‘Always a Story’: Indigenous Storytellers Hold Weekly Summer Event at Calgary Park

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Indigenous storytellers hope this summer’s weekly events will spark more Calgarians to begin learning about the cultural significance of the land they live on.

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For the next month, storytellers and artists will share their insights every Friday night on St. Patrick’s Island, by the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers, an important place for the Blackfoot people. The free cultural exchange events will take place every Friday at 6 p.m. through August 26 atop a large hill in the park, The Rise, as part of a partnership between the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation and Many Chief Tours. , an indigenous community. Calgary-owned tour company.

Sessions will feature indigenous storytelling, drumming or chanting as a way to raise awareness and foster understanding and appreciation for Blackfoot culture.

“The driving force is wanting to share in a really responsible and respectful way to get people engaged,” said Tarra Wright-Many Chief, business owner and Kainai Nation member.

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“One of the interesting things that I’ve found being a cultural sharer for several years is that every time we share a little bit of information, it’s like it lights a fire inside people and they want to learn more and they want to connect in different ways.”

Wright-Many Chief said that sharing their culture is a vital aspect of reconciliation and a powerful method of “building bridges” between settlers and indigenous peoples. She said she wants to inspire Calgarians to learn more about the city’s pre-contact roots and history.

Clarence “Skip” Wolfleg Jr., a Siksika Nation powwow drummer, will perform at the first and last sessions. He said that music is an integral part of indigenous storytelling, creating positivity, healing and empowerment.

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“There is always a story in every song,” he said.

“A lot of people don’t really know much about the tribes other than feathers, tipis and drums… There’s a lot more you can learn about the people to understand how they lived here, how they survived and how they flourished. (The settlers) would be surprised to learn that many of the ‘Western’ customs in this area were taught to them by the (indigenous) people themselves.”

CMLC and Many Chief Tours have also partnered to offer indigenous guided walking tours around St. Patrick Island several times a week. Pedestrians can access the park via the River Walk in Calgary’s East Village from the George C. King Bridge.

“We are very proud to partner with Many Chief Tours to once again offer this indigenous cultural exchange program,” said Emma Stevens, CMLC Senior Communications Manager. “It is an honor to live and work at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers, and thanks to partners like Many Chief Tours and programs like this, we all have an incredible opportunity to increase our understanding of the history and meaning of this special place. “

For more information on Many Chief Tours and their other offerings, visit manyjefetours.com.

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Twitter: @miguelrdrguez