Elder Capacity Camp & Cultural Celebration (2023)
Over the course of four days, nearly 35 esteemed Elders representing various nations of Treaty 7 Territory and beyond, gathered down in a beautiful valley lining the Bow River. Marking its third annual occurrence, Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA) has collaborated with a group of Elders called the Elders Knowledge Circle Society (EKCS) to organize the Treaty 7 Elders Camp and Cultural Celebration. Taking place August 22-25, 2023, the true essence of this gathering lies not in its organizers, but in the respected Elders, Knowledge Holders, and Ceremonialists, who convened to share their ancestral wisdom. In addition to our funders, this special event is made possible with the involvement of key partners: the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary (AFCC), Mahegun Tails Inc., Miskanawah, and Trellis.
Elders Camp fulfills four important purposes:
To serve as a platform for the Elders Knowledge Circle Society (EKCS) to seek guidance and support, paving the way for their self-sufficiency and sustainability.
To preserve oral traditions and systems of Indigenous governance.
To build capacity among each other and to share knowledge with the younger generation, supporting the transference of language and teachings.
To heal with the support of one another through ceremony and within a supportive circle of Elders, coming together with a shared purpose and vision for the future.
“Our circle supports a unity across nations. We care for each other, and we care for the young people. We raise them collectively with the culture, the language, the land.”
