Wesley Youth Council had its first official meeting on Jan. 3 and it was a success with people showing up from the Wesley band.
We also decided to open our youth council to the Bearspaw and Chiniki bands as well; to join the opportunity of making a unity for business.
As many are aware, Stoney Park has been here for decades and is well known. The youth of Nakoda Nation have an opportunity to turn things around when it comes to creating jobs, and also to give others an experience of the world we aboriginals live in today.
We would like to create a team to work with the whole community and make Stoney Park a cultural tourism location. We have the tools and simply need to put it in motion.
Our meetings remain an open discussion into what our action plan could be. Besides all of our differences, I believe we can make this work.
We can go to Chapters to learn about any other cultures and languages outside of our own. It would also be nice to teach communities around us who we are, not only to educate and give the experience of the aboriginal culture, but to bring our culture more alive within all of us.
Our culture is slowly dying. We need to learn what we can from our elders to keep our culture alive and be supportive moving forward within our own community.
The Nakoda youth have an opportunity to come together to create a unity of aboriginal pride for the Stoney Park and create jobs for everyone as much as we can.
From those who love to stay home and bead, to those who love to create art, who like to sing and dance powwow, make videos and take photos; those who love to work outdoors and do outdoor activities; to those who are story-tellers; those who hunt, fish and berry pick...you name it, there would be a spot for all.
So don’t be afraid to come out and see what we are doing for the people of the Nakoda Nation.
Camping season starts the first long weekend in May, so we are making it our challenge to have our grand opening that weekend.
If you are not a part of the band but are willing to help the Nakoda youth with some tips, feel free to contact me here at the Cochrane Eagle or join our meeting this week, which will be held at the Wesley Elders Lodge board room on Jan. 11 at 1:30 p.m.
We decided to make it a pot luck, so bring whatever you can to the meeting.
I can’t wait to see each of you there to make this happen for us all!
