Montreal Lake engages youth in first-ever culture camp
Bringing youth back to their roots has become a method in First Nation communities across Canada to recover what has been lost or stolen in the past.
The first ever Montreal Lake Cree Nation Youth Culture Camp took place during a sunny, early-morning summer day. Set on a traditional heritage site, youth learned the history of the buffalo who used to roam those exact grounds, listened to old stories from their Elders and ate traditional fare cooked by community members.
The Youth Culture Camp was designed to engage the younger residents of Montreal Lake with their heritage, according to Chief Edward Henderson.
“Culture is slowly coming back. About 20 years ago one of our veterans came back, Late Isaiah was his name, he brought the sweat with him; that’s where it really started,” Chief Henderson said. “A lot of us, at our age have started making lifestyle changes and we’re going back to our cultural roots and that’s what we’re trying to teach our kids.”