place daily, June 14-17, 12pm to 8pm EDT via the @SocialDistancePowWow Facebook group. See category competition dates and deadlines below.

The Top 5 in each age group and category will be announced daily at 10pm EDT and proceed to The Finals taking place June 19 & 20th, and streamed simultaneously on our Facebook page and @SocialDistancePowWow Facebook group.

MENS TRADITIONAL, GRASS, FANCY & WOMENS TRADITIONAL, JINGLE, FANCY SHAWL                             outh (17 and under) & Adults (18 +) categories                                                                                                      1ST $500/ 2ND $300/ 3RD $200

SPECIALS – SMOKE & HOOP (ADULTS 18+)
1ST $500/ 2ND $300/ 3RD $200

DRUMS (SOLO) MENS AND WOMENS CATEGORIES
1ST $500/ 2ND $300/ 3RD $200

DRUM (GROUP) MENS AND WOMENS COMBINED
1ST $1000/ 2ND $750/ 3RD $500

All finalists (dancers) must perform to NEW and original songs produced especially for the Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival by multi-Grammy nominated Northern Cree.  

Finalist Performances will stream via Facebook Live @SummerSolsticeFestivals on Saturday & Sunday June 19th & June 20th. 12pm to 5pm EDT

HOST DRUM NORTHERN CREE
Northern Cree recorded NEW and ORIGINAL songs for the SSIF Pow Wow.
Northern Cree is a nine-time GRAMMY-nominated pow wow drum group from Treaty Six territory with 49 albums to their credit. The group was formed in 1982 by Charles Wood Jr., Earl Wood, Randy Wood, and Steve Wood. They started releasing music in 1991 and made history in 2017 when they became the first pow wow group to perform at the GRAMMY Awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

Northern Cree is led by Steve Wood and includes Joel Wood, Marlon Deschamps, Shane Dion, Marcus Denny, Leroy Whitstone, Marvin Deschamps, Jordon Fiddler, Emerson Samson, Penny McGilvery, Dezi Chocan, Randall Paskemin, Jamon Paskemin, Gilbert Buffalo, Desmond Redcalf, Jonas Tootoosis, Ben Cardinal, Kyle Pasquayak, Shaina McGilvery, and Jayzer Littlewolfe.

Since 1999, Northern Cree has earned a total of 44 nominations and 18 awards for their music.

Download their music here

“Brisket Burner” composed by Leroy Whitstone 

Men’s Traditional 2nd song

“Crow Style Double Beat”
composed by Marlon Deschamps

Women’s Traditional 2nd Song

 “Dunetown Dune”  composed by Leroy Whitstone

Men’s/Women’s Fancy 2nd Song

“Jingle Jam”  composed by Randall Paskemin

Women’s Jingle 2nd song 

“On The Spot”  composed by Marvin Deschamps

Men’s Traditional 2nd song

“Storytime Warriors”  composed by Leroy Whitstone

Men’s Grass

“Summer Sunset”  composed by Marvin Deschamps

Hoop Dance

Ongoing

MENS & WOMENS FANCY (All ages)

First Round Competitions: Competitors Post & Audience Votes @ Social Distance Pow Wow for the Top 5! 12pm EDT to 8pm EDT each day. Finalists announced by 10pm EDT. Men’s Fancy Bustle - This dancer wears two very colourful bustles on his back and has the fastest style. Competition represents an endurance feat, flashy eye...

SPECIALS -Hoop & Smoke Dance (All ages)

First Round Competitions: Competitors Post & Audience Votes @ Social Distance Pow Wow for the Top 5! 12pm EDT to 8pm EDT each day. Finalists announced by 10pm EDT.

Other Events

  • JINGLE & GRASS

    First Round Competitions: Competitors Post & Audience Votes @ Social Distance Pow Wow for the Top 5! 12pm EDT to 8pm EDT each day. Finalists announced by 10pm EDT. This style of dance is known as the healing dance. From a medicine man who had a vision for this dress adorned with many jingles as...

    June 14, 2021 @ 12:00 pm - June 15, 2021 @ 8:00 pm
  • MENS and WOMENS TRADITIONAL

    First Round Competitions: Competitors Post & Audience Votes @ Social Distance Pow Wow for the Top 5! 12pm EDT to 8pm EDT each day. Finalists announced by 10pm EDT. Men’s Traditional – This dancer wears a single eagle feather bustle. The traditional dancer symbolizes a warrior in battle, hunting, gathering. They may hold dance sticks...

    June 15, 2021 @ 12:00 pm - June 16, 2021 @ 10:00 pm
  • MENS, WOMENS & GROUPS POW WOW DRUM

    First Round Competitions: Competitors Post & Audience Votes @ Social Distance Pow Wow for the Top 5! 12pm EDT to 8pm EDT each day. Finalists announced by 10pm EDT. Hand and Pow Wow Drumming are two of the categories in the Pow Wow Competition. The drums and dancers have many items that are considered sacred...

    June 16, 2021 @ 12:00 pm - June 17, 2021 @ 8:00 pm
  • MENS & WOMENS FANCY (All ages)

    First Round Competitions: Competitors Post & Audience Votes @ Social Distance Pow Wow for the Top 5! 12pm EDT to 8pm EDT each day. Finalists announced by 10pm EDT. Men’s Fancy Bustle - This dancer wears two very colourful bustles on his back and has the fastest style. Competition represents an endurance feat, flashy eye...

    June 17, 2021 @ 12:00 pm - June 18, 2021 @ 8:00 pm
  • SPECIALS -Hoop & Smoke Dance (All ages)

    First Round Competitions: Competitors Post & Audience Votes @ Social Distance Pow Wow for the Top 5! 12pm EDT to 8pm EDT each day. Finalists announced by 10pm EDT.

    June 18, 2021 @ 12:00 pm - June 19, 2021 @ 8:00 pm
  • Finalists – Top 5 each age group & category Day 1

    Finalists – Top 5 each age group & category – Second Round – June 19 & 20 All finalists (dancers) submit to the Northern Cree songs provided. NEW and original music produced by multi-Grammy nominated Northern Cree for SSIF Pow Wow. Saturday June 19th – 12pm to 5pm on Facebook Live Sunday June 20th -12pm...

    June 19, 2021 @ 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
  • Finalists – Top 5 each age group & category Day 2

    All finalists (dancers) submit to the Northern Cree songs provided. NEW and original music produced by multi-Grammy nominated Northern Cree for SSIF Pow Wow. Saturday June 19th – 12pm to 5pm on Facebook Live Sunday June 20th -12pm to 5pm on Facebook Live and Winners announced! PRIZES same as listed below from 2020 with addition...

    June 20, 2021 @ 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm