Skip to content
  1. Home
  2. Local News

Rundle’s Mission celebrates Indigenous Day

On June 19, 2020 Rundle’s Mission celebrated Indigenous Day for the third year in a row.
Shaela Dansereau
21961385_web1_200625-WPF-rundlesmission_2
June 19, 2020, Rundle’s Mission held a celebration in honour of Indigenous Day with a traditional teepee erection and tales about its Indigenous significance provided by Elder Chris Rattlesnake and his wife Holly Johnson-Rattlesnake. Photo submitted by Daren Lorentz.

On June 19, 2020, Rundle’s Mission celebrated Indigenous Day for the third consecutive year.

In years past they’ve held ceremonies with traditional stories, activities and an Indigenous meal, but this year due to COVID-19, the celebration had to be slightly restructured.

While there was no traditional Indigenous meal to be shared among participants, guests to the celebration were able to watch how to assemble a teepee.

Indigenous Elder Chris Rattlesnake set up the teepee with some helpers while his wife, Holly Johnson-Rattlesnake told stories to the guests. She explained the traditional way of how they were assembling the teepee and the significance of every part of it.

Each part of the teepee from the poles and their placement and direction, to the canvas and the order that it is assembled, hold significance in Indigenous culture.

There were approximately 30 people who came to participate in the celebration for Indigenous Day. Once the teepee was complete, Elder Rattlesnake smudged the teepee and the participants gathered.

The teepee will stay up all summer.


shaela.dansereau@pipestoneflyer.ca
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

21961385_web1_200625-WPF-rundlesmission_3
June 19, 2020, Rundle’s Mission held a celebration in honour of Indigenous Day with a traditional teepee erection and tales about its Indigenous significance provided by Elder Chris Rattlesnake and his wife Holly Johnson-Rattlesnake. Photo submitted by Daren Lorentz.
21961385_web1_200625-WPF-rundlesmission_4
June 19, 2020, Rundle’s Mission held a celebration in honour of Indigenous Day with a traditional teepee erection and tales about its Indigenous significance provided by Elder Chris Rattlesnake and his wife Holly Johnson-Rattlesnake. Photo submitted by Daren Lorentz.