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17th annual camp teaches Cree culture and spirituality
 The 17th Stanley Mission Traditional Culture Camp came to a close with a community
feast. |
 Presentations of vests crafted and beaded by Sally
Milne were presented to three men, who continually
work hard for the Stanley Mission Traditional
Culture Camp, from L to R: Fred Charles, Carson
Poitras and Robert Ballantyne.
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People travelled from
southern Saskatchewan,
Manitoba and Alberta, along
with local people, to share
in the 17th annual Stanley
Mission Traditional Culture
Camp, which began Thurs.
July 22 and ran for four
days.
Many people camped
on the Traditional Culture
grounds near Stanley Mission,
which others travelled
in daily.
The camp gave people an
opportunity to learn about
traditional northern Cree culture
and spirituality through
traditional ceremonies, which
were held daily.
Elders shared their wisdom
and experience with
people gathered for the morning
Pipe Ceremonies.
For the first time a woman
elder, Sally Milne, sat as an
elder for the Pipe Ceremonies.
Traditionally men and
women held more specific
roles, but much of that has
been lost, particularly with
the patriarchal system’s affect
on women, said Robert
Ballantyne, one of the camp
organizers and a member of
the Stanley Mission Traditional
Cultural Committee.
“We in the north have been
trying to break out of that
(system).”
George Favel, who works
with the Regina School
Board, travelled from Regina
to attend the camp.
It was Favel’s fi rst time at
the camp.
“It was wonderful, wonderful,
wonderful.”
Although he wanted to
attend the camp for several
years, circumstances always
prevented him, until this
year.
A highlight for Favel was
hearing the words of the
elders, who spoke about the
need for communities to
come together in a loving
way.
In a world where economic
development is more
often spoken about, he appreciated
the words of the
elders and plans to take some
of their ideas back to his community.
He spoke of the loss of
language and culture, which,
he said, is continual.
“Along with that comes
a lack of understanding as
opposed to our people knowing
what we have. People
tend to come in and override
our traditions, because they
don’t understand it. We have
to have some defi ned rules
(such as) – learn, who you
are from where you are. Each
(whether a First Nation or
an individual) of us is given
something and it is up to us
to define that and express
that.”
The challenge for First
Nations people is “always
having to work in the western
concept. A lot of the western
influence is hitting us hard
because allover people are
trained to follow the western
ways.”
But, Favel said people are
often scared of the dominant
culture, scared to talk about
First Nations concepts such
as suicide from a First Nations
Nations
perspective. We tend
to disregard ourselves as
being a signifi cant influence
… we don’t have to do that
… community togetherness,
love, you never hear that in
western culture, where everything
is based on economic
development.”
One of the elders put it a
different way, “we have our
own culture and values and
they don’t always fit with the
western way.”
Participants had the opportunity
to participate in
Sweatlodge ceremonies and
traditional teachings sessions
and to seek the help of
medicine men and women
for doctoring for various
ailments along with the opportunity
to just visit.
The Committee honour
people each year in a memorial.
One of the people honoured
was Marie Daigneault,
of Ile a la Crosse, who attended
the camp from the
early days and did much to
support the camp over the
years.
Her son Allan paid tribute
to his mother saying she
“welcomed everyone into her
heart … 17 years ago when
this culture camp started
Mom and Dad came. She
helped many people across
this land, Turtle Island,”
He said his mother adopted
children and treated
them as her own, she did “a
lot in the world of traditional
medicine,” and encouraged
people to continue to learn
and to accept and to help
each other, because she believed
that is the Creator’s
way.
The camp began in 1994
under a Brighter Future and
Family Violence Initiative
by the Lac La Ronge Indian
Band Health Services
(LLRIBHS) at Stanley Mission;
LLRIBHS sponsored
the camp until 1996, when
the camp committee was
formed. The committee has
sponsored the camp annually
since 1997.
The gatherings have fostered
support groups for the
participants in their healing
journeys, which continue to
this day. The past participants
continue to look forward to
the annual gathering, which
indicates their willingness
to continue and share their
healthy lifestyles with newcomers,”
quoted from background
information.
Valerie G. Barnes- Connell
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