Every June, the Parkdale School is flooded with culture, community and togetherness through our annual Culture Camp. For eight years, Culture Camp as provided an abundance of Indigenous teachings, keynote speakers sharing their journey and opportunity to connect or re-connect with the traditional way of life.
From June 23rd to June 25th, the fields at the school will be filled with eight tipis, Indigenous vendor booths and our urban sweat lodge for Culture Camp and our National Indigenous People’s Day celebration. This year’s theme for our Culture Camp is “The Spirit That Continues To Teach”.
Lloyd Yellowbird, a Director with Bent Arrow has been involved in supporting most of our Culture Camps and discussed the growth seen from 8 years ago to now.
“Since our first Culture Camp, we’ve seen meaningful growth—not only in participation, but in the depth of engagement and community ownership. Each year, more families, youth, and Elders are coming together, strengthening those connections and building a sense of belonging.”
For anyone who’ll be attending their first Culture Camp/NIPD, Yellowbird says there will be an abundance of opportunity to learn, grow and walk side by side.
“Participants can expect a range of teachings, including cultural protocols, traditional crafts, language, land-based skills, and ceremony. These teachings are grounded in respect, relationships, and lived experience, making them both accessible and impactful. Our hope is that people leave Culture Camp feeling more connected—to themselves, to their culture, and to their community—with a renewed sense of pride, understanding, and wellbeing.”
Cheryl Whiskeyjack, Bent Arrow’s Executive mentioned many people who attend our Culture Camp come back for following years, creating a wonderful sense of community within the people we serve.
“One of the things I’ve noticed is that we have really built community over the years. We have repeat visitors who want to reciprocate and have become volunteers for the camp over the years. This creates space for visitors who haven’t had the chance to attend camp.”
Our annual Culture Camp is made possible by the generous sponsorship from the City of Edmonton.
