Mini Hrpa Indigenous Cultural Centre

The Indigenous Knowledge Circle emerged from the Moving Mountains initiative. Originally composed as a Learn and Try group of the Moving Mountains initiative with a purpose to meaningfully address the unique issues facing Bow Valley Indigenous peoples, the group grew and evolved to create an Indigenous Knowledge circle of 20+ grassroots Indigenous artists and community leaders.

The Indigenous Knowledge circle has become the central governing body of Mînî hrpa, an Indigenous cultural center in Banff. The Knowledge circle provides guidance and shares appropriate knowledge with Non-Indigenous community in the Bow Valley.

The Indigenous Circle’s strategy draws on building up Reconcili-ACTIon through celebrating culture, centering youth, sharing cultures and worldview, growing Indigenous economies, creating sovereign spaces and support services in safety, food, transportation, and recreation.

Guiding principles include shared leadership, shifting power, new metrics, models and frameworks, interconnection and spirituality, collaborative tourism, reducing racism and discrimination, and implementing the 94 calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The Indigenous Knowledge Circle was invited to reflect and consider the three community needs identified in Phases 1 and 2 of the Moving Mountains Initiative: the need for an Indigenous advisory, the need to celebrate and share Stoney culture, art and worldview, and the need for Indigenous-led spaces in Banff and Canmore, to help communities to gather, share and learn.

A collective response and opportunity space emerged – that of incubating an Indigenous Cultural Center in Banff, AB. The Indigenous Knowledge Circle discussed an Indigenous cultural center as a way forward that could address all three needs as identified by civil society as above.

With Nakoda language guidance from community leaders Travis Rider and Cory Beaver, the group named the Indigenous Cultural Centre Mînî hrpa (Stoney word for Banff site), and used Stoney Nakoda words Oyade (building of intentional relationships in this place, town) Gitchi (partner) Yabi (going, doing) and Ti (house) to describe the Indigenous Cultural Centre in Banff.

Mînî hrpa centers Indigenous voice, perspective, and leadership. These things are needed to advance Truth and Reconciliation in Banff and Canmore today.

Mînî hrpa organized and shared a soft launch event at the Banff Canmore Foundation building in late March 2023. The Indigenous-led event featured Stoney speakers, artists, performers, drummers, ribbon dress makers, beadwork, traditional tools, regalia and other creative sharing of Stoney Nakoda culture. A second pop-up was held in August, 2023 and a third in October, 2023.

In July of 2023, Banff & Lake Louise Tourism stepped forward with a leadership financial commitment to keep this work going.