In the rest of Canada and the United States, the powwow used to be a gathering to celebrate a good hunt or the end of a war. These events were both religious ceremonies and parties where people danced and made music. Over time, sports competitions also became part of these events.
In Quebec, some Nations held parties similar to powwows for special occasions, but it was not a regular practice. For example, the Innu gathered for the makusham.
Beginning in the 1950s, Aboriginal people in Quebec began to hold powwows that, over time, became increasingly similar to the celebrations held in western Canada and the United States. They are great cultural celebrations: singing, dancing, music and sports competitions, parades, and the sale of handicrafts, food and traditional clothing.
Powwows are opportunities for Aboriginal people from different nations to meet and exchange ideas, but also for non-Aboriginal people to discover these rich cultures.