Moving Indigenous Reconciliation Forward at Discovery House

Discovery House is charting a new direction that focuses on how we support the diversity and uniqueness of each family’s situation, culture, and goals towards healing. We are forging partnerships with and learning from culturally diverse groups and agencies to enable us to support women to heal in culturally safe and appropriate ways.

What We're Doing...

Elder Pam Heavy Head

One of our newest and most meaningful community partnerships this year has been with Elder Pam Heavy Head. Pam is an Indigenous Elder who has been a leader on several exciting new projects and programs here at Discovery House that are working towards better meeting the needs of the Indigenous women and children in our care.

Personal Guidance with an Elder

Elder Pam has been hosting regular one-on-one meetings with any mother or staff member looking for her guidance on traditional Indigenous pathways of healing.

Raising our Children Together

This 6-week program allows mothers and their children to work with Elder Pam Heavy Head on traditional Indigenous learnings and practices with the goal of building stronger families. The series ran for the first time, from June to July of 2022 and ended with a traditional naming ceremony where each child was given an Indigenous name that spoke to their character and family. We hope to be able to offer the program again next summer.

Cultural Healing Space

The largest project Pam has been a part of to date has been her consultation on our new cultural healing space. This room will be a transformative area that will sit at the very heart of our shelter for families to come together, reflect and heal.

Tobacco Ceremonies

Twice a year, we have the privilege of co-hosting a Tobacco Ceremony for families and staff at Discovery House, with a seed ceremony in the spring and a harvest ceremony in the fall. Elder Clarence Wolfleg has led our tobacco ceremonies for the past several years. These ceremonies are also supported by Piitoayis (Eagle Lodge) Family School, as they participate actively in the seed ceremony and the harvest ceremony. Eagle Lodge processes the tobacco, and once the tobacco is processed, Eagle Lodge then provides us with medicines when needed.

“After spending time with Pam and learning more about my culture, the medicines, and traditions used by my people, I feel stronger. I can be a better mom to my two daughters.”

Discovery House client and mother of two

Why is it so important for Discovery House to become a trusted partner of Indigenous Communities?

Our mission at Discovery House is to end the traumatic cycle of domestic violence. One vital way to achieve this goal is by partnering with Indigenous communities and embracing their traditions, values, and culture in our programming to strengthen our work. Discovery House cannot even begin to achieve its mission unless we work closely with Indigenous communities. The scars of intergenerational trauma and the residential school system are still strongly felt within Indigenous communities and families. Discovery House wants to better support Indigenous communities and families on their journeys to heal from generations of trauma and strengthen their family relationships.

Watch our Child-Friendly Land Acknowledgement!

In the video below you will find a child-friendly version of our land acknowledgment.

We also have our more traditional version here as well:

In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge that we live, work, and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations (Bearspaw, Chiniki, Goodstoney), the Métis Nation (Region 3), and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.

Thank you to the Calgary Public Library for developing this special land acknowledgment for children.
And a special thanks to Ella and Nya for doing our land acknowledgment in the video below!

Moving Indigenous Reconciliation Forward at Discovery House

What We're Doing...

“After spending time with Pam and learning more about my culture, the medicines, and traditions used by my people, I feel stronger. I can be a better mom to my two daughters.” Discovery House client and mother of two

Watch our Child-Friendly Land Acknowledgement!

“After spending time with Pam and learning more about my culture, the medicines, and traditions used by my people, I feel stronger. I can be a better mom to my two daughters.”

Discovery House client and mother of two