MISSISSAUGA – The Aboriginal Sport and Wellness Council of Ontario (ASWCO) and Pikangikum First Nation are excited to announce a Winter Cultural Festival on February 24-26, 2017. With support from the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and the OPP’s Aboriginal Policing Bureau, ASWCO is working to ensure a successful event for all community members.
The Winter Festival will utilize the ice roads and bring all the surrounding communities together. Communities on the ice road that are accessible to Pikangikum include; Poplar Hill, North Spirit Lake, Deer Lake and Sandy Lake.
Winter Festival program development will be led by Great Lakes Cultural Camp with assistance from the OPP Aboriginal Policing Bureau’s Indigenous Awareness Trainer Erin Dixon and Keir Johnston. Activities at the Winter Festival will be cultural teachings, including outdoor activities, sport activities and health & wellness activities.
Keir Johnston is an employee of ASWCO from Chippewa of the Thames First Nation. He is a high performance sprint kayaker with aspirations of making Team Canada at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. In the summer of 2016 Keir partnered with Erin Dixon and the OPP Aboriginal Policing Bureau to deliver canoe and cultural program in Pikangikum.
In addition to the programming, ASWCO will be hosting Aboriginal Team Ontario tryouts for the 2017 North American Indigenous Games in Toronto.
For more information on the Winter Festival or tryouts please contact: keir.johnston@aswco.ca
