JOIN LIUNA!
JOIN LIUNA!
Our Shared Hands 
Build Our 
Shared Future
Join the circle
that stands
with you.
TRADITIONAL HEALTH GATHERING 
facilitated the teaching of how 
Grandmother Spider weaved together 
themes of balance, patience and 
interconnectedness.
Medicine Teachings – Val Kinistino 
offered knowledge on different medi-
cines and their uses. 
Empowerment &  
MMIWG2S Perspective
Central to the gathering was the recog-
nition of the sacredness of women and 
Two-Spirit people. The ceremonies 
and spaces created an environment 
of safety, healing and empowerment. 
These acts of love and inclusion 
directly confront the systemic issues 
faced by MMIWG2S, affirming that 
healing and protection must be rooted 
in traditional ways of knowing and 
collective care.
Youth Tent
A tent was erected specifically for 
youth attending the Traditional 
Health Gathering. The youth tent 
provided hands-on experience for 
younger participants, giving them an 
opportunity to take part in traditional 
craft-making activities and cultural 
teachings. Workshops led by artists, 
guest speakers and Knowledge Keepers 
taught lessons in archery, medicine 
pouches, woodworking, hand drum 
making, rattle kits, dreamcatchers, 
mini headdress beading, medicine 
picking and painting. Youth attendees 
were also given an opportunity to take 
part in equine therapy that focused 
on the role of the horse in traditional/
historical Indigenous culture, as well as 
safety instructions when working with 
and around horses.
The goal of the youth tent at every 
Traditional Health Gathering is to 
provide activities that engage youth 
attendees with culturally enriching 
experiences that are provided by Elders 
and Knowledge Keepers. 
Conclusions
The theme of Strengthening, Protecting, 
Healing Our Nations for the 2025 
Traditional Health Gathering was 
clearly on display throughout the 
event. Traditional teachings and 
ceremonies guided by Elders and 
Knowledge Keepers successfully rein-
forced the need to not only protect 
these teachings and ceremonies but 
to strengthen them, which in turn 
leads to the healing of our Nations. 
The staff, Knowledge Keepers, Elders, 
speakers and workshop leaders all 
did a tremendous job of keeping 
attendees of all ages engaged while 
promoting self-reflection, pride, 
unity, reinforcing the deep connec-
tion to the land, cultural resilience 
and the need to honour the past while 
also empowering future generations. 
The Ochapowace Nation and the 
Chacachas Treaty Nation were 
tremendous co-hosts of the 2025 
Traditional Health Gathering. The 
FSIN looks forward to continuing to 
co-host these gatherings with Nations 
in a continued effort to reinforce the 
need to promote the strengthening 
of traditional culture within 
our Nations.
Working Together & Uplifting 
One Another
Everyone contributed to the success 
of the event. Our Nation and people 
across Indigenous country are known 
for being extremely hardworking, 
and this gathering reflected that spirit 
in action.  
22  OUR PRIORITY  Issue 1  2025/26

View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.