Dear Ah-Pah-Nee:Princess of Prince Rupert!

Dear,

Ah-Pah-Nee,

Princess of Prince Rupert,

Friend bread or bannock

Over here it`s all just the same,

Your arrival is all the clamor

At just the mention of your name!

Welcome to the POW WOW,

Of the Eastern Algonquin tribe.

Looking forward to discovering secrets

In what makes our Friend bread,

Bannock rise?

And how we go about our business

Swooning the man of the hour into Love,

Through site, sound, smell and taste

That is what we do, every time one takes place.

We dance, eat and celebrate,

Here we bring clans together

Families,

By engagement, marriage

And Blood Forever!

These stories are tied through the times

in the Friend Bread, Bannock recipes of the past,

Down through the Women generations 1 through 4;

Which in the end will produce

An improved state of life

In what we cook and share anew,

For every one that passes through

A Pow Wow for the Seasons

Through the centuries of time,

We have been living here.

This is a form of tradition

That promises to remain sustained,

A part of us

A way of telling each other

Our stories,

In what we wear

How we dance and eat,

Along with the good news

we share!

So I look forward to your turn

My friend from the Prairies

And the West,

It does not matter how you look

On the outside,

It`s who you are on the inside

That counts to us.

Your Grand-Fathers` Legacy

And his father the Chief before him,

And the generations of the Chief`s before that

Is where the secret lies in who you are

Behind those sparkling green eyes,

Your blood runs red just as strong as our own

And your recipes of love

Cannot tell us any lies.

So come and dance in custom with us

Bring your tradition of Friend Bread Bannock too;

Let the story you have to tell

Unfold in every bite and boldness

Of what you dare to share,

What is important here to tell

Is that we are family

No matter the Struggle

With the outside appearances of our skin,

We can testify of our bond and truth

In the results of our burdens laid out in

the craftsmanship of what we build working together;

A Wigwam

A totem Pole,

Clothing, moccasins,

Soap sculptures

Indian Tattoos

And Canoes!

Now when the food is gone

As the Pow wow ends

And it`s time to quiet the mind

And settle in,

For sleeping out under the stars

When the Hawk lands

Before the sun goes down,

We will get in our newly built boats

2 by 2

To go exploring in silence,

The Peaceful waters

And the nature surrounding us

In paddling together;

And thinking over our joy

Of this day,

As the evening light sets in!

People are brought together here

At each and every Pow wow,

Yes, friendship and Love

Through marriage

And Blood are Forever,

Just through the simple act

Of sharing friend Bread,

Bannock

OUR WAY of caring.

Blackfoot on the inside

White on the out,

But a fair red skin brother

Is still found Swooning,

Over you no doubt...

For that fine strong Chief

Still knew the beauty

Of that Indian Princess

Within,

The first bite he took!

This is what we do

And that will always be the way,

Bannock

Friends,

Family,

Love

Forever,

And a Day!

With all my fondness and affection

Angeni,

Your Eastern Tribe

Maniwaki

Indian Princess,

Pow wow

Canoe Paddling,

Algonquin, Friend!

The End!

written by,

Jennifer Cooley!

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