Cochrane Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) is wading into the massive and important task of building stronger, healthier relationships between Cochrane and the Stoney Nakoda First Nation.
There are number of initiatives either underway or about to begin designed to help non-indigenous citizens develop a a better understanding about Stoney Nakoda culture and indigenous reconciliation in an effort to build understanding and disrupt stereotypes about First Nations people.
In conjunction with the Town of Cochrane and the Cochrane Rotary Club an indigenous learning series is underway. Aimed at creating awareness around Indigenous issues to help enhance cultural sensitivity and meet the goals of healing put forward by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, that project will serve as a pilot that will hopefully lead to it being offered to the community at large.
Curriculum for the learning series was developed in conjunction with Four Worlds Centre for Development and Learning and Indigenous elders from the Stoney Nakoda First Nation.
The pilot is being supported by funding from the Rotary Club, the Town of Cochrane and a $10,000 Municipal Community Inclusion Grant through the Alberta Human Rights Commission grant obtained.
While the pilot project will be underway until June, Melissa Engdahl, chair of the equity and inclusion committees, said there has been a lot of interest from Cochrane residents and not-for-profits to access the learning program.
This is the fourth time FCSS has obtained full funding through that grant program, previous funding went to support other inclusion and diversity initiatives to support the town's social policy and inclusion lens.
Working with Stoney Nakoda elders, FCSS has two other Indigenous learning projects on the horizon.
The first is a Stoney Nakoda Language and Culture program that is set to begin next week. The Cochrane Immigrant Services Committee and Helping Hands Society are supporting the learning series with funding from the Anti-Racism Community Grant Program through Alberta Culture and Tourism. The funding is allowing the four-session program – to be held weekly – to be offered at a nominal fee of $60. However, Engdahl said tuition assistance is available for those who might not be able to afford the fee. The series also aligns with the United Nations declaring 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages.
"This is a very deliberate movement to cultivate that relationship," said Engdahl, adding the programs centre around more than just knowledge, but also building empathy.
Perhaps the best empathy building initiative in recent years are Blanket Ceremonies, a number of which have already been held in Cochrane. Due to their success and their ability to evoke emotion by giving people a sense of the damage colonization, residential schools and government policy has inflicted on Indigenous people since the first settlers arrived in Canada.
FCSS has three more ceremonies planned for the the public at large, though the dates have yet to be set.
Engdahl said the goal of the programs, aside from awareness building on Indigenous issues, is to foster closer ties between Cochrane and the Stoney Nakoda First Nation.
The dates of the first two offerings of the cultural and language series - to be held on Thursdays – are Jan. 17, 24, 31, and Feb. 7 and the again on Feb. 28, March 7, March 14, and March 21.
To register contact FCSS at 403-851-2250.
