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Blue Elk
Ubba whathdid! In the Stoney language that means Hello!
In my culture I'm considered a traditional person and knowledge keeper. I grew up in the bush living in tents and the knowledge of my ancestors was passed down to me from my grandparents.
I'm from Paul Band First Nation, located on the eastern shores of Wabamun Lake. I'm here to share my culture with you from the dynamics of the camp life to the spirituality of how we live.
The stories I have to tell are my carnal knowledge. I remember the sound of the wind in the trees, the fire, the tent, sleeping in blankets while my dad sharpened his axe. I was there when the moose went down, taught by my grandfather what to watch for to conserve energy, to find the animals and ask for Creators benevolence. All of this, how to make a fire, how not to get lost in the bush, where to find shelter, these are the memories and experiences I have to share.
For example:
I remember my grandfather used to talk about this, the first job when you pitch a camp, go set snares for food. The mom and the kids would be putting up the tent and the men would go off hunting. When I got bigger, 10 or 11 years old, I had my own gun and I'd go look for ducks and rabbits. All we would take with us were the basics, some flour, salt, tea and an old galvanised wash tub stove. Of course we had a water pail, the kids had to carry the water. We had to dig out the clay to put the stove down to make the fire so it didn't burn into the ground. When you go into the tent, the wood and water pail would be to the right and the stove would be to the left. Everything had a place and the four seasons were our governance.
I would be honoured to share my stories with you and I look forward to meeting you. Eeshneesh!