One January night at the COVID-19 checkstop at Kahkewistahaw Initial Nation in Saskatchewan, protection worker Mike Bitternose set on his pink basketball shorts, an orange tied-at-the-midriff security vest and his granddaughter’s heart-formed sunglasses.

Then he started off to dance for the digicam. 

In the resulting video, which has been shared on social media a lot more than 5,000 instances, Rod Stewart’s Da Ya Consider I am Attractive plays in the history while Bitternose dances toward the digicam with a purple, handheld quit signal.

“I under no circumstances, ever imagined that I would do anything like it,” Bitternose said with a laugh, all through an job interview this 7 days about the movie. “The outfit that I experienced on was just a spur of the second thing.”

Initially from the George Gordon 1st Nation, which is also in Saskatchewan, Bitternose works security at Kahkewistahaw, which is positioned 150 kilometres east of Regina.

Like several Initially Nations, Kahkewistahaw has executed examine-in stops at its border in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic to screen people as they appear into the neighborhood. 

Bitternose did the dance as element of the #RezSecurityChallenge, a social media development that started off late past calendar year to inspire persons working at COVID-19 checkstops on Very first Nations. 

It can be a hard career, the stops are not constantly welcomed by individuals coming in.

Bitternose explained he was motivated to sign up for the problem soon after looking at a protection guard from a different 1st Nation dancing in a video. He virtually backed down, but went for it.

 

“If it ever came down to it, I would do one thing like it once more,” Bitternose said. “I won’t be able to help you save the whole planet. But I can be there for my crew. Constantly be there from my crew, day and evening.”

He explained he’s sensation sorry he didn’t dress in a mask for the video clip problem. He claimed he usually wears one particular, and normally does when operating security. 

The pandemic has not been uncomplicated for 1st Nations, and Bitternose stated he wanted to do some thing to raise up his protection staff. 

“It truly is not finding any less complicated with this, with everything. It’s a challenge,” Bitternose claimed. “A whole lot of our elderly people today are truly going through it in the most difficult of moments. And it is something that we have to realize as a nation.”

The First Nation has set in protecting policies these kinds of as an overnight curfew order to support protect against spread of the virus.  

Bitternose claimed he did not expect the online video to go viral.  

That evening, just after the digicam was off and the tune finished, jigging songs blasted from the speakers and six other safety members joined in for a jigging dance, he stated.

 

We have to have laughter. As Indigenous individuals, we imagine that laughing is our drugs.- Shauna Taypotat

Safety employee Shayna Taypotat was a person of the individuals who videotaped Bitternose dancing. She explained the team wished to be a part of the challenge since the community has been likely by means of a tough time.

“There’s a lot of tragedies and issues heading on listed here and so we are form of obtaining a tough time. So we resolved just to do it because we want laughter,” she stated. “As Indigenous persons, we believe that that laughing is our medication.”

The community lately misplaced a member — a 52-12 months-outdated earlier healthier man — to COVID-19. In a social media put up, Main Evan Taypotat said the gentleman was uncovered at a housewarming celebration. 

In that post, the main said that as of Jan. 12 there were being 14 energetic cases on the 1st Nation and that 30 folks had been ready for take a look at effects.

Shayna Taypotat said the death remaining a dim experience in the community. 

“Everyone’s fearful,” she reported. “It can be very scary.” 

Minor moments of joy make support, said Shayna Taypotat, who also said she hopes the video helps community customers respect what the safety guards do.

She said people don’t usually like remaining questioned the COVID-screening inquiries, even though the objective is to keep community members safe and sound. The job can take a toll on security guards, she said.

Bitternose explained other stability teams must sign up for in and issued a obstacle to other dancers: 

“I will do yet another challenge if you can conquer this just one.”

(CBC News Graphics)

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