The Youth Exhibition Powwow returned to Okanagan College Thursday for its 10th year. 

Students and community members joined in the celebration of Indigenous culture in the courtyard of the college's Kelowna campus. 

To mark the 10-year milestone, this year’s event featured a special ceremony honouring two Indigenous community members who have played integral roles in its success over the past decade.

Elder Richard Jackson Jr. of the Lower Nicola Indian Band and Noel Ferguson of the Canoe Creek First Nation and Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society will reprise their roles this year as Master of Ceremony and Arena Director, roles they’ve held for the past 10 years.

“Working with and learning from the Indigenous community is one of our key directions at Okanagan College,” said College President Jim Hamilton.

“The powwow has been and continues to be a very meaningful and significant opportunity to strengthen relationships and celebrate Indigenous knowledge and culture on campus," he added. 

The Annual Exhibition Powwow is a high-energy, family-friendly event that draws participants from across the Interior. Dancers and accompanying drummers perform in a variety of dance categories including grass, fancy, chicken, jingle and traditional.

“It’s a great opportunity to increase people’s understanding of our ways of knowing and doing and create a sense of belonging for all of our learners," said Anthony Isaac, Okanagan College Aboriginal services co-ordinator.

The College has one of the fastest growing rates of Aboriginal student participation of any post-secondary institution in B.C. In 2017, the College provided educational programming to more than 1,745 Aboriginal students.