SUNDRE — The Sundre & District Museum’s historic village hosted on Tuesday, June 21 some learning opportunities to raise cultural awareness on the path to reconciliation in recognition of National Indigenous Peoples Day.
After a tipi was set up by the David Bearspaw family, who are from the Stoney Nakoda Nation, several members of the nation remained at the museum grounds to answer questions as part of ongoing reconciliation efforts.
Gloria Snow, a member of the Stoney Nakoda Nation, which is also known as Mini’Thni – the Stoney word meaning ‘cold water’ – was present to meet with people who came out with open minds to learn about their history.
In terms of reconciliation work, Snow said these kinds of public engagements are a way to not only raise cultural awareness about First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people, but also to build and develop relationships as well as share the stories of their ancestors.
Sundre is situated on Treaty 6 and 7 territories, traditional meeting grounds and travelling routes to many First Nations and Métis people who have a well-established and deeply-rooted history in the region.
Meanwhile, the Greenwood Neighbourhood Place Society hosted an Indigenous food tasting over at The Den — Sundre Youth Centre with samples offered courtesy of Charlie Allen Howse, who recently opened in Sundre a new eatery called Kokum’s Cree-ations that features Indigenous menu items including Bannock bread.
And over at the Sundre Municipal Library, two Blackfoot artists — Kalum Teke Dan and Ryan Jason Allen Willert — have some of their work on display until July 20 as part of a travelling exhibit called Niitsitapi Pi’kssíí, or Blackfoot Fancy Beings, which features art that depict animals that harbour a special significance to Blackfoot culture.
The exhibition was curated by Ashley Slemming and Diana Frost and was organized in a partnership between the Alberta Society of Artists and the Indigenous social enterprise Colouring it Forward, for the Alberta Foundation for the Arts Travelling Exhibition Program.