The Sister Murals unveiled recently in the Park are a testament to the resilience of Indigenous communities and the power of storytelling. Located in the Nature Playground, these murals were designed to uplift the voices of youth participating in the Indigenous Youth Storytelling Program and celebrate Indigenous teachings and traditional relationships with nature.
The Indigenous Youth Storytelling Program, which began in 2021, is a collaborative effort between the Seven Oaks School Division’s Mino Bimaadiziwin program (Anishinaabemowin, meaning “The Good Life”), and the Assiniboine Park Conservancy. The program was created to foster mentoring relationships, encourage cross-cultural connections, and connect with all living beings on Treaty 1 Territory and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis.
Youth participants explore and learn their ancestral ways through land-based teachings, storytelling, songs, and various forms of expression. The Park is used as a space to strengthen their inner foundation. Together with Indigenous leaders, the youth bring their voices and their presence to the Park, acknowledging and celebrating Indigenous ways of being, knowing and learning. The Indigenous Youth Storytelling Program connects Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Knowledge Carriers, and guest storytellers with Indigenous youth in Assiniboine Park.
This year, participants had the opportunity to connect with Indigenous leaders including Kevin Chief, Ally Stonypoint, Cree Crowchild, Sarah Prouty, and others.
The youth are accompanied each week by Elder Mary Courchene, who provides support and insight throughout each program and journey in the Park. This summer, she gifted the program an Indigenous name translation. Ndibaajimomin Ejhi Waabadamaang, which means “we share our stories our way” in Anishinaabemowin, reflects the importance of encouraging, empowering, and enabling Indigenous youth to find and share their voices in personally meaningful ways.
.jpg)
Elder Mary noted the transformative power of this initiative, saying, "It has been such a bonus for our students, some of whom have never had the opportunity to be part of this kind of learning in a natural environment. It’s a beautiful environment, and the students love it. They bonded, built relationships, and learned in a way that was more than learning from books and sitting between four walls – the colonized way. They were actively involved in the natural environment like our ancestors who have lived on this land for thousands of years."
This summer, the program included the creation and unveiling of a mural near the Nature Playground, designed in consultation with the youth and painted by Kale Sheppard, a self-taught Kablunagajuk artist living in Winnipeg. The mural represents the collective experience of the youth in their exploration of their identities and connection to the land during the program this summer.
The mural on the left features a rainbow flowing from the Medicine Wheel, symbolizing the Seven Teachings and the two-spirit community members. It showcases elements of Indigenous celebration, ceremony, and innovation, including lacrosse players, dancers in jingle dresses, and hand and footprints representing artists, makers, and workers. The mural also includes symbols like a drum, tipi, canoe, braided sweetgrass, a soaring eagle, and various plants that hold cultural significance.
The mural on the right illustrates the transformation of past struggles into seeds for a brighter future. Over a field of sweetgrass, it depicts a clouded sky with the shedding eye watering the seeds, tobacco, and sage below. The frog's life cycle symbolizes the cycles found in both nature and our own lives, connecting generations and individuals. The soil is imprinted with footprints representing the beings of the Seven Teachings, laying the groundwork for guiding principles to live by.
The Indigenous Youth Storytelling Program and The Sister Murals have a home in the Park, celebrating diversity, fostering connections, and nurturing a deep appreciation for Indigenous cultures. They remind us that storytelling is a powerful tool for preserving heritage, building bridges, and inspiring hope for a brighter future.
We would like to thank all those who have helped make this program and mural possible, in particular, Elder Mary Courchene and the Indigenous leaders who have shared their wisdom and experience, the youth who have made their voices heard, and Kale Sheppard for capturing the essence of the program in such a beautiful way so we can share it with Park visitors for years to come.
.jpg)
For more information about the Indigenous Youth Storytelling Program click here.
The Indigenous Youth Storytelling Program has been made possible with support from the Tachane Foundation Inc., Manitoba Blue Cross, Jennifer Mauro, Portage Mutual Insurance, and the Conservation Trust, a Manitoba Climate and Green Plan Initiative delivered by the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation. Donations in support of the program can be made online or by calling 204-927-8080.
