Mini Hrpa Indigenous Cultural Centre

incubation of an indigenous cultural centre in the heart of banff

“The initiative we're working on in Banff with Mînî hrpa - we're creating a space, a center for Indigenous peoples and for all peoples. It has a lot of momentum and I think it will really take off this year.”

- Daryl Kootenay

Moving Mountains Co-Lead

The need and desire for an Indigenous Gathering Place in Banff and Canmore has existed for decades.

Through grass-roots initiatives of passionate like-minded peoples devoted to the cause, and through momentum and support seeded by Banff Canmore Foundation and the Moving Mountains Initiative, the incubation of an Indigenous Cultural Centre project has led to a vital opportunity to bring the concept to life: a place to call home.

The Indigenous Cultural Centre – currently in the second of a two-year prototype phase – is intended to be a space to gather, share and learn. For at least its first year, it will be based out of the BCF community space on Banff Ave, until a permanent space is secured.

The work of the Indigenous Cultural Centre is guided by an Indigenous Knowledge Circle, a community advisory group made up of 20+ grassroots Indigenous artists and community leaders in the Bow Valley dedicated to growing and strengthening Indigenous community knowledge within Treaty 7.

Cultural Centre programming will build intercultural relationship and dialogue and open pathways for non-Indigenous community groups in the Bow Valley to meaningfully include Indigenous perspectives, ways of knowing and being, and aspirations in community-building activities.

Supporting the Indigenous Knowledge Circle to continue and to grow the work of the Indigenous Cultural Centre presents a rare and timely opportunity – one to invite connections, deepen relationships and take meaningful actions today, together, in the advancing Truth and Reconciliation in the Bow Valley.

Key Partners

Bow Valley Indigenous and Allies Group
Banff Canmore Foundation
Banff & Lake Louise Tourism
Momentum
KEA Canada

Purpose

A two-year program to incubate a centre that activates community potential, creates intercultural relationships and advances a connected community of care and belonging in the Bow Valley.

Vision

We live in a connected community of care in the Bow Valley, practicing right relations with ourselves, each other, nature and the land.

Principles

Promoting shared leadership
Engaging voices of people with lived experience in marginalized groups and cultures
Reducing racism and discrimination and promoting diversity in our practices
Establishing collaborative metrics, models and frameworks
Mobilizing awareness and empathy of intergenerational trauma
Employing new approaches in collaborative tourism
Increasing multi-sectoral engagement
Establishing shared Language and Meaning
Employing trauma -informed approaches
Implement 94 calls to action of the TRC

Strategic Intentions

The goals of Mînî hrpa establish a clear line of sight on how we are approaching intercultural collaboration together. Our strategy is guided by the voices of lived experience with support from the Indigenous Knowledge Circle, and invites perspectives from the Bow Valley Indigenous and Allies Group, and the collaborative participants of the Learn and Try Groups of the Moving Mountains Initiative.

1. Bow Valley residents and visitors live in a strong, supportive and inclusive community.

2. All Indigenous Peoples are equal participants in Bow Valley's future.

3. All Bow Valley residents have sufficient health, wellness, affordability and livability to grow belonging in this community.

How did Mini Hrpa come to be?

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.

SHaring and caring for 'all my relations'

Daryl Kootenay, dancer, community leader and co-founder of Nakoda Youth council, shared how on the path to reconciliation, there are commitments we must all make.

Daryl spoke about the importance of sharing and caring for ‘mintoyadebi’ or “all my relations”, with food, shelter and medicines that naturally graze these mountains. Mintoyedabi holds a circular opportunity that begins with our beliefs about ourselves.

In connection with Truth and Reconciliation, these teachings have guided many people in the Bow Valley and beyond, to develop individual commitments and shared commitments in Truth and Reconciliation.

This is needed work that will help us to co-create a connected community of care and belonging with Indigenous peoples in the Bow Valley.

The need and desire for an Indigenous Gathering Place in Banff and Canmore has existed for decades. Through grass-roots initiatives of passionate like-minded peoples devoted to the cause, momentum and support has culminated to a vital stage of the process: a place to call home. In 2022, the Banff Canmore Foundation offered the BCF building space at 214 Banff Avenue to the Indigenous Circle – as a space to gather, share and learn. For at least its first year, it will be based out of the BCF building, until a permanent space is secured.

The incubation of the Indigenous cultural center is jointly supported and funded by Banff Lake and Louise Tourism and BCF, and Mînî hrpa is seeking partnership from additional Bow Valley organizations, industry, funders and municipal entities.

BCF’s Truth and Reconciliation Fund also is providing a financial pathway to support the work of Mini hrpa.

Donate here.

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