{"id":61943,"date":"2019-12-04T16:23:08","date_gmt":"2019-12-04T21:23:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.carleton.ca\/?post_type=cu_story&p=61943"},"modified":"2025-10-18T16:59:05","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T20:59:05","slug":"carleton-revives-annual-round-dance","status":"publish","type":"cu_story","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/story\/carleton-revives-annual-round-dance\/","title":{"rendered":"Deer Stew and the Drum: Carleton Revives Annual Round Dance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Deer Stew and the Drum: Carleton Revives Annual Round Dance\n <\/h1>\n \n <\/header>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/path>\n <\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

It\u2019s not every night you get to eat deer stew at Carleton University and hear folks competing for the best moose call but that was the scene at Fenn Lounge on the evening of Nov. 29, <\/sup>2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That Friday, the Centre for Indigenous Initiatives<\/a> hosted more than 150 people for what will become an Annual Round Dance in celebration of the Indigenous community at Carleton and in support of students as they headed into exams.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cIt makes me feel like I\u2019m at home,\u201d said Gina Louttit Bellefeuille, 20, a first-year psychology student.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m here, surrounded by my community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sixteen drummers and singers, some of them young boys, created a thundering wall of sound, drawing dozens of dancers to the floor at a time. The dancers\u2014representing a wide range of cultures and ages\u2014held hands for each song, forming a ribbon of rhythm around the drummers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Deer<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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That\u2019s how a round dance works – you hold your neighbour\u2019s hand and you progress around the circle together, the vibration of the drums fanning out from the fulcrum and thumping inside your chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStep left, drag right. It\u2019s round dance time tonight,\u201d emcee Greg \u2018Mista Wasis\u2019 Dreaver told the crowd, giving rookies a few pointers.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cIf you find yourself too stretched out, take a step in and make the circle smaller. If it gets too crowded just take a step back and make room.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Moose Cree First Nation<\/a> Elder, Thomas Louttit, thanked organizers for their gift of tobacco and for the pots of savoury stew and bannock offered to visitors. Then he acknowledged the challenges Indigenous students face this time of year with exams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI want to think about them and pray for them, that they do well,\u201d said Louttit a respected knowledge keeper who holds an honorary Doctor of Laws from Carleton<\/a>. \u201cMiigwech<\/em> to all of you, for being here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Deer<\/figure>\n\n\n

Helping Indigenous Students Feel Welcome and Supported<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Aurora Ominika-Enosse, 19, a second-year social work student doing a minor in Indigenous Studies<\/a>, is also the Indigenous Programs Assistant at the Ojigkwanong Centre<\/a>, Carleton\u2019s Indigenous hub. She said events such as the round dance help make Indigenous students feel welcome and supported, and allows others from the larger Ottawa community to gather and socialize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ominika-Enosse is from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Reserve<\/a>, a First Nation on Manitoulin Island in northern Ontario. It\u2019s eight hours away so she doesn\u2019t get home much.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s hard being away from everybody, especially if a family member is sick. I have three little siblings and a new one was just born at the end of October,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cBut I\u2019ve made so many friends here, including all my co-workers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
Benny Michaud speaks to attendees of the Annual Round Dance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Benny Michaud, who runs the Centre for Indigenous Initiatives on campus, said that it was important to bring the round dance tradition back to Carleton after a five-year hiatus.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cA critical part of the Centre for Indigenous Initiatives\u2019 mandate is to support the well-being of Indigenous students on campus so that they can be successful in their academic pursuits. A fundamental aspect of caring for students is creating opportunities for community-building and helping connect them with the urban Indigenous community in Ottawa,\u201d Michaud said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cMost community events are inter-generational, and so you have grandmothers, aunties, uncles and children all present. It\u2019s a wonderful way of reaching Indigenous youth who might be thinking of post-secondary in the near future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Deer<\/figure>\n\n\n

Round Dance Part of a Holistic Approach to Wellness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Roughly 850 Carleton students self-identify as First Nations, M\u00e9tis or Inuit, Michaud said, though the actual number is likely higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staci Loiselle, Indigenous Cultural Counsellor at the centre and main organizer of the round dance, said students need to feel a sense of safety and belonging in order to grow and prosper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe take a holistic approach to wellness by nourishing students\u2019 physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cThere is a strong sense of connection and love when you gather with others and participate in processes that your ancestors have been performing for hundreds of years.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Dreaver, originally from Mistawasis Nehiyawak First Nation<\/a> in Saskatchewan and now living in Anishinaabe-Aki, the unceded and non-surrendered Algonquin territory, said it was a great honour to be the emcee at an event that brings people together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
Greg ‘Mista Wasis’ Dreaver, with President Benoit-Antoine Bacon and Theresa Hendricks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf our non-native settlers can hear the drum even once in their life, then they can get back to the real meaning of life, from the life givers, our mothers,\u201d he said. \u201cInside our mothers we heard our first drum: her heartbeat. That\u2019s why it\u2019s significant to have the round dance here, to have the heartbeat of the life givers and to support our emerging leaders\u2014the students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carleton President Benoit-Antoine Bacon was one of those who heard the drum.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s great to have so many people on campus. The drums sound so good, the dancing is so fun. It\u2019s the best way to end a week and the month of November. So miigwech<\/em> everybody,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cHave a great time tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carleton is working to honour recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Through the Carleton University Indigenous Strategic Initiatives Committee<\/a>, the university has identified 41 calls to action, which include commitments in areas such as community engagement, Indigenous student support and student experience.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Deer<\/figure>\n\n\n

—
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It\u2019s not every night you get to eat deer stew at Carleton University and hear folks competing for the best moose call but that was the scene at Fenn Lounge on the evening of Nov. 29, 2019. That Friday, the Centre for Indigenous Initiatives hosted more than 150 people for what will become an Annual Round […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":410,"featured_media":61954,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_story_type":[28,1592],"cu_story_tag":[1920,1921,1927,1929],"class_list":["post-61943","cu_story","type-cu_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","cu_story_type-community-partnerships","cu_story_type-teaching-learning","cu_story_tag-faculty-of-arts-and-social-sciences","cu_story_tag-faculty-of-public-and-global-affairs","cu_story_tag-indigenous","cu_story_tag-president"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":"blueprint"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/61943","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/cu_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/410"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/61943\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97626,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/61943\/revisions\/97626"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61954"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61943"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_story_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story_type?post=61943"},{"taxonomy":"cu_story_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story_tag?post=61943"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}