Mission – VYPOR- Valley Youth Peers for Overdose Response is holding a live in person Pow Wow on July 1 and 2.
VYPOR- Valley Youth Peers for Overdose Response is a self-governed group of youth with prominent experiences in homelessness, substance use, the foster system, and other forms of intergenerational trauma are coming together to host their first powwow.
Brandon Daniels – Arena Director
Host Drum – Wild River
Gary Abbott- MC
Fawnda Bullshields – MC
JULY 1 // 1:00PM – 11:00PM
JULY 2 // 1:00PM – 11:00PM
St. Mary’s Mission Indian Residential School/Pekw’xe:yles
Mccoombs St, Mission, BC V4S 1L7
Youth Powwow Planners
Marcella Pruden
Triston Belhumeur
Jordie Lynn
Trevor Bentley
Helena May
Josh Raine
This will be an OUTSIDE EVENT.
Camping overnight encouraged
Prizes for several categories.
Dinner served
Healers
Raffel prizes
Minimum 5 dance specials to performers who show up
FUNDERS INCLUDE,
Vancouver Foundation
MOCAT- Mission Overdose Community Action Team
Mission Friendship Center
The conversation for a powwow was brought up by a young Cree person who has had extensive experience in the foster system, “There needs to be dancers and a drumming circle… we need healers”.
Gary Abbott has come alongside VYPOR to mentor and guide our first ever powwow. The theme of this ceremony? Reclaiming Youth. Urbanized indigenous youth will be reclaiming their culture on the LAST residential school to close in BC. This is for the children who lost their chance at a childhood, the adults who have spent a lifetime battling trauma and for the urbanized youth of today who feel inherently connected to their culture with little to no guidance.
The youth of today’s generation want to move forward in care with those who may not know what it is like to exist with ancestral energy but have navigated a world where intergenerational trauma is both inherent and interrelated.
Young indigenous youth who do not know how to plan or execute a powwow or other similar practices is the live result of intergenerational trauma. We will move through this with acknowledgement, curiosity, humility and eager learning.
Vendors can contact Jordie@impactabby.com for booking. Bring your own tables/tent/chairs. Educational vendors are free. For profit vendors must pay $150 for entry.
Please contact Marcella@impactabby.com for any further questions or if you’re interested in volunteering.
