THUNDER BAY -- Kathryn Kaursekhon has been dancing with the India Canada Association since she was seven.
The 13-year-old joined thousands of performers who are celebrating Thunder Bay’s 43rd Annual Folklore Festival this weekend.
Kaursekhon was among seven association dancers who performed prior to Saturday's opening ceremonies.
“It’s pretty fun,” she said.
“We get to represent Indian culture through dance, which is good.”
Kaursekhon believes the festival gives her an opportunity to publicly express elements of cultural identity she sees as becoming increasingly personal.
“There are a lot of other things that people talk about these days and culture is something is often not very important. I think it is.”
India Canada will also be preforming Sunday at 6:35 p.m.
Hers is among 37 performances. Over the two-day event, the festival is showcasing Thunder Bay's diverse cultural heritage with more than 20 regions of the world and 40 unique cultures represented.
The Tour of Nations opened on Saturday with Thunder Bay’s Chinese-Canadian Association with the traditional Lion Dance, followed by the opening ceremonies, which lit up the main stage with global samples of culture..
The festival will wrap up Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m. with closing ceremonies themed "Canada: a dynamic nation of diversity & many cultures."