Third annual Lead By Example powwow takes over ag grounds

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The third annual Lead By Example Powwow was hosted June 6-8 at the Strathmore and District Agricultural Society grounds, celebrating the life of the late Kristian Ayoungman.

Melodie Ayoungman, CEO of the Kakato’si Kristian Ayoungman Foundation, explained the powwow has continued to see growth in each year since its inception. 

“There are more categories and more dancers in each category, so we have to accommodate the competitions to make sure that we get everybody through every category. Some of them might need more than one song to accommodate the competition,” she explained. “The attendance has been really great. Everyone from all over Canada and the United States are coming to this powwow. More people are hearing about it and more people are asking us to even do presentations.”

Ayoungman added the team had also been requested to present in Regina about the work they are doing with Strathmore and Siksika Nation in reconciliation, as well as to attend a variety of schools. 

Funds generated through hosting the Lead By Example Powow largely go back into the organization in order to cover venue costs, rentals, staff, and contingencies to continue growing the event for future years.

This year marks the second time the powwow was hosted at the Ag Society grounds, having migrated there from the Strathmore Motor Products Sports Centre, where it was debuted in 2023. 

Kristian Ayoungman, who is remembered through the Foundation and the Powwow, was murdered in Strathmore in 2019 in Strathmore during a dispute over cigarettes. 

Ayoungman explained throughout the powwow, each style of dance hosts several categories for different age groups to compete. 

“There are juniors, teens, junior adults 18-34, senior adults 35-49, then we have golden age which is 50-64, and then we have the elders category which is 65 and up, and we were able to add the women’s Blackfoot style dress 18-plus this year because this is the area where the Blackfoot come from, and we have never seen that in competition,” she said. “We included that to encourage learning the history, and there is a story behind the women’s Blackfoot dress also, which comes from thunder.”

The Lead By Example Powwow has now become a regular part of the North American Powwow circuit alongside events which take place in Okotoks and Banff. 

Among the ongoing goals for the powwow is to emphasize the message that it is for everyone to feel welcome in wanting to come out and participate in the festivities.