Several dozen youth have descended on the Whitecap Dakota Nation this weekend for a cultural camp.
Ten elders will be leading the kids through a series of traditional activities designed to teach them about their inherent identity as First Nations citizens.
Walter Linklater is one of the elders who will be leading the camp.
He says many children are faced with difficult situations on a daily basis, and the camp is trying to take them away from all that:
“I think the kids, you know, many of them grew up in the cities and there’s so many negative things to do in the cities and sometimes they get caught off guard or get caught up in negative activities – but we try to bring them back to their own traditional identity at these camps.”
Linklater says hoop dancing, sweat lodge ceremonies and making jewelry are just some of the things they will be learning to do.
The camp runs until Sunday.