August 29, 2019 Vol. 19, No. 34
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Silver Lake Powwow celebrates silver anniversary by Craig Bakay ne noticeable observation about the Silver Lake Powwow, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this weekend at Silver Lake Provincial Park — not only did there seem to be more people there, there seemed to be an increase in those
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She said she honestly didn’t expect to be celebrating 25 years when they started out. “I thought it would be nice to see it last this long but I never thought it would,” she said. When asked about memories over the years, she said:
Pat Crawford and Ron Hollywood have been driving forces behind the Silver Lake Powwow for many years. wearing regalia, some of which was quite spectacular. “We have 20 new dancers this year, 60 dancers in total,” said ring announcer Danka Brewer. Pat Crawford, who’s been “volunteering and organizing” since the second one, has an explanation. “The younger generation are liking regalia,” she said. “My kids were little when we started here (6 and 13). “Now, my three grandchildren are here.” Crawford used to run the food booth but now “we just do breakfast and the feast,” leaving the barbecue to others now.
“There are too many memories for one to stand out. “But when you’re here, you’re closer to the people who’ve passed on. Their spirits are here.” She mentioned Dorothy and Frank Antoine, Clair and Lyle Crawford, Harold Perry, Larry and Nancy McDermott, Willie Bruce, Marie Knapp, AnnMarie Wilson and Running Wolf as people who have been instrumental in the Powwow in the past. Trudi Knapp came on “about the fourth one,” I think. “There are others I’m sure, but those are the ones I’m remembering now,” she said.
She said one of the biggest, and most welcome changes happened just a couple of years ago, when the Park waived the rental fee for the space. “We used to have to raise $1,200 for the rental,” she said. “We did a lot of meat draws but usually only managed about $1,000. “But now, we’re able to have admission by donation and that’s really helped. “We try as hard as we can to make this a traditional powwow and that means not being commercial. “Anything we raise goes to the dancers and drummers and we welcome everybody — Native and non-Native.” When pressed, Crawford did offer some memories on a lighter note. Several years ago, the Powwow was held at the other end of the Park, and drainage was an issue. “It was a swamp,” she said. “One year it rained everyday and there was water up to your knees.” “The kids enjoyed it,” said Ron Hollywood, another long-time volunteer and organizer. “They were playing in it and some were body surfing in the mud.” For Crawford, the longevity of the Powwow is an encouraging sign, one she hopes will continue for many years to come. “A lot have passed on and we’re honouring them,” she said. “They planted the seed and we’re helping it to grow. “I just hope that when we’re gone, people will carry on and help us to come back in spirit.”
Sharp, centre, said the red hand across the mouth honours Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and is “a very subtle form of protest.”
Marking the plight of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women by Craig Bakay t wasn’t an organized thing, but several Silver Lake Powwow attendees decided to join in the MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women) issue by displaying red hands across their mouths this weekend. They were joined by grandmothers displaying ‘grandmothers’ tears,’ again in red paint. “It’s about honouring those we’ve lost and it’s also a very subtle form of protest,” said Sharp, who agreed to act as spokesperson for those participating. “Red is the colour of life and life has been stolen from them (the missing and murdered indigenous women).”
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The concept is simple. The hand over the mouth signifies how voices have been silenced when it comes to this issue. “Indigenous women are still disposable in today’s society,” Sharp said. “When an indigenous woman goes missing, the first question people ask is ‘was she involved in the sex trade?’ “When a white woman goes missing, search efforts are organized and you hear about what a good person and good mother she was.” Sharp said it’s not just showing up at powwows. Indeed, a Google search for MMIW face paint images shows how many athletes and others are taking up the
cause as well. “It’s not just women,” Sharp said. “It may be mostly women but there are men and two-spirit folks as well. “People are doing it all over Turtle Island.” She said she worked with a woman who had her name tattooed on her back “for when and if it happens. “It still happens.” “We need to get rid of the violence and I want to help as best I can,” said grandmother Francine Desjardins. “Get the young people to have a better take on life. “If we could just tear down all the marketing (ways women are portrayed), that would be awesome.”
South Frontenac institutes radon mitigation provisions into its building regulations by Jeff Green
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n response to a study by Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington Public Health (KFL&APH), the South Frontenac building department has made changes to its building permits force builders to provide for radon mitigation in all new homes. “The regulations that we are bringing are taken directly from the Ontario Building Code. They apply in a few
parts of the province where there are a high percentage of homes with radon levels above the Canadian standard of 200 bequerelles per cubic metre. Now that Public Health has released their survey that shows how common it is the region, all of the building departments are responding,” said Tom Berriault, the Chief Building Official for South Frontenac.
Berriault said that other jurisdictions have, or will be, bringing in similar measures in short order. New home builders will have three potential options to follow. Berriault said that he recommends the third option, which includes the installation of a soil gas pipe and an “active, sub-slab depressurization system”. With these measured in place, radon
testing is voluntary once the home is built, but Berriault said that it is higly advisable that testing is done. “Because testing needs to be done during the heating season, and takes 90 days, we recommend that everyone test their home after they move in. If they have radon levels above the limit, and they have followed option 3, all they would have to
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been posted to the South Frontenac Township website (southfrontenac.net) only addresses new home construction. “Once a house is built and we have issued an occupancy permit, there is nothing more we can do,” said Berriault. He said that KFL&A Pub-
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do is install a fan to vent the gas through the pre-installed pile,” he said. “We have been recommending these measures in new home construction for years, as a precautionary measure, but often people don’t know anything about radon or the risks it causes,” said Berriault. The new soil gas mitigation program, which has
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