Squamish stage fundraising Friday, Nov. 20, 1992— North Shore News - powwow Dancers planning to participate i in major First Nations event in New Mexico THEY CALL them Dream Catchers. By Paul Hughes Contributing Writer The ones { hold are forged silver earrings, shaped into a deli- eate spider’s web surrounded by a hoop. Native legend has it that all dreams are caught in the dream catcher. Bad dreams are trapped in the web until burned off by the first rays of the sun. Good dreams attach themselves to the hoop, where they become a part of the dreamer’s life. The earrings, complete with legend, were just one example of the native arts and crafts on display as the Squamish Nation hosted a one-day recreational powwow on Saturday, Nov. 14, at the new recreation centre located on the Capilano reserve. The event was held to raise money for a planned trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the Squamish dancers hope to participate in a major First Na- tions powwow, which is organized in New Meaico every year. Gloria Nahanee, who arranged Satarday’s gathering, has been dancing in powwows for six years. She was determined to learn after watching visiting dancers who came to the CapiJano longhouse at the invitation of the Squamish elders. She has since passed her en- thusiasm on to the rest of her family. Her daughter, Riannon, is the senior princess for the Cedar Cot- tage Neighbourhood House. Another daughter, Kanani, is the junior princess. Gloria’s husband, Keith, not only dances, but also makes many of the family’s traditional costumes. Ire a previous interview, Naitence stressed the importance of preserving her native heritage. “If vou don’t teach your kids, NEWS photo Neil Lucente SQUAMISH DRUMMERS beat out ceremonial rhythms at Saturday's powwow held in the Capitano reserve’s new recreation centre. it will be lost,’ she said. ‘*l wish I had learned when I was young.” That the Nahanee famiiy has discovered an essential part of themselves through the powwow is apparent in the look of serenity on their faces as they move to the measured beat around the dance ring. In the Owl Dance, couples move together — grandmother with grandson, husband with wife, brother with sister. Gloria and Keith Nahanee join their hands, their feet keeping precise time to the cadence of the Thunderchild Singers. Slowly they complete the cir- cuit, reaffirming both the sacredness of the circle and the continuity of life. Although the powwow is a Plains Indian tradition, not a coastal one, the healing and spiritual nature of the gatherings cross all cultural boundaries. Much of the symbolism prevalent in the costumes and in the dancing styles are themes sepeated throughout native beliefs. Respect for the four directions and the four races of humanity is mirrored in the circular bustles of eagle feathers found on maay powwow costumes. The feathers themselves are reminders of the honor owed to all living things. Each creature shares the struggles of existence under the wings of the eagle, Accused found unfit for trial Judge orders NV man sent to psychiatric facility A MAN charged with second-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of a North Vancouver doctor earlier this year was found unfit to stand trial Wednesday in B.C. Supreme Court. Associate Chief Justice David Campbell remanded North Van- couver resident Dez id Roger Henderson, 50, to ‘32 Forensic Psychiatric Institute where his case will have to be reviewed within 45 days by a review board. The board is expected to order that Henderson be prescribed an- ti-psychotic medicine. If a physician finds Henderson fit to stand trial at a later date, he will be returned to court to face the second-degree murder charge. Henderson was charged after North Vancouver Dr. Verne Flather, 55, was gunned down in the 400-block of East Keith Road on April 22 as he was about to get into his car. Henderson was arrested at the scene of the shooting. He had earlier been found fit to stand trial by a psychiatrist. But on Monday, Mr. Justice Campbell instructed Henderson to undergo a_ second psychiatric assessment after his behavior in ccurt prompted the judge to sug- gest Henderson may be unfit to stand trial. Psychiatrist Dr. Elisabeth Zof- fmann examined Henderson on Monday night. On Wednesay, she told the court that, in her opinion, Henderson was unfit to stand trial. By Surj Rattan News Reporter ‘“‘Mr. Henderson was disorganized and was rambling. He talked about various themes of Persecution. “He mentioned the victim. He denied the victim was whe he is said to be. He didn’t recognize the victim,” said Zoffmann. She said Henderson told her that he believed Flather was one of several people who had mugged hin on a number of occasions and that he described the 400-block East Keith Road area as being crime infested. “He said he felt he was given permission by the police to carry a gun to protect himself from these people. Then he said he was sure | would recognize these people with my special powers. “1 would have to state that he was psychotic at the time (Flather was shot),”’ said Zoffmann. She added that Henderson told her that he believed animals would come out at night after him and that he knew they were animals because “‘they had four fingers.’’ “He would ramble off in, frankly, a bizarre manner. He talks about serious and frightening things in a bland manner (as if he were) discussing the weather.’’ 4&4 I would have to State that he was psychotic at the time (Flather was Shot). 9F — Dr. Elisabeth Zoffmann Zoffmann said Henderson is unable to fully appreciate what is going on around him. Under cross-examination by defence counse! Peter Wilson, Zoffmann testified that when she asked Henderson about his jawyer, Henderson said he was not sure he had one. She added that Henderson is - under the false impression that the things that happen around him have significant meanings and that he believes he can hear things that other people would normally not be able to hear. Mr. Justice Campbell said he had ‘“‘grave reservations’? about putting Henderson on trial at this time. The hearing, which began Monday, was attended by several members of Flather’s family. making personal differences ir- relevant. The essential beauty of the powwow is that it reaches out to all ages. Lawrence Perry, an elder from the Shuswap Nation who carried the sacred cagle staff in the grand entry, later shared the dance floor with the tiny junior princess from Queen Mary community school. Decades of winters separate NATIVE AFFAIRS their generations, yet both have a reverence for the rhythm of the drums. There is a healing character to these dances —~- a link to tradi- uonal roots buried deep in native spirituality — that encourages fa- ther to dance with son, mother with daughter. During the intertribal dance, a young man from the audience brings his infant boy onto the floor. Holding his son's arms, he gently sways the child’s body in time with the music. Soon both are moving to the hypnotic beat. What this parent and child share, in this one brief moment, is what may ensure the survival of a culture on the verge of extinction. In later years, the child may remember what his father once taught him, and, in turn, pass it on to yet another generation. In such small pockets of time, does the fate of an entire race ex- ist. This powwow lIasted only one day. Many can span a week or more. As this one winds down, Gloria Nahanee moves through the crowd, gathering the trash in a garbage bag, and trying to calculate whether the sale of ban- nock added enough to the Albu- querque fund. On Sunday, the family goes to Lytton to take part in yet another powwow. The Squamish powwow is over, but, in the words of the opening prayer by Lawrence Perry, honor has been paid this day to both Grandfather Sun and Grand- mother Moon, - Drug raid procedures questioned at inquest THE POLICE followed no official procedures upon entering a North Vancouver basement suite with a search warrant on May 12 and fatally shooting 22- year-old Daniel Possee, a coroner’s inquest heard Wednesday. That’s because there are no written policies or procedures in police manuals regarding the correct execution of search warrants, North Vancouver RCMP Sgt. William Bennett testified during the first day of the three-day inquest into the shooting. Bennett was.also the chief officer in charge of the police department’s internal investiga- tion into the shooting. Possee was shot by a police officer shortly after 11 p.m. on May 12 after a number of of- ficers entered Possee’s suite at 129 East 26th St. and allegedly found Possee pointing what appeared to be a rifle at the police. The rifle later turned out to be a pellet gun. Both the North Vancouver RCMP and the West Van- couver Police obtained the . warrant in the course of their joint investigation to search for marijuana on the premises. Under questioning from the coroner’s counsel John Bethell, Bennett also revealed that he wrote the official incident report from interviews with the police present at the scene. Based on his report, Crown counsel recommended that no criminal charges be laid against the officers involved. At the inquest, the Possee family’s legal counsel, Derek Corrigan, took exception to the police investigating themselves, By Chery! Ziola Contributing Writer Corrigan asked Bennett: “Do you work with these of- ficers you were investigating? Do you know these officers you were investigating?’” Bennett replied yes to both questions. Corrigan also challenged Bennett on conflicting evidence presented by the police and other witnesses at the scene that was not contained in Ben- nett’s report to the Crown. **None of the civilians heard any warning (before the shot was fired),"’ Corrigan said. “Police officers all recall warning. So you accepted the police officers’ version rather than civilians?’? he asked Ben- nett. ‘I would have expected some subtle differences,’’ Ben- nett replied. “That’s not a subtle dif- ference,”’ retorted Corrigan. Presiding coroner Larry Campbell said the inquest’s purpose was to determine the facts surrounding Possee’s death. “No one is on trial,” he said. The five-member coroner’s jury may recommend proce- dural changes in police conduct to prevent similar deaths but cannot lay charges or blame, Campbell added.