A teepee project in Medicine Hat brings community together to share Indigenous culture

Work began in early 2025, with help from volunteers sewing the canvas, as the first teepee was completed in May and later displayed at city hall for National Indigenous Peoples Day.

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(Image Credit: Jett Schwaier/CHAT News)

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Momentum has since grown with the help of a $10,000 grant from Indigenous Youth Roots, as the group is now working to build seven teepees by June 11.

Mercer said the structures are expected to be set up during Canada Day celebrations, where each teepee will serve a different purpose, including space for elders and areas where people can share crafts and cultural practices.

“I’m trying to do is just bring awareness of indigenous culture, because indigenous people have walked these lines in Canada for over 12,000 years, and I just feel like sharing with people, sharing what I know with people,” Mercer said.

The project has drawn support from across the community, including the City of Medicine Hat, service clubs, and volunteers who have contributed sewing skills and other forms of assistance.

“Without community and people who are like-minded and want to learn or share their culture, this would be impossible to do,” Mercer said.

“I can’t thank people enough for showing up with their crazy, mad sewing skills, you know, and just wanting to learn and take part.”

Mercer said involving elders is a key part of the process, ensuring cultural protocols are followed.

“There’s a lot of moving pieces, there’s not only teepee costs, but there’s like coffee and elders to bring in,” Mercer said.

“When we do this project, we want to make sure we have the proper protocol, and we start in a good way always,” she added.

“There’s no shortcuts when elders tell us to do something; we should do it that way, or you lose a piece of your history.”

Organizers are also preparing for the next stages of the project, including painting the teepees and harvesting about 140 poles from the Elkwater area later in May.

“We are really looking for people who know how to use chainsaws safely to harvest the trees, and then we’ll bring them back into the city, and then we’ll start peeling,” Mercer said.

Mercer said the effort goes beyond construction, emphasizing ceremony, learning and connection.

“I think it’s more [about] bringing back tradition, bringing back culture and learning as we go. There is work involved, of course,” Mercer said.

“I think we need to hold space for people more often to find out who’s living with us in a neighbourhood, in a city.”

by Jett Schwaier

A teepee project in Medicine Hat brings community together to share Indigenous culture

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