Wawatay Neemewin lights up the Grand (14 photos)

The seventh annual Echoes of the World International Drum Festival began yesterday in Clergue Park with music, children's activities and workshops.

The latter part of the day's celebration took place at the Grand Theatre and featured Wawatay Neemewin, directed, produced, and choreographed by Marlene Syrette of Batchewana First Nation.

Translated as "Dancing Northern Lights," the Wawatay Neemewin production was a vibrant, moving, and visually stunning experience presented in two parts.

The first was a mixture of music, dance, and theatre that depicted a battle between two men for the heart of a beautiful woman.

The second showcased six traditional dancers adorned in exquisite regalia that moved some audience members to tears.

"This is our story depicted through dance and song from an Anishinaabe point of view, from the Ojibway Nation," Syrette told SooToday.com following the performance. "Each dance depicts a different story relating to the culture."

Performing in the traditional style were Kristol Abel, originally from Manitoulin Island's M'Chigeeng First Nation, and B'Nbaswi Biiaaswa.

"The men's traditional dance is a warrior dance," explained Syrette. "The woman's traditional dance is done in a manner that is very graceful and it's important that the woman present herself in a very respectful manner."

Mike Willis from Bay Mills performed the grass dance, which traditionally would have been done at the beginning of a celebration in order to flatten tall grass, clearing an area to allow other dancers to perform.

Mariah Jourdain performed the healing jingle-dress dance, and Tyrone Shawana and Michelle (Wassay) Pywasit were the Wawatay Neemewin fancy dancers.

"During the fancy dance, each dancer represents all of creation," said Syrette. "When we dance, we're one with creation. When we see a tree blowing in the wind, it's dancing. We look at our regalia and our dances in the same way. The shawl used in the woman's fancy dance is representative of how a butterfly dances across the grass."

The entire production was narrated by Edward Benton-Banai, a sessional Anishinaabe Studies instructor at Algoma University, and music was provided by the Bear Creek Singers.

A little bit nervous, and a lot bit excited about last night's Wawatay Neemewin performance, Syrette explained that this was somewhat of a revival for the group that hasn't performed in almost 10 years.

She told us that she still has plenty of original scripts and ideas, and hopes to host more performances in the near future.

The Echoes of the World International Drum Festival continues all day Friday and Saturday at Clergue Park with performances from Kenn Lewis (steel drums), the Healing Lodge Singers, Mocombo, the Missanabie Cloggers, and Orangatango (salsa) to name a few.

For more festival information and a full schedule of events, click here .