Murray Sinclair Memorial Round Dance

Murray Sinclair Memorial Round Dance

Honouring the Life of Murray Sinclair Through Song, Dance, Ceremony, and Time Together.

The late Honourable Murray Sinclair, whose Spirit Name was Mazina Giizhikiban, meaning “The One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky,” was a powerful advocate for Indigenous rights and reconciliation. A member of Peguis First Nation, his work had a profound impact across Canada, but to his family and those who knew him, his legacy extends well beyond his public roles.

“Our dad loved going to community events,” says his daughter Dené Sinclair. “He liked meeting young people and hearing what they were passionate about.”

Dené also fondly remembers her dad slipping kids a little money at pow wows so they could buy candy or sweets, sometimes the treats their parents had probably said no to.

“He was a dad, a grandpa, and an uncle,” she says. “He loved hanging out with young people. He liked watching Anishinaabe kids be Anishinaabe.”

Those memories helped make the Round Dance a natural way for the family to honour their dad.

sākihiwē festival had hosted an annual Round Dance for three years when the Sinclair family approached the organization about holding it in his memory.

The festival’s board welcomed the idea, and in January 2026, the fourth annual event became the fi rst Murray Sinclair Memorial Round Dance.

Alan Greyeyes, festival director for sākihiwē festival, says families come with generations of knowledge and connection to the cultural practices at the heart of the ceremony.

“They know the songs, they carry the songs, they know how to dance,” says Greyeyes.

Families take part in the songs and dances, wear ribbon skirts, ribbon shirts, and regalia, and share cultural practices together. Greyeyes says having that opportunity in Winnipeg is especially meaningful because many larger Round Dances take place in Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Held around Murray Sinclair’s birthday, the ceremony also gives relatives time to reconnect and share memories. Extended family travelled from near and far, including from other provinces and the United States, to be together in Winnipeg for the 2026 Round Dance.

“We saw a lot of his extended family come to town and there were a lot of wonderful moments with the family members getting to socialize. And I took great pride in taking care of them too,” Greyeyes says.

Greyeyes sees the Round Dance as an opportunity to bring people together.

Interest in the Round Dance grew signifi cantly in 2026. He estimates attendance nearly doubled when the gathering took on Murray Sinclair’s name and moved to the RBC Convention Centre.

For Dené, the turnout speaks to the importance of creating spaces where Indigenous and non-Indigenous people can spend time together, whether they knew her father personally or not.

“Our city is a really special place. We have all these people living together to make one big community, and when all kinds of people show up that’s what makes this a true community event.”

Bringing a Round Dance of this scale to life takes many partners. Both Dené and Greyeyes speak about the importance of the sponsors and community partners who help make the event possible. One source of that support is the Murray Sinclair Memorial Fund, which has made a fouryear commitment to help support the ceremony.

For Greyeyes, the goal is for every person who walks through the doors to feel safe, respected, and welcome. He sees the ceremony as one way Murray Sinclair’s memory continues through the relationships and cultural practices being shared in Winnipeg.

For Dené, that is also why these spaces matter.

“We have to make more of these spaces to celebrate life and the joy of being together in community,” she says. “I think these community events are essential.”

The Murray Sinclair Memorial Round Dance is set to return in 2027, happening around the time of his birthday. The Sinclair family and community partners are looking forward to once again welcoming people to gather in ceremony.