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Native culture celebrated Saturday with Community Spring Feast

Aboriginal foods, drumming and dancing at Fort Normandeau
web1_Fort-normandeau

Berry soup, bannock, bison stew and other indigenous delicacies will be served up Saturday at the 10th-annual Community Spring Feast at Fort Normandeau.

This year’s theme celebrates children, “our future.” Everyone is invited to learn more about native culture at the noon-5 p.m. event, which will kick off with a ceremonial prayer and pipe ceremony.

A free feast will be distributed to all participants from 12:30 p.m. At 2 p.m. dancers and drummers will make a grand entrance, carrying the eagle staff, and chosen community leaders will be honoured for their contributions. From 3:30 p.m. there will be a giveaway of small gifts.

This week’s festivities are going green, with no disposables or Styrofoam requested: “Please bring your own feast bag, and anything else that makes your day more comfortable.”

The event — hosted by the Safe Harbour Society with support from the Red Deer Native Friendship Centre, Red Deer Museum and Art Gallery and other organizations — will go rain or shine.

Organizers say there will be a 30-foot teepee and a pavilion tent to provide some cover in case of a downpour.

To get to Fort Normandeau, travel west of Red Deer and Hwy 2 for 1.5 km, via 32 Street/Township Road 381, and then turn north on Range Road 280 for 3.5 km.