LAKELAND - Intricate regalia belonging to an Indigenous traditional dancer from Heart Lake is missing. The cost of the clothing is in the thousands, but the value to Carson Monias is priceless.
Monias, a Heart Lake Cree Nation band member who lives in Edmonton, told Lakeland This Week that the regalia went missing on July 10 during a trip from Lac La Biche to Edmonton. He made a few stops during the trip, not noticing the loss until later in the day. He was shocked to find that the colourful and elaborate regalia he wears for his performances had been stolen.
Monias says the regalia has a monetary value of three thousand to four thousand dollars.
“It’s worth a lot of money…a lot of time and effort goes into it, so people know the value,” he said. “Something as simple as a beaded bag could cost anywhere from $200-$500.”
The pricey items that had been taken from Monias’ vehicle included shirts, pairs of pants and leggings, as well as five beaded bags that had been in a suitcase. One of those bags, he said, is worth almost $1,000. There was also a fully beaded set that he wears on his arms, chest, hips, and moccasins when dancing, along with bells and a breastplate with bone beads and choker beads.
“It all just adds up,” he continued, explaining that he has re-traced his steps several times since the discovery. He has also contacted businesses where CCTV may have picked up images of his vehicle while he was away from it.
So far, the search hasn’t turned up any leads to his missing items.
When the Lac La Biche Post newsroom spoke with Monias on July 18, the men’s traditional dancer said he was still hoping the regalia would turn up somewhere and had not yet filed a police report. However, more than a week after the loss, Monias was also a little less hopeful of being re-connected with his property and said his next step was likely to contact police.
Reward for regalia
In a bid to be reunited with his regalia, he is asking people if they could keep an eye out for it at powwows and other events. Monias has social media pages showing the regalia and sends images of the clothing to groups offering assistance. Over the last week, Monias says he has got the word out not only across Alberta and Saskatchewan, but also in British Columbia and even into the United States.
He’s also offering a $1,500 reward.
“... and nothing has come up yet,” he said.
If the regalia doesn’t return, Monias says his only option may be to start over.
“I’m kind of in the stage of you know – it is what it is. I’m going to work on, you know, building up again and creating more regalia so I can keep dancing,” he said.
Anyone travelling Highway 28 on the afternoon of July 10 who may have noticed anything relating to the missing items, or anyone who may have been at the River Cree Resort later that day and remembers seeing any of the items, can contact Monias through his social media pages, or the local RCMP.
