Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE
Drummers, live music, a balloon drop and a parade of vehicles all helped Fort Providence residents ring in the new year.

Theresa and Phillip Bonnetrouge were among the Fort Providence residents who welcomed in the new year at the First Night celebration in the hamlet. - photo courtesy of Pearl Leishman

There was standing room only in the Fort Providence community hall where the First Night celebration was held on Dec. 31. The biennial event was developed by a group of community members more than 16 years ago as an alternative to the usual New Year's Eve events that involved alcohol.

This year's celebration was one of the largest yet, said Tina Gargan, who organized the event.

"I think it was a night people will remember for a long time," she said.

The family-oriented celebrations started with a fire feeding ceremony at 4 p.m. in the arbor beside the recreation centre. A potluck feast in the hall followed the ceremony.

The event was a success with lots of food for everyone. Gargan said the organizers had been encouraging people to return to the old ways of bringing food to share with others.

The main event of the evening was a family dance featuring Johnny Landry and his band. Having Landry perform was a highlight because he is usually booked for events outside of the community for New Year's, said Chief Wayne Sabourin.

Whenever the band took a break between sets the local drummers stepped in to keep the crowd on its feet. During the evening Sabourin presented each of the drummers with matching ribbon shirts that Deh Gah Got'ie First Nation had purchased. The shirts are in recognition for their contributions and the pride they show at drum dances, said Sabourin.

"They really enjoy the shirts and they took it to their hearts," he said.

Sabourin said he'd like to see other communities in the territory hold similar family-oriented First Night celebrations.

"It's a very good celebration. It brings the community together," he said.

Draws were made during the dance for door prizes donated by local organizations and businesses. The grand prize was a 22-inch flat screen television with a home theater system.

To mark the stroke of midnight and the beginning of the new year balloons that had been suspended from the ceiling were dropped on the crowd. People rushed to pop them because some contained slips of paper that could be traded in for prizes including toques, tools, toasters and a coffeepot.

After midnight some partygoers created a line of vehicles that paraded through the streets with horns blaring. Back at the hall the entertainment continued until approximately 2 a.m.

One of the purposes of the celebration is to create a place for children to go while parties are going on in the community, said Gargan.

Volunteers stretched that commitment into a second day with a new event.

On New Year's Day a family time was organized at the hall.

Between 50 to 60 people attended the event that included boardgames as well as free hot dogs, hamburgers, tea and coffee.

A second drum dance followed in the evening.

Approximately 20 volunteers helped make the two days of events possible, said Gargan, who also offered her thanks to the sponsors and the community for coming out and making all of the hard work worthwhile.

"I think it was one of the best events and one of the best First Nights we've organized," said Sabourin.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.