Bannock, beads and beats: CBC Ontario unites to mark National Indigenous Peoples Day with virtual powwow

Growing up as a young boy on the powwow trail, Todd Genno never wanted to be an emcee. Too much responsibility. Too much work.

Yet, powwow after powwow, summer after summer, Genno kept finding himself back in those emcee booths. He asked a ton of questions and learned a lot about life.

"Little did I know, the people that were in those booths ... they were training me to be an emcee. It's not something that I asked for, it was just kind of brought upon to me. And I knew I had to answer that call when the people wanted me to start emceeing," Genno said.

Now, Genno is a sought-after emcee for powwows across the province.

On Friday, June 19, Genno will host CBC's first-ever virtual powwow during a province-wide special CBC radio program from 4 - 6:00 p.m.

The show is called Maamawi - an Ojibway word that means "together." It will be an early celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day, which falls on Sunday, June 21, and will include music, stories and traditions from Indigenous communities across Ontario.

Here is a glimpse at some of the stories that Genno will share:

Lisa Odjig is a hoop dancer and former world champion originally from Wikwemikong First Nation on Manitoulin Island.

After several years away from competitive hoop dancing, Odjig competed again at the World Championship Hoop Dance competition in Phoenix, Arizona this year. She won second place, and was only one point away from first.

These beaded masks are bringing together a whole new community to find healing

4 years ago

Duration 5:08

Lisa Shepherd and Nathalie Bertin two Mtis artists and friends who live on opposite sides of the country have amassed over 1,500 group members so far.

Inspired by the pandemic, two Metis artists started beading masks and built a community along the way when they began a Facebook group called "Breathe."

Lisa Shepherd and Nathalie Bertinare now curating a collection of masks from artists around the world to present to galleries across North America.

Just ten years ago, Aicha Smith-Belghaba had no idea what traditional Haudenosaunee food were.

Now, Smith-Belghaba is trying to incorporate traditional ingredients into the recipes she uses at her catering company based at Six Nations of the Grand River.

To catch the CBC radio special "Maamawi," tune in to CBC Radio One anywhere in Ontario from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.