Groups to provide wild meat, cultural support for Lighthouse

Indigenous groups are coming together to provide cultural practices for clients of a supported living facility in Saskatoon.

A memorandum of understanding was announced Tuesday at The Lighthouse.

The non-binding agreement was signed between the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), the Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre (SSIC) and the Lighthouse Supported Living Inc.

“We’ve agreed to work together in partnership to offer opportunity and hope to the clients of the Lighthouse,” said FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said. “The majority of our clients walking through these doors are First Nations.”

The agreement primarily focuses on providing wild meat and culturally-relevant practices, such as smudging, to those who use Lighthouse services.

The wild meat will come from the FSIN throughout the winter months.

“It’s going to be a cold winter,” Cameron said.

He explained the meat will be provided by Indigenous hunters, with between 50-200 people taking part.

“We assemble the hunting warriors of each nations,” he said.

The wild game is then brought to a meat processing plant on Green Leaf Hutterite Colony, near Blaine Lake.

Tuesday’s signing formalizes this supplying commitment, as the FSIN has been doing this regionally since 2014.

As for the role the SICC will play, Cameron said the organization will help instill identity, self-pride and self-confidence for clients of the Lighthouse through culture and language.