Mashkiwizii Manido Cultural Camps for Indigenous Youth

Reconnecting with cultural and ancestral roots is a journey that begins within, guided by a strong spirit.

For young Indigenous people, this connection is especially important as Indigenous traditions, languages, and communities experience a powerful resurgence. 

To support this growing need, the Mashkiwizii Manido Foundation in Pembroke, Ontario, is creating a space where youth can gather, learn, and celebrate their culture through land-based cultural camps. The camps will provide a safe, natural environment where Indigenous youth can learn from Elders and Knowledge Keepers while participating in intergenerational dialogue and revitalizing traditional knowledge systems. Participants will engage in cultural ceremonies such as sweat lodges, feasts, full moon ceremonies, drumming, dancing, and naming ceremonies. The camps will also offer hands-on workshops in wilderness survival skills, plant identification, wildlife tracking, and traditional crafts.

Thanks to support from the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund (IRF), the Foundation will be able to cover many of the costs associated with running the camps, including the participation of on-site therapists, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers who will offer their wisdom and guidance. The camps will be a place for Indigenous youth to heal and grow, while reconnecting with their language, culture, and ancestral teachings.

By offering youth the opportunity to connect deeply with their culture and the land, the camps hope to nurture a strong sense of belonging and community. The Mashkiwizii Manido Foundation understands that healing comes through reconnection to one’s roots, and these cultural camps will provide a place for youth to do just that.

Diocese of Pembroke