The Base Team reigned victorious with a construction of 31 minutes in the annual Tipi Raising Competition, beating out teams 1RCHA and last year’s champs 2VP, on on May 21 during the opening day of Indigenous Awareness Week at CFB Shilo./Des élèves de l’école apprennent à élever un tipi le 21 mai, lors de la journée d’ouverture de la Semaine de sensibilisation aux cultures autochtones à la BFC Shilo. (Photo: K-J Millar/Shilo Stag Media)

K-J Millar
Shilo Stag Media

The 2024 Indigenous Awareness Week at CFB Shilo commenced with a deeply significant tipi raising and sacred pipe ceremony. This solemn event, attended by over 130 people, including local school students, was a powerful testament to respect and reverence for Indigenous culture on May 21.

The National Defence Indigenous Advisory Group (DIAG) selected this year’s theme: “Honouring our past while moving forward.”

Lieutenant-Colonel David Cronk, Base Commander, said Indigenous Awareness Week is an opportunity for collaborative learning and healing.

“It is about a sharing of knowledge, a sharing of perspectives and a shared understanding about the important cultural contributions,” he said at the opening ceremonies.

LCOL Cronk encouraged CAF personnel, civilian staff and families to attend the planned events to embrace the educational opportunities to broaden one’s learning and participate in the closing ceremonial Powwow and feast.

The Defence Team celebrates Indigenous Awareness Week (IAW) during the third week of May.  Since 1992 the event has evolved into an opportunity to honour the many Indigenous cultures in Canada.

At CFB Shilo, Base activities include raising tipis, a tipi-raising competition, and educational opportunities about various aspects of Indigenous culture, such as tipis, drumming, singing, and more, ending the week with fiddlers and dancing at the Powwow. The free feast open to everyone will include featured bannock and bison stew catered by Crocus Plains High School.

Tricia Harpe, a CFB Shilo DIAG member, said having Indigenous Awareness activities on Base is vital so that all Military and civilians can come together.

Learning about the significance of the tipi and how the women erect and manage the tipi happenings is a cultural pillar, Harpe said.

“We are a mix of cultures on the base, so having opportunities like this for everyone to come and see is excellent,” she said, adding that many military families may not have had the opportunity to experience a Powwow, feast, Metis fiddlers and cultural food so all are welcome to the free event.

Activities and events are on the lawn in front of L25.

Spiritual leader and First Nation Elder Frank Tachan, said the prophecy he was told about the medicine wheel represents that all nations will come together.

“The red represents the First Nations peoples, the white represents the Europeans, the yellow represents the Asians, and the black represents the Africans. So now, what needs to happen is we all need to come together and work together to get rid of racism and stereotyping. To get rid of all these things, we need to work together. So, that’s why I am here – to teach that.”

“Indigenous Awareness should be celebrated every day,” Tachan said.

The Tuesday afternoon tipi-raising competition saw three teams, The Base Team, Team 1RCHA, and Team 2VP, vie for the champion title. The Base Team won the bragging rights with a 31-minute tipi-raising victory over last year’s winner, 2VP.

Events:
Thursday, 23 May
0930 – 1130 – Education in the Tipis
Learn about various aspects of Indigenous culture. Tipis, drumming/singing and more

Friday, 24 May
1000 – Powwow dancers and singers. Metis fiddlers and more.
1145 – Feast – FREE FOR EVERYONE

PHOTO GALLERY:

School students learn about Tipi raising on May 21 during the opening day of Indigenous Awareness week at CFB Shilo. Photo: K-J Millar, Shilo Stag Media)

Base Team reigned supreme with a 31-minute tipi construction in the annual competition during CFB Shilo’s Indigenous Awareness week starting May 21./

Base Team construct their tipi in the annual competition during CFB Shilo’s Indigenous Awareness week starting May 21./[caption id="attachment_19973" align="alignnone" width="300"] Base Team construct their tipi in the annual competition during CFB Shilo’s Indigenous Awareness week starting May 21./

Local First Nations Spiritual Leader Frank Tachan retells a story for the base school students and attendees at the opening ceremonies of Indigenous Awareness Week at CFB Shilo on May 21.