The gathering, known wholly as Camp Koko’sinooniks, begins
every weekday morning at the Niitsitapi Learning Centre and at Bowcroft
Elementary. A grass-roots culture program, the name of the camp translates as All Our Children, and was spurred by
efforts at reconciliation for the horrors suffered at residential schools.
“The program runs for five weeks, with 25 children, ages 6to 12,” says Nick Gonsalvez, a social programs services coordinator for The
City’s Neighbourhood Services. To prepare for the program, City staff underwent
Intergenerational Trauma and Indigenous Mental Health training, Traditional
Games training, Smudge teachings, and Elder Protocol, as well as The City of
Calgary’s Code 86 mandatory training. The camp’s design and delivery has been a
collective effort between the Calgary
Board of Education, The City of
Calgary (Calgary Neighbourhoods),
Pathways Community Services, Sodexo
Canada, Canadian Tire Jumpstart, Tummy Tamers and I Can for Kids.
First Nations, Cree, Blackfoot, Métis and Inuit histories, cultures,
contributions and ways of knowing, some campers are also educating their
parents as a result of the program. One mother commented that her children were
taught how to build traditional drums, and they plan to pass along their
newfound knowledge.
In addition to drum making, children listen to Elders who
share traditional stories, participate in traditional medicine picking, set up
a traditional tipi, take part in daily Smudge and create various crafts around
Indigenous teachings.
Such teachings have helped build resilience in at least one of the young campers, whose history has been marked by ongoing health issues. One girl, who was too shy to speak in a group environment, and dependent on feeding tubes for most of her young life, spoke during circle at Smudge for the first time and ate solid food as part of the free lunch program — sponsored by Sodexo.
The final day of camp is August 9, but the program will continue in September as a City of Calgary program at Niitsitapi Learning Centre and Bowcroft Elementary. For more information on The City of Calgary’s free summer or AfterSchool programs, please visit Calgary.ca/free or Calgary.ca/afterschool