Piikani Traditional Knowledge Services reconnect the community to ancestral land in Castle Provincial Park

09/01/2022Mariah GrierArchive0

B-Jared Wolf Child, Emily McNeil, Leroy Crazy Boy, Shane McDougall, Kyle Blood, Kyrell ThreeSuns. F-Michelle Hogue, Tawnya Plain Eagle, Lainey Blood, Danika King, Tracy Weasel Moccasin, Tatiana Weasel Moccasin, Earlene Healy.

Lainey Blood and Tawnya Plain Eagle make their way down Table Mountain. Photo by Kyle Blood

Piikani Traditional Knowledge Services (TKS) summer students organized a hike to Table Mountain in Castle Provincial Park on Aug 30.

The hike was to allow the Piikani community to reconnect with the land that is Blackfoot territory.

Since 2018, the Piikani Nation and TKS have been involved in a three-year research program with the University of Lethbridge.

“The primary focus of the research is to fundamentally reconnect the Piikani community with our natural territory,” said Ira Provost, Manager of Piikani Consultation. “The one place where we have access to our territory, our wildland is through Castle Provincial Park.”

Ira Provost, Manager of Piikani Consultation. Photo by Jared Wolf Child

Hiking Table Mountain was the year-end test to bring community members to the park and teach them what the students have learned over the summer.

“We wanted to make community members more aware of the park,” said summer student, Tatiana Weasel Moccasin. “And that is able to camp, and harvest traditional there as well without any restrictions.”

Provost hopes to have community presentations about the research program in the Fall time.