Powerful words captivated the ear Friday as the emotionally charged Indigenous Niagara Outstanding Achievement Awards (INOAA) celebrated hard working and dedicated women and men who embody excellence in their community.

The sixth annual awards event held at Niagara College’s Niagara-on-the-Lake campus honoured perseverance and ability to shape Indigenous culture, education and freedom in six categories including, performing arts, language and culture, and visual arts.

Hosted by Tim Johnson, award founder and former associate director for Museum Programs with Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian, and Santee Smith, artistic director of Kaha:wi Dance Theatre and recipient of the 2019 INOAA for performing arts, captivated the audience with their humour.

“A lot o

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