MacEwan’s Indigenous centre, kihêw waciston, hosted its first-ever land-based gathering in May, celebrating the teachings of the land right here in Edmonton. Over 150 participants joined Elders and Knowledge Keepers at the kihcihkaw askî-Sacred Land cultural site for four days of learning and connecting.
“A land-based gathering is a way for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to come together in a setting that establishes, re-establishes and strengthens connection to land and land as a teacher,” says Jeremy Albert, supervisor at kihêw waciston. “It’s an opportunity to learn and gain access to land and the knowledge that exists within the land – the ground, the sky and the water.”
Though kihêw waciston has participated in similar gatherings at maskêkosihk, Enoch Cree Nation, this was the first time they hosted and led a Land-based Gathering of their own. Terri Cardinal, associate vice-president, Indigenous Initiatives and Engagement, brought the idea to Albert, who has been working on the plans since starting his role in September. He worked with kihêw waciston staff, as well as other MacEwan faculty, staff and volunteers to get everything planned and prepared ahead of the gathering at kihcihkaw askî.
Albert says they were grateful to be able to use the space, which officially opened in Edmonton last fall, as it’s specifically designed for Indigenous people and communities and is easily accessible.
Until now, says Albert, Indigenous people were the only group of people who had to leave the city to practice ceremony. The gathering made good use of the space, offering attendees the opportunity to experience a wide variety of traditional activities, from raising tipis to smoking meat to fleshing and scraping animal hides. Knowledge Keeper/Facilitator George Desjarlais was also able to lead plant walks around the area.
Student volunteer Jordan Auger spent a lot of his time chopping wood and keeping fires going, and was also able to attend a sweat lodge, and a session on trauma and recovery.
“There was a lot said about not just intergenerational trauma but also shared experiences,” says Auger. “It was validating to hear about our shared struggles and commonalities that we may feel like we are going through alone.”
He adds that he was grateful to attend a sweat lodge ceremony with others at the gathering and to be asked to help build the wîwîp'son – a therapeutic swing that was used in a ceremony offered to elders, and is currently located in the wellness room in kihêw waciston – by harvesting a willow for a part of it, making sure to offer protocol when doing so.
Providing students with these kinds of experiences was one of the primary focuses of the event, says Albert. “Wherever they come from, students maybe haven’t had access to some of these things that we did at the gathering since they came to the city,” he says. “It gives them that sense of belonging and connection.”
He adds that students who may have never had these opportunities can also attend and learn, whether they are Indigenous or non-Indigenous. The gathering is about introducing people to a different perspective and knowledge system, he says, which means it’s open to anyone willing to learn.
The demand for the event was high, and attendance was capped due to space constraints. Albert says that the level of interest means there is potential for more land-based gatherings to come in the future.
Scroll through the images below to see some highlights from the land-based gathering.