Powwow outfits returned to police

Paul G · 11-13-2006, 04:14 PM

INTRICATELY beaded costumes stolen from a car parked in Winnipeg were returned to their owners yesterday after they were first used to court a man's ex-girlfriend.

The regalia belong to Kristyn Watchmaker and Charmaine Standing, who danced at the powwow held at the four-day Manito Ahbee celebration at the MTS Centre last week.

"Since we left here it was really hard, I was feeling depressed," Watchmaker said. "Then I got a call from the police yesterday afternoon and I was laying in bed and they were like 'yeah, we believe we recovered your outfits' and I just jumped right up and said 'let's go.'"

They drove from Saskatoon, where they were staying the night. Watchmaker is from Kehewin Cree Nation in northeastern Alberta, and Standing is from White Bear First Nation in Saskatchewan.

The street value for the costumes that took over a year for the women to make by hand stitching millions of beads into beautiful patterns is somewhere between $8,000 to $10,000, they said.

"Why would you even attempt to take something like this? This has a lot of meaning for us. We made them from scratch. It took a long time for us and every outfit is unique to each person and people out there know that these are our outfits because they're all so different," Watchmaker said of her outfit she's had for five years.

Standing has had her outfit for 11 years and both girls have been dancing since they were two years old.

After the powwow, the women locked the costumes in the trunk of their Buick Century parked in a lot near the downtown Ramada Marlborough Hotel. At some point between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. the back window was broken, the trunk rummaged through and the costumes and some personal artifacts taken.

The Free Press was contacted about this by Watchmaker's family. A story was published and led to the recovery of the costumes.

Watchmaker said a man delivered the outfits to his ex-girlfriend's parent's house as a gift to her since she is taking native studies at a British Columbia school.

The parents, who read the article, called police and returned the outfits. The man who gave the outfits as a gift has no fixed address, Watchmaker said, so police are finding it difficult to track him down.

Moccasins, a purse, and some other accessories are still missing and investigations are ongoing. No arrests have been made.

By Sean Moore
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sub...-4362666c.html

Kiiwedinong · 11-14-2006, 03:30 PM

That should teach a lesson to never leave your outfits in a car anywhere at a pow wow, especially a crime filled city such as Winnipeg.

Sweetsage02 · 01-12-2007, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiiwedinong

That should teach a lesson to never leave your outfits in a car anywhere at a pow wow, especially a crime filled city such as Winnipeg.

EXACTLY...

11-13-2006, 04:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
Paul G Webmaster Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Lexington, SC Posts: 14,215 Blog Entries: 1	Powwow outfits returned to police INTRICATELY beaded costumes stolen from a car parked in Winnipeg were returned to their owners yesterday after they were first used to court a man's ex-girlfriend. The regalia belong to Kristyn Watchmaker and Charmaine Standing, who danced at the powwow held at the four-day Manito Ahbee celebration at the MTS Centre last week. "Since we left here it was really hard, I was feeling depressed," Watchmaker said. "Then I got a call from the police yesterday afternoon and I was laying in bed and they were like 'yeah, we believe we recovered your outfits' and I just jumped right up and said 'let's go.'" They drove from Saskatoon, where they were staying the night. Watchmaker is from Kehewin Cree Nation in northeastern Alberta, and Standing is from White Bear First Nation in Saskatchewan. The street value for the costumes that took over a year for the women to make by hand stitching millions of beads into beautiful patterns is somewhere between $8,000 to $10,000, they said. "Why would you even attempt to take something like this? This has a lot of meaning for us. We made them from scratch. It took a long time for us and every outfit is unique to each person and people out there know that these are our outfits because they're all so different," Watchmaker said of her outfit she's had for five years. Standing has had her outfit for 11 years and both girls have been dancing since they were two years old. After the powwow, the women locked the costumes in the trunk of their Buick Century parked in a lot near the downtown Ramada Marlborough Hotel. At some point between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. the back window was broken, the trunk rummaged through and the costumes and some personal artifacts taken. The Free Press was contacted about this by Watchmaker's family. A story was published and led to the recovery of the costumes. Watchmaker said a man delivered the outfits to his ex-girlfriend's parent's house as a gift to her since she is taking native studies at a British Columbia school. The parents, who read the article, called police and returned the outfits. The man who gave the outfits as a gift has no fixed address, Watchmaker said, so police are finding it difficult to track him down. Moccasins, a purse, and some other accessories are still missing and investigations are ongoing. No arrests have been made. By Sean Moore http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sub...-4362666c.html __________________ New to the site--Introduce Yourself Need Help--FAQ--Search Feedback--Post your suggestions MyTribalSpace.com \| NativeGatherings.com \| PowWows.com Podcast \| Indigitunes.com NativeSeek.com \| Pow Wow TV \| Pow Wow Radio \| NativeMusicSource.com Radio \| NDN411.com \| eSnag Online Dating Pow Wow TV - Find out how you could win a 42" Plasma TV!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
2006 Youth Fest Powwow	charley_98	Pow Wow Information	6	03-09-2006 10:37 AM
NM Powwow is still goin.......	Nezbah	Pow Wow Talk	11	11-18-2005 01:24 AM
Family asks police to pay for Native teen's death	Smokin' Ace	Native Issues	0	01-14-2005 11:27 AM
Officers linked to Native teen's (Neil Stonechild) death are fired	Smokin' Ace	Native Issues	0	11-15-2004 03:09 PM
Native community honors mother of Native teen - Neil Stonechild	Smokin' Ace	Native Issues	4	11-13-2004 12:51 PM

11-14-2006, 03:30 PM	#2 (permalink)
Kiiwedinong Head Singing Judge Join Date: May 2001 Location: LOTW Posts: 428	That should teach a lesson to never leave your outfits in a car anywhere at a pow wow, especially a crime filled city such as Winnipeg.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)