Kainai Nation celebrating culture and inclusion this weekend

By Alexandra Noad - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on July 18, 2024.

Alexandra Noad

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Kainai Nation is set to celebrate and honour its heritage through dance, sport and music this weekend.

Among the festivities is a full setlist of up and coming Indigenous bands. Come Together, presented by councillor Richard Red Crow, will be held Saturday at the White Calf Hall from 2 p.m. until midnight.

Red Crow says the festival was created to help everyone feel included.

“There’s a lot of other options there ballgames, powwows. Not everybody’s and athlete and not everybody’s a dancer, you know? Not everybody’s a singer or not everybody’s a cowboy. So, we thought we all have a different flavour to show people where we have a lot of musicians and bands,” said Red Crow.

Red Crow added there are many different types of bands from country to rock and even some rap.

Red Crow says music has the power to help heal people and hopes this space will help those who may be struggling.

“Music heals a lot of people’s emotions, whether it’s gospel, country, blues, whatever genre that they’re singing, it helps you have that release and you feel a part of something, you feel you belong to a special group,” said Red Crow.

The Kainai celebration will be held July 19-21 in Standoff. A full list of events can be found at http://www.bloodtribe.org