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WHEN THE HEART SAYS NO: Wellness camp opens in YK

The other day I was lucky enough to attend the opening of the Arctic Indigenous Wellness Foundation’s (AIWF) wellness camp. Looks like they’re going to work with lots of Indigenous people from smaller communities who have moved to Yellowknife. Good stuff.

Of course, the Wellness Foundation is a Yellowknife based non-profit organization with a mandate to culturally revive traditional and indigenous based healing services and practices in the North. AIWF was recently awarded $1 million for programming from Arctic Inspiration Prize. Yay!

The event opened with Chairperson Dr. Nicole Redvers welcoming people and acknowledging the camp, which is behind the Fieldhouse and is in Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN) territory.

This was followed by traditional First Nation and Inuit ceremonies. First, the Yellowknives Dene Drummers performed a prayer song, then led a feeding of the fire ceremony, which everybody present participated in.

Chief Edward Sangris was one of the YKDFN drummers. He said it was a pleasure to have the program in Yellowknives Dene First Nation territory and spoke about how important on-the-land programs are for Indigenous people who are a land-based people. Well ya!

AIWF board member Rassi Nashalik also lit a qulliq while speaking about how the camp and the Wellness Foundation’s programs are for all Arctic Indigenous cultures. The qulliq is a traditional Inuit lamp used for heat and light.

Several other people spoke at the opening, including Yellowknife Mayor Mark Heyck and people from the Wellness Foundation: director Be'sha Blondin, elder Francois Paulette, executive director Donald Prince and traditional counselor William Greenland.

They all spoke about the importance of the foundation’s on-the-land-program and how they truly appreciate having the wellness camp finally opening due to the kindness of the City of Yellowknife. Eschia!

Throughout the ceremony, people enjoyed stew and bannock prepared by Kalemi Dene School students and fish cooked at the site. Delicious.

Community support for the program was evident as Grand Chief Herb Norwegian of the Dehcho First Nations was present as well as Chairperson John B Zoe of Dedats’eetsaa Tlicho Research and Training Institute and Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh MLA Tom Beaulieu’s constituency assistant.

Programming

The wellness camp will provide services primarily for men who don’t fit into available services, such as those who are homeless or in the justice system. The foundation is targeting men because of the lack of services for them and they want to concentrate on one segment at a time.

The program will provide things like counselling, traditional healing and teachings and the opportunity to have bush tea with others. While there are lots of resource people to help, executive director Donald Prince is looking long-term and does not expect many instant success stories.

Prince worked with men in a similar program in B.C. Over time, a lot of the men sobered up and made other positive changes in their lives. Today, many of them have their children and grandchildren in their lives.

Programming is scheduled to begin on May 1 at the camp. Keeping in mind regular programs don’t provide cultural content and knowledge, the foundation will also develop programs based on community needs in the future.

The wellness camp will also collaborate with organizations such as one that wants to do workshops at the site. Another wants the Wellness Foundation to provide services, such as traditional ceremonies and counselling, to the organization’s clients.

In the future, the wellness camp will be moved next to the new hospital on land set aside for an Indigenous wellness center. The City allowed the program to start behind the Fieldhouse while the foundation overcomes difficulties encountered at the hospital site. Three cheers for the city.

Next on the agenda: raise money to build the Indigenous Wellness Center.