Native dancers trigger rain

PANMURE ISLAND, P.E.I. -- Like a goodwill offering to parched earth, First Nations people began a spiritual dance at a tribal powwow over the weekend and within hours the rain fell from the sky.

It was the first good rainfall on Prince Edward Island in more than six weeks of summer drought.

The water from the heavens swept across the province Friday night and didn't stop until the next morning.

"We don't have a specific rain dance, but we all asked for rain from our dancing, and down it came," said Jim Augustine, an announcer at the annual Island summer gathering.

The Big Cove, N.B., man said while some may write the rain off as coincidence, "Native people are very close to Mother Earth and that's our gift."

"Every colour of man was given a special gift and with us it's the earth.

"That's why we show our respect to it."