Laura Burnouf, left, is spearheading the cultural awareness endevour. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

urban programming

Grant money to boost cultural awareness activities in La Ronge

Feb 6, 2020 | 12:28 PM

Jim Brady Métis Local 19 President Laura Burnouf believes the group will become much more active in the coming months thanks to a grant from Métis Nation – Saskatchewan.

The $80,000 grant comes from the Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples initiative and is meant to create cultural awareness and build community wellness. A consultation meeting open to the public was held Wednesday at the Kikinahk Friendship Centre. It was a chance for people to submit ideas on how the money should be spent or sign up to volunteer.

“We’re having cultural activities weekly,” Burnouf said. “For now, we have little activities planned. I’ve got somebody to do some beading in a couple weeks and, next week, someone is going to do some finger weaving. Eventually we will move to sash making.”

All the classes will be hosted out of the Kikinahk and Burnouf encourages those who are interested to begin participating as soon as possible. Activities will start fairly simple, but will evolve into more advanced workshops where some subskills will be required. Some of the activities could including making hide moccasins or mittens, knitting, crocheting or red river cart building.

Burnouf is also interested in finding facilitators to teach other skills like playing the fiddle or square dancing. Anyone who wants to offer their skills to the program should reach out to Burnouf.

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“We need the people because I’m not skilled at everything,” she said. “We’re sticking to the cultural side right now because we feel we have to start here, and then we can help with housing and health after.”

Some of the grant will also be used to facilitate other events such as travelling to Back to Batoche in July, hosting a cultural gathering in August and Louis Riel Day in November.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno