Twenty-two Aboriginal teenagers from all over Saskatchewan are learning about what a life in the Canadian Armed Forces might be like this week.
The Aboriginal youth leadership camp, called “Eagle’s Nest”, began on Monday and wraps up with a graduation on Saturday.
Over the course of the five-day Canadian Forces hosted camp, the youth are learning various skills they would need to know should they choose to pursue a career in the military such as wall climbing, simulated combat situations, shelter building and some weapons handling.
Organizer Major Caleb Walker says the Canadian Forces believes it is important to recognize the contributions Indigenous people have made to the military both in the past and today.
“It’s just to continue the relationship that we already have with some of these First Nations communities,” he says. “A lot of them have a long line of veterans that have served in World War One, World War Two, Korea and the Vietnam War.”
Sixteen-year-old Teagan Arcand-Tawpisim of Muskeg Lake Cree Nation says she has done wall climbing before but has learned some new related skills as part of the camp.
“I learned how to carry people up, I’m the person on the ground watching them climb up the wall,” she says. “I learned how to get over my fear of heights.”
Theresa Greyeyes, who works as justice worker on Muskeg Lake Cree Nation and is one of the camp counselors, says it took some encouragement to get a few of the teens to sign on but most appear to be enjoying the activities.
“Lots of them came on their own free will but some felt kind of forced but they’re enjoying it now,” she says.
Participants in the youth camp learned wall climbing skills in Saskatoon earlier in the week before moving over to the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation reserve for most other activities.
The Muskeg Lake reserve is located about 100 kilometres north of Saskatoon.