Many artists and historians joined Elder Gilbert Kewistep (centre) and Myron Neapetung (left) at Original Humboldt on Oct. 10 to discuss stories and inspiration during the land-based learning event. (Submitted photo/Becky Zimmer)

By Becky Zimmer

Inspiration from the land

Artists welcomed to Original Humboldt for land-based inspiration

Oct 11, 2023 | 12:32 PM

As the geese flew overhead and the golden leaves fell from the trees, the circle surrounding Elder Gilbert Kewistep was filled with everyone from high school students to seniors, Canadian newcomers and Humboldt residents who have seen their families thrive in the area for generations.

Nothing could have made the Land-Based Learning at Original Humboldt more of a success than that of the many who flocked to the site to listen to the Elder, knowledge keeper, residential school survivor, and faculty member at the First Nations University of Canada talk about the human connections to the land.

From writers, historians, and photographers to painters, quilters, and blacksmiths, the program specifically welcomed artists to come to the site to listen to Kewistep and get inspired by the stories and landscape located just 11 km west of Humboldt.

Kewistep spoke of his own childhood on the Yellow Quill First Nation and listening to his grandmother tell stories to a circle of children very much like he did at Original Humboldt. After surviving residential school and the ’60s Scoop, Kewistep has worked with numerous groups in Saskatoon on reconciliation from city council to the city police.

Being a lecturer at First Nations University of Canada, he laughed that he could have spoken for three more hours about the many stories of Saskatchewan First Nations, as well as his research into First Nation history, like the Saulteaux names for communities surrounding his home at Yellow Quill First Nation.

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High school students from Englefeld School were also in attendance, some with art supplies and notebooks ready while others spoke about their interest in learning about Indigenous history.

Teacher Merrissa Karmark said she is grateful the museum is putting on reconciliation-focused events which makes them more accessible when they are in nearby Humboldt.

Kewistep personally welcomed two of the students, both of whom are newcomers to Canada, to the event, and two students were also invited to help smudge the teepee area in honour of Chief Darcy Bear and the Whitecap Dakota First Nation who are represented at the site. Principal Corrine Harcourt and her students were touched by the gesture, especially since the chance to listen to a First Nation Elder was a first for many if not all of her students. She’d like to see more events offered right in Englefeld, she said.

“It’d be great if we could have more of that brought to us, more opportunities because we don’t have access to elders right around us. It’s a beautiful thing.”

The gathering took place on Oct. 10 as part of the Reconciliation through Living Heritage pilot project, which is a partnership between the City of Humboldt, the Office of the Treaty Commissioner, The Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan and Heritage Saskatchewan.

Director of Humboldt Cultural Services, Jennifer Fitzpatrick, introduced Kewistep and his helper, Myron Neapetung, saying many people asked what to expect from the event, but they really don’t know.

Kristin Catherwood Mantta, director of living heritage with Heritage Saskatchewan, later agreed saying it’s hard to explain. They are just offering people a chance to form connections and inspiration with the land and each other.

“You just need to come and just see what unfolds,” Catherwood Mantta told northeastNOW, “because this isn’t something that has a detailed itinerary or agenda because human relationships don’t work like that. You don’t usually build a friendship or a relationship or a collaboration through a script.”

Humboldt Cultural Services are continuing to offer Indigenous learning opportunities as the pilot project nears its one-year completion point. Catherwood Mantta said a major sign of program success will be when events like this continue. The program was part of the SK Arts Artists in Communities development grant to bring professional artists and Elders together at the site to discuss reconciliation, said Fitzpatrick, and also received funding through Saskatchewan Culture Days.

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becky.zimmer@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @bex_zim