The Indian Act remains a contentious piece of legislation within settler and Indigenous communities. Despite policies within it aimed at limiting traditional practices, it is also the only document that allows some measure of protection for Indigenous traditions. It remains in place today to ensure that erasure efforts led by colonialization, such as the Residential School System, never return.

In the effort to erase Indigenous Peoples from Canada, settler governments implemented policies to restrict sacred cultural practices such as traditional singing, dancing, Pow Wows, and ceremonial gatherings. Despite these measures, Indigenous Peoples fought back and continued to participate in events and pass down Indigenous ways of knowing in secret.

Meaningful connections between the youngest and the oldest within Indigenous communities has been the beating heart of how culture and language is shared. Colonization has frayed these bonds and led to a generational divide between Indigenous Peoples, increasing the risk of losing integral cultural knowledge.

150 years ago on August 23, 1876, a pivotal moment in history was made with the signing of Treaty No. 6 at Fort Carlton, in what is today known as Saskatchewan. The critical treaty between First Nations and the Crown continues to impact life today.

It takes a community to raise a child. Lifestyle, worldviews, language and cultural values shape identity. For disenfranchised youth, especially Indigenous children in foster care, living away from traditional lands and being disconnected from their traditional practices have left them adrift and at risk of losing their cultural identity.

Youth are the foundation to building and carrying forward strong cultural identity and pride. Instilling traditional teachings early on is how the rich fabrics of many diverse cultures are carried forward through generations.

For centuries, colonial policies suppressed Indigenous ceremonies, traditions, languages, and storytelling. However, over the last few decades there has been a reclamation of cultural practices and an effort to revitalize traditions with a modern twist.

Spiritual and physical healing is a process steeped in sacred cultural practices, dependent on personal individuality, and varies depending on one’s experiences. For Indigenous Peoples, intergenerational trauma has caused deep wounds, leaving many struggling to manage their wellbeing.

In Indigenous communities, the transfer of sacred knowledge from Elder to youth thrived in historic settings due to living together in close-knit Nations. The forced displacement and the migration of many Indigenous Peoples away from their traditional lands has made this transfer of knowledge increasingly difficult.

The Sun Dance is an ancient, sacred ceremony celebrated by First Nations Peoples living in the grasslands of Saskatchewan. It has been hosted for generations to honour the renewal of life, bountiful and lush seasons, community connections, and spiritual and physical well-being.