The Calgary Stampede removes its name from "Indian Village", renamed Elbow River Camp Aboriginal Area

For more than 100 years, local First Nations have camped at the Calgary Stampede – their The site of the "Indian Village" has always been a quieter part of the mbadive spectacle on the banks of the Elbow River, with colorful tipi exhibits, traditional tales and ceremonies.

A century ago, the camp was an outlet for the Dene, the Stoney, and the Blackfoot, whose movement, language, and culture were restricted by Canadian government officials. But in recent years, tipi owners whose family backgrounds are related to the place have sometimes found themselves on the defensive, having to justify why it is still called by an inaccurate and outdated term.

I've had a lot of confrontation with the name, and it's getting very difficult for me to explain it so that people understand, "said Indian Princess Cieran Starlight of 2018, a young artist from the Tsuut & # 39; s Calgary First Nation – and is part of a group of "princesses" who act as ambbadadors for the Stampede

Noran Calf Robe, whose grandfather Ben was a famous elder Blackfoot and performer who sat down with his "We are not Indians, but we were tagged with that name." Christopher Columbus s & Is lost. "

On Sunday, teepee owners and Stampede officials did what they believed to be a welcome initiative, removing the name of the Indian village and rebranding the sprawling site of Camp Elbow River The Indian Princess Stampede, too, will receive a new name. 9659009] Change is sometimes difficult for an organization rooted in the celebration of history and the establishment of the West. But teepee owners and Stampede officials said they had made their decision based on broader global movements to get rid of the Indian term

"The Indian village is a very proud component, but we all know the sensibility of the world, "said David Sibbald, President of the Stampede

Many of the earliest indigenous names in the place that would one day become Calgary designate the meander of the river that would bear the name" Elbow " Violet Meguinis, also from the Tsuut & # 39; ina Nation, said that First Nations in the region had three distinct languages: "When we were referring to where you were going, people were pointing to the And everyone knew what that meant, "said Mrs. Meguinis, whose family also traces the teepee property until 1912.

The announcement, which took place last day rodeo, exhibition and 10-day festival, takes effect as the "Indian village" holds a final closing ceremony Sunday afternoon. Next year, Elbow River Camp will be in its place – with exactly the same look.

The name change has been discussed several times over the past few decades by teepee owners, many of whom descend from families who settled there. At the start of the Stampede, showman Guy Weadick, the founder of the exhibition, urged federal officials to allow First Nations to attend. According to the Stampede website, First Nations people do not have the right to celebrate their cultures in their own reserves because of the laws and regulations of the Indian Act and "The Stampede is the only one. one of the only places where First Nations people are invited to "

The decision to rename the site is not as clear as it might appear on the surface – there is still a strong family attachment and history in the name of the village, but the problem became more pressing after a desire for renewal linked to the move to a new location two years ago, and a growing resistance to the Indian term

"From a family owning a tipi, we know the name Indian Village – "But I believe in the future, especially for the girls who will play the following role"

. Meguinis says the name change helps the camp to focus on more pressing issues. For her, this includes helping people cope with the aftermath of residential schools. A few years ago, Ms. Meguinis was approached at the tipi of her family by a woman who had been a Sixties Scoop child and was looking for information about the Dene culture.

"She did not find her family on time. But it has found its roots, "said Meguinis. "That's what I want the camp to be known as."