This summer I am very excited as I am embarking on a new type of adventure working with the Beaver First Nations community in northern Alberta. The University of Alberta has a program called Engage North and each summer they gather a small and diverse group of students to travel to various Indigenous communities in Northern Alberta as interns. I will be working on the Boyer Reserve with the Beaver First Nations as the Youth and Recreation intern facilitating arts, sports and community events while simultaneously learning about their culture and traditions.
Prior to going to our communities I was fortunate to meet four of the other interns that would be embarking on similar journeys. Libby, on the left, is the lands and consultation intern in Beaver. Yashi is now in Pangnirtung also doing lands and consultation. Rachel is in Yellowknife as the environmental intern and Liza is in Chateh working in healthcare.
These fabulous ladies are also writing about their experiences and I encourage you to read along!
Libby - My Summer In Beaver
Yashi - Fjord-venture Time!
Rachel - Gravel Road Gumption
Liza - Text from the North
The Beaver First Nation has two reserves, Boyer and Child Lake. I am on the Boyer reserve and during my stay I will be living with my fellow intern Libby in a cozy loft above the reserve’s fire hall. The area is lush with trees and entwined with little rivers. As I drove the 7-hour drive I was able to absorb the beautiful landscape and I cannot wait to explore and start painting the sights.