On Thursday, May 2nd we gathered with friends, residents and community members at Naomi Place to raise our brand-new teepee.  

We couldn’t have asked for a nicer spring day to host this event: blue skies, sunshine and lots of smiles. Tony Solomon from Mukwa Teepees constructed the teepee and spent the morning teaching Community Builders residents and other participants from our partner organizations how to properly set it up and operate it. Once the teepee was built, a welcome and pipe ceremony was offered by Curtis Ahenakew. Then it was time to feast. Special thanks to our friends from The Cascade Room, Indigenous Innovations, Eagles Inspirit Protecting Indigenous Fathers Society, Helping Spirit Lodge Society, Sisters Sage, UNYA, RISE Community, All Nations Outreach Society, Community Orchard Collective and Cree Nation Creations for their contributions of food, gifts and song.  

The teepee will used for Indigenous Cultural Wellness land-based healing programs and retreats and will be shared with our partner organizations for similar initiatives. In the words of ICW leader David Arnault, “This teepee belongs to all of us now.”  

Huge thanks to Hockey Helps the Homeless for supporting Community Builders’ Indigenous Cultural Wellness Program and making the teepee and teepee ceremony a reality. We couldn’t have done it without you.

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