As part of its mandate, in 2015, Parks Canada organized activities to connect park visitors and local residents to the culture, history and perspectives of Aboriginal people.
Throughout the summer, Parks' Aboriginal interpreters delivered tipi teachings, drumming and jingle dress programs at the Heritage Firehall. People could also register for a two-hour drum making workshop where they could make their own rawhide hand drum while learning stories and cultural teachings connected with the drum.
Aboriginal interpreters also delivered customized programs for tour groups that pre-booked presentations. Often these were international travellers who appreciated hearing about the history of Aboriginal peoples in Canada, as well as cultural teachings about the medicine wheel, tipis and drums.
Visitors especially valued hearing personal perspectives of being First Nations or Métis and the chance to try drumming and to sing songs in the Cree language. This range of immersive experiences allowed many travellers first-hand participation in Aboriginal cultural practices.
Jasper’s National Aboriginal Day celebration was hosted by the Métis Nation of British Columbia on June 20. The Wild Spirit singers of Bighorn Chiniki Stoney First Nation made several appearances on the Info Centre Lawn this summer for National Aboriginal Day, Parks Day and for the Tour of Alberta festival. Following National Aboriginal Day, other festivals featured talented local Aboriginal artists, vendors and performers.
A new program, Mountains and Moccasins, brought in a number of Métis and Aboriginal presenters to Jasper National Park in July and August for a variety of cultural experiences. Each presenter came in with a unique story to tell.
Local medicine woman Brenda Holder launched the series in early July with a talk called Traditional Medicine in a Modern World. In her presentation, she demonstrated how plants, in particular those often viewed as weeds, provide us with local medicine.
Local mother-daughter duo Matricia and Mackenzie Brown, known as Warrior Women, participated in the series by providing several public workshops on drumming and beadwork, as well as a drum concert at the Heritage Firehall.
Beverly Lambert, also known as Métis Bev, ran a Métis Kitchen Party program that came complete with musical performances, costume dress-up and comedic skits to teach people about her Métis culture.
Sherryl Sewepagaham sang songs in her Cree language accompanied by First Nations drumming during her concert at the Jasper Legion.
Anyone who attended the Cindy Paul live show at the Jasper Legion on Aug. 4 can attest to the event’s celebratory energy. Houle’s Gold, a band made up of Parks Canada interpreters, opened the show for Alberta’s Cindy Paul, singing songs rooted in First Nation themes and in personal stories written by the young Métis singer-songwriter Terence Houle. These local performers connected with the crowd and delivered a performance that got everyone ready to dance the night away.
Summer may have come to an end, but Parks continues to bring Aboriginal performers to Jasper.
Parks is committed to fostering opportunities for Aboriginal people to present their culture, history and perspectives to park visitors and local residents.
Warrior Women will return to Jasper National Park along with the Bearhead Sisters of Paul Band First Nation and join Parks' Aboriginal Interpreters at Lake Annette on Oct. 23 for the Jasper Dark Sky Festival.
Come warm yourself by the fire for a night of songs, drumming and storytelling in honour of Kakasitipiskak—the Dark Sky.
Parks Canada
Special to the Fitzhugh
