Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre capped National Aboriginal Awareness Week with a pow wow dancing and drumming demonstration in the hospital lobby.
As patients and staff looked on, members of the Barrie Native Friendship Centre put on a colourful and inspiring show on Friday.
The drum group Shining Water from Georgina Island kept the beat.
Grass dancers, jingle dancers and lead dancers brought spectators to the floor to join in and dance around the crowd.
"I think everyone got a better understanding of what goes on at pow wow's," said Master of Ceremonies Paul Owl.
"Culture is missing in a lot of places. It's all about the smiling and the laughter, the first way to heal."
The pow wow, organized with the Barrie Native Friendship Centre, was among a number of events this week at the RVH.
"I'm constantly trying to draw awareness to the community that I represent and support," said Leah Bergstrome, Aboriginal patient navigator for the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Program.
"It makes it more of a personal connection. Relationship from an indigenous world view is key to everything. A beautiful end to the week."
It was the first pow wow ever held a the hospital.
