BEMIDJI -- Sanford Bemidji Medical Center hosted a healing powwow Thursday in celebration of corroboration among hospitals.
“It’s an annual event to recognize the relationship between our hospital here in Bemidji and the hospitals on Red Lake and Cass Lake Reservations,” said Sanford COO Joy Johnson. “And it’s a way to recognize the people who commonly take care of our patients between the facilities. Spiritual healers, as well as doctors and nurses and other staff.”
The event included a walleye feast, the Grand Entry, a special giveaway and traditional Native American dancing and drumming.
Sally Corser, Sanford director of outreach services, said the annual event started in 2001, and was initially only Bemidji until a few years ago, when they added the IHS hospitals of Red Lake and Cass Lake, as well as the White Earth health center.
“It’s a good chance for us to all work together, and build some of those relationships that we maybe work over the phone or that sort of thing,” she said. “To actually stand next to each other and participate is really nice.”
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For the Grand Entry, honor guards made up of veterans from Bemidji, Red Lake, Cass Lake and White Earth opened the procession.
“To us and our tradition, we hold our veterans way up there,” Sanford Indian Health Advocate Vikki Howard said. “So there’s different ceremonies for our veterans. They’re the ones that’ll lead our Grand Entry.”
The drumming included three drums, including a Grandfather Drum, according to Howard, as well as singers from each of the reservations. After songs honoring the veterans and the Grand Entry, they sang for healing for all of the people at the powwow as well as the hospitals represented there.
She said the powwow is an important way for people to get together and learn about other cultures, saying we all treasure the same things.
“It’s teaching that there’s not that many differences between Indian and non-native people,” she said.
