Youth movement gains support over a decade

Ten years ago Siksika Nation faced the realty of frequent youth suicides. The community was so affected that Armond Duck Chief, Eddi Wolf Child, and Joni Big Old Man felt the need to change the way the youth perceived their reality.

In 2004 the three young adults established what was then known as the Siksika Nation Youth Movement, which involved weekly meetings with some of the Nation’s younger members to address the issue of youth suicide, and other concerns such as drug abuse and tobacco use, says Duck Chief.

Wolf Child felt the need to show the youth that there were different paths in life and so they used the role model approach to better display their message.

Eventually, Siksika Health Services team members Richard Running Rabbit and the late Darryl Royal took notice and offered to partner with the Siksika Youth Movement to create a youth awareness week and conference. In turn, says Wolf Child, Siksika Nation Chief and Council became actively involved and signed a declaration that promised their commitment to financially support the youth conference on an annual basis.

This year marked the 10th Annual Run As One Conference and was held on Aug. 5 and 6, during the Nation’s traditional youth awareness week.

Generally, the week included community traditional land tours, talent shows, sports days, family days, five- and 10 km runs and the popular music festival, all of which coincided with the conference and the annual Siksika Powwow Celebration.

This year had been the best one yet, says Wolf Child, who credits external partner Canada Bridges on bringing in an “all star” facilitator line up.

Savannah Simon, Earl Lambert, Mike Scott, Justin Many Fingers, Telly James, Armond Duck Chief, Red Power Squad, and Mike Lickers shared their stories to over 200 youth from the Treaty 7 First Nations.

Duck Chief, who facilitated his workshop to include his personal journey as a recording country music artist, has always believed in the music festival as an important aspect to the event because of the impact music has on youth.

“I think that’s how we got the youth in the first place, is through the music. The music kind of spoke to them, and it seemed that it was a bigger thing to us to focus on, along with all of the workshops that target the youth issues,” he said.

Another major change to this year’s event was the inclusion of other First Nations, adds Wolf Child. In the past, the majority of the facilitators and music artists have been local Siksika members.

Social development group Canada Bridges has been present in the community since the 2013 flood, when it assisted with relief efforts, and was eventually invited to execute youth programming, says Executive Director Jennifer Kohlhammer. Kolhammer noticed that the youth “had a desire to undertake initiative and lead change in their community,” which is what Canada Bridges looks for to assist with capacity building and leadership training within communities.

Duck Chief, Wolf Child and Big Old Man were honoured with jackets and blankets, by the planning committee during this year’s conference, for the continuous effort that they have put into the event over the years.

“We didn’t know it was going to turn into this. We saw the need and there wasn’t anything really being done for the youth. The only purpose was to get the youth active instead of sitting idle,” said Duck Chief.