| Sandokwa means eagle, a sacred bird for our people, found at the top of each of our totems. Perched at the top of the highest mountains, the eagle is the messenger between our people and the Great Spirit. The Sandokwa troupe is made up of 15 Native people from the Huron-Wendat nation based in the Huron Village/Wendake. Wendake is located 15 kilometres north of Quebec City. Our costumes are hand-made from moose, deer and beaver skins by our elders. The beauty and authenticity of our costumes adds to the quality of the show. Proudly wearing the typical head-dress of our ancestors or the traditional chief's gustowa, we perform dances and chants with a special meaning for our people. Since 1976, Sandokwa's mission has been to introduce people from the world over, through performances of Wendat folklore, to the history, the traditions and especially the costumes of our nation. Sandokwa has participated in events such as the Quebec Winter Carnival, the Canada Day Celebrations, the Drummondville Festival, conferences, telethons, and many more. At the national level, we have performed in Ontario and New Brunswick, and we established an international reputation after taking part in two different European tours, one in Italy in July 1996 and the other in Switzerland in December 1999. |
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Sandokwa's repertory includes ten traditional and folk dances, with the show lasting approximately one hour.
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 Before each dance, Niva, our narrator, takes great pleasure in clearly explaining the special meaningful rites that the dancers enact on stage. |
 Revealing a perfect mastery of Huron-Wendat native chants and accompanied by his own tom-tom drumming, Christian Sondak8a will carry you away to a world of peace. |
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You will see and hear "the great ceremonial drum" in certain Sandokwa dances. Four members of the troupe harmoniously play and sing the songs of our ancestors accompanied by this "great drum." Usually we play it during celebrations, when important decisions are being made and during festivities in the longhouse (the Huron-Wendat family dwelling). For us "the great drum" symbolizes the beating of the heart. |
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The Sandokwa troupe is often asked to perform formal ceremonies (such as peace-pipe ceremonies), as well as spiritual rituals such as the purification ceremony. Since 1996, Sandokwa has proudly performed the purification ceremony known as the Sweet Grass Ceremony during native masses in Ste-Anne de Beaupré. This event attracts several thousands of native people from many Canadian nations each and every year. During our shows, you can admire up-and-coming dancers, ages 4 to 12, who contribute in their own way to the beauty of the show and to making it representative of the various generations. |
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Sandokwa is directed by Steeve "Wadohandik" Gros-Louis, the brother of Mireille "Lahontiach", a pioneer member of the troupe. Wadohandik, meaning "he who dances with the heavenly bodies," started dancing at the age of four. At nine years old, he began performing in schools. He has been the director of a dance troupe since the age of twelve, and his ambition has always been to preserve as much as possible the authenticity of Huron-Wendat dances. The quality of the show, the splendour of the costumes, the heart and energy of the dancers, and the fame of Sandokwa, the oldest troupe from Wendake still performing today, will lead you to relive several centuries of Huron-Wendat history and culture. To reach us, please call: Steeve Gros-Louis Téléphone: (418) 843-2503 |
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