City honours National Indigenous Peoples Day with ceremony at city hall

By BRENDAN MILLER on June 21, 2025.

bmiller@medicinehatnews.com

Representing the importance of the land now called the City of Medicine Hat, a symbolic teepee was set up outside city hall Friday while a large gathering was held inside to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day.

“That is not a teepee next to city hall, I want you to invite you to adopt the perspective; it’s city hall next to a teepee,” said Aaron Nelson, manager of arts, heritage and culture, during a welcoming speech. “There have been teepees in this area for thousands of years, There have been people in this area for thousands of years, up to 12,000 years.,” comparing how recent in time settlers came to this land.

Indigenous artist, storyteller and community leader Brenda Mercer shared part of her childhood story about the impacts of being a “Sixties Scoop” child.

Mercer was removed from her birth parents at a young age, like many other children during the large-scale removal of Indigenous children from their homes, and raised by a non-Indigenous family in Saskatchewan.

With a mason jar in hand, Mercer recalls the moment as a child she was forced into a new life while riding in a car with a social worker to the non-Indigenous family’s home.

“As I’m driving to Shaunavon, I had my olive jar, it was about half full and inside I had sweet peas,” told Mercer. “Sweet peas are the flowers for the people who I did not know, but were soon to be my adopted parents.

“You know, I look back all those years ago and where I am here now with you … I never would have thought that we would be doing this in city hall, having a teepee on the lawn. And I’m so grateful to everybody in the community that’s contributed.”

The teepee, which features painted horses and bisons, was constructed earlier this year by Mercer, her husband Chris and other family members.

“I wanted to do some part of it because I didn’t have my culture, I didn’t have my language, I didn’t have my family, and I’m taking something back,” said Mercer, who explains the teepee was constructed with love and good intentions and meant for the entire community.

Once the teepee’s canvas was complete, Mercer reached out to members of the community to help paint the images.

“The first day I had people there, we had the fire department, we had community members, it was just amazing, and that’s what I wanted. I wanted people to see how we build a teepee, how we paint a teepee, because I didn’t even know, so I wanted to invite them to come help in this journey with me,” said Mercer.

The teepee on the front lawn of city hall also represents the small steps being taken toward reconciliation and a better understanding of the heritage and First Nations, Métis or Inuit who lived on this land long before settlers arrived.

“It took a long time to get to where we are now,” says Mercer. “It’s going to take a bit of time to get where we want to be, not only with Indigenous culture, but other cultures that are in the city.”

Elder Charlie Fox, who provided an opening prayer and smudge, also spoke about the progress being made toward a better understanding of each other.

“I just want to really express my gratitude for recognizing our people. You know, a National Indigenous Peoples Day was unheard of in the past, so to have it celebrated today, that makes my heart soar,” said Fox. “I’m eternally grateful for that.”

Carlee EaglePlume, dressed in a ribbon skirt, spoke about the cultural and spiritual meaning of wearing a dress typically worn by Indigenous women during ceremonies, dances and other important gatherings.

“Wearing a ribbon skirt is not just about clothing, but about identity, resilience and connection to our ancestors,” said EaglePlume. “Each ribbon colour and design tells a story, a story of survival, tradition and pride for myself. Putting on a ribbon skirt is an act of reclaiming space and showing up in a world that hasn’t always made space for us.”

The day also included a dance performance by siblings Dobry, Shannon and Dustin Kunka, speeches from city officials and a flag-raising ceremony.

Although the teepee was taken down Friday afternoon, Mercer says it will be reconstructed Sept. 30 for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which coincides with Orange Shirt Day.

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