Annual tipi competition marked with sign honouring late Elder
- EFN Staff | October 02, 2017
The University of Regina celebrated another year of the Glen Anaquod Memorial Tipi Raising Competition. The competition was initiated in 2008 by the late elder, Glen Anaquod from the Muscowpetung First Nation, who passed away in 2011. The annual event brings together students from different schools, staff and faculty, organizations and visitors where they observe and learn how to put up a tipi in a timely order.
Rhonda Apples from Behchokǫ̀, Northwest Territories participated in the competition, along with other students from her community. She said her team were indecisive of competing in the event at first but after they observed the tipi raising demonstration, they decided to give it a try.
“It’s different from back home because here when they set up [the tipis], it’s slanted and us we put it altogether in one,” she said. “It’s interesting to see the way it’s put up here. Back home, we don’t have flaps. It’s a big opening at the top.”
Apples said the tipi raising competition was something new to her and the other students but they said the overall experience was fun. That is something that Gwendy Anaquod, daughter of the late elder, said they wanted people to take away from the annual event.
“I think it’s great that it’s still going on and every year there’s more participants,” Anaquod said. “It’s great to see so many in their orange shirts [at the tipi raising competition]. My dad was a residential school survivor…just to see everybody out here participating and having fun. We love coming and spending the day here.”
The tipi raising competition was held in conjunction with Orange Shirt Day – a day that is dedicated to honour residential school survivors and those who did not make it home.
Mayor of Regina Michael Fougere attended the tipi raising competition not only to compete, but to present the Anaquod family with a street sign named after the late elder.
“We are very pleased to honour Glen Anaquod,” said Mayor Fougere. “For us, it’s a small but symbolic step of reconciliation in honouring those who had a tremendous impact on our city and community.”
Anaquod said her family were happy to receive the street sign from the mayor and can’t wait for it to be put up once the bypass construction is completed on Tower Road.
“Just the fact that he had an impact on so many people within the city,” Anaquod said.