WATCH: Glenbow's proud tradition of celebrating Indigenous community

In honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day, Glenbow School has a rich tradition of participating in a number of activities to learn about Indigenous cultures and practices.

That includes a powwow held yesterday (June 20) with performances by several dancers, accompanied by the Stoney River Drum Band. Glenbow principal Jason Billings says it's a long-time tradition of the school, and this year a student assisted in making the arrangements.

"This week, we do a lot of different activities and then certainly this is the highlight for all of us," says Billings. "Our students are celebrating all week with different types of activities, including listening to different Indigenous music, listening to and reading Indigenous stories, and participating in traditional Indigenous games."

The school has a close connection with the Stoney Nakoda Nation. Many of the performers, including Shyles Samlleyes, who led the powwow, are former students.

Shyles Smalleyes attended Glenbow School, and today, he and the rest of the Stoney River band are Lead Drum at the Mini Thni Indigenous Peoples Day Traditional Powwow. 

He remembers the powwows held when he was a student at Glenbow for grades 1 to 4. Over the years, it's been held both indoors and outdoors.

"I grew up dancing and every year we would perform," says Smalleyes. "Performing here today brought back a lot of good memories."

Stoney River has performed at powwows and special events in both Canada and the States. They also performed country music.

Smalleyes has been selected as the arena manager for the powwow at this year's Calgary Stampede. The drum band is also the Lead Drum for the Mini Thni Indigenous Peoples Day Traditional Powwow today (June 21).

The dancers gathered for a quick group shot after their performance.

He's well remembered by many of the school's long-time staff members, including Colleen Ball.

"This is wonderful," she says, "and most of the performers actually went to school here."

"This is hugely important as an honor to our former students as well as our present ones. It's inspiring.". 

Joseph Fox has been performing at powwows since age 14.

Among the Indigenous dancers featured was Joseph Fox, who performed a Thank You Dance.

The Welcome Dance is physically demanding and he learned and perfected the dance as a personal challenge.

It also holds great spiritual meaning to him.

"It is a part of our victory celebration from war. We'd get all the horses together and make circles, so I do circles. Part of it is to rejoice and it's known as the Victory Dance as well."

At the end of the performance, some students joined the dancers in a round dance.