Community makes visitors feel extra special

A simple gesture is making a profound impact for one Saskatchewan family.

This weekend during the Ochapowace First Nation’s annual powwow Ivan Isaac is sponsoring a special for all dancers with a disability/special needs.

In July, Terri Lavallee was surprised to receive a personal invite for her daughter to attend the special.

“I couldn’t believe we got invited,” said Terri.  “It was awesome. We’ve never been invited somewhere like this before.”

Isaac, a residential school survivor, began powwow dancing a few years ago and it changed his life for the better. Most recently his own health issues have impacted his life.

“I’m doing this special because I’m now considered on disability,” said Isaac.  “I go to the hospital almost everyday and I see people who are in far rougher shape than me and I feel very lucky to still dance so I choose to dance for everyone who is sick.”

He believes in the power of dance and wants to share that gift with others.

“I’ve made so many friends on the powwow trail who are disabled and they don’t have a dance to dance in,” said Isaac. “They deserve a dance just like everyone else.”

He’s made personal sacrifices to make it happen.

“I can’t work so I’ve been just trying to win on the powwow trail and I’m giving it all back in my special,” said Isaac. “I’m very passionate about this and I really hope dancers show up.”

He can count on Terri and Laina being there.

“It’s so incredible to be included and have someone notice my daughter,” said Terri. “It’s wonderful. We often try not to be noticed.”

Laina, 15, has several health complications, including Goldenhar syndrome – a rare congenital condition which causes the face, ear, and spine develop abnormally.

As a result, one side of her body grows at a slower rate than the other half and she is also deaf and blind one in eye.

Laina has also been diagnosed with a heart condition and epilepsy.

However, this doesn’t stop the teenager from living life to its full potential.

She loves nothing more than dancing at powwows, but her conditions sometimes causes complications, said Terri.

“I’m always scared she’s going to bump into someone,” she said. “She has problems with depth perception and kind of oversteps when she walks.”

“Tradtional powwows are easier, because they’re not competitive, so I don’t have to be as worried about her running into someone,” she said.

Ochapowace is located about 160 kilometres east of Regina and the powwow kicks off this evening and runs until Sunday.

It is a competition powwow with several adult and teen categories with tiny tots paid daily. There’s also a singing contest and several special competitions including the one Laina has been invited to join.

“It’s so nice that they have these categories,” said Terri.  “Lots of powwows don’t have special needs kids. I love getting her involved in things like this because she likes being included but often feels left out.”

“When she gets to dance, she’s so happy,” said Terri. “She wants to go non-stop. I have to stop her eventually so she doesn’t pass out on me.”

The dedicated mom, said seeing her daughter happy for a moment is worth it.

From the very beginning Laina has faced many uphill battles. She spent her first year of life in the hospital, and Terri was told her baby wouldn’t be able to walk or eat without use of a tube.

Laina proved those medical experts wrong.

“We’ve had some challenges,” said Terri. “I don’t want to say it’s hard, because I like to think that I just live my life differently than other people.”

She simply wants to give her child life filled what every mother wants to give their child and that’s happy childhood memories.

“If I had a state of mind where I thought of everything as a ‘challenge’ then life would be really hard,” said Terri.

Attending powwows and dancing is what helps Laina come out of her shell and express herself, she said.

When a powwow makes a point of including those like Laina, it makes a huge impact on the entire family, said Terri.

“If (more powwows have special categories) I think it’s wonderful for these special babies can get out there and show us what they can do.”

With files from Kerry Benjoe