Jasper National Park’s history of relations with First Nations people is one that has left a scar on many families, but in celebrating Aboriginal Day within the boundaries of the park, major steps towards healing are being achieved. 

Dave MacPhee, president of the Aseniwuche Winewak Nation, says the current park was a very important route for many different tribes. The area was used for trading, celebrations, relationship building and more, as many different tribes congregated in the area. When the tribes were evicted from the land, that meeting area was moved to Brule. 

“Our lives, our spirituality, who we are as Aboriginal people – is very much tied to the land,” MacPhee said. 

With Aboriginal Day celebrations set for June 18 in Jasper, MacPhee said it is an important part of the healing process that was made necessary by the eviction of the Moberly family in 1911. 

MacPhee likens the healing process to the grief of losing a loved one. Eventually, you move on from the intense grief, but you still remember the person, and what happened. The loss of the land within the Jasper National Park is important to remember so that the same mistakes are not repeated in the future, MacPhee adds. 

“Unless we know who we are... what we’ve done, it’s hard for us to move forward,” he said. 

The negative history of First Nations relations is not unique to Jasper. 

“It was a standard procedure across Canada,” MacPhee said. 

Even today, very few Aboriginal families call Jasper home, to MacPhee’s knowledge, but they are always welcome to return. 

“It’s important to know that the welcome is there,” he said.

Even though there are few Aboriginal people living in Jasper, there is a lot of their influence in town. 

“When you go to Jasper, you see lots of Aboriginal stuff around, but very few if any, Aboriginal people around,” MacPhee said, adding that the actual people are the missing piece. “[It’s like] you go to someone’s birthday party, and they’re not there. It’s not the same. When they’re present, it adds to the experience.”

The Aseniwuche Winewak tribe was just one of many that used the area. MacPhee names the Snaring River, the Moberly homestead, MacDonald Flats, Mount Pocahontas, Medicine Lake and the Old Man Mountain as areas special to his people – even bordering into “sacred” areas. What was especially important about the area, is that the tribes would meet completely in peace – even if they were on unfriendly terms. They would celebrate, trade and build relationships between them. 

While it’s important to remember the lessons and history year-round, MacPhee is happy to celebrate Aboriginal Day. 

“For me, I think it’s important that there is a day called Aboriginal Day,” he said. 

He describes the Aboriginal people as the “fathers of the land,” and says it is important that Canadians remember that and learn about their history.