Smudge Walk Puts Spotlight On North Central Regina

Smudge Walk Puts Spotlight On North Central Regina

Thursday, June 05, 2008 at 16:13

 

 

Residents of an area in Regina deemed “Canada’s Worst Neighborhood” by MacLean’s magazine took part in a smudge walk today that drew hundreds.

 

Organizers hope today’s event in North Central Regina will show that everybody has the potential to be productive, and that a person’s neighborhood should not dictate their potential.

 

Spokesman Myke Agecoutay says some people feel the MacLean’s article was embellished, while others believe it spoke the absolute truth.

 

Regardless, he says it did help people to actually think about the humanity of the city’s impoverished Aboriginal community.

 

Agecoutay says the purpose of today’s walk was to restore the neighborhood’s reputation and dignity.

 

He acknowledges the neighbourhood has been plagued by poverty and a high crime rate for years.

 

He hopes the walk helps initiate real change to a place many Aboriginal people call home.

 

Agecoutay estimates 16,000 Aboriginal citizens live in the North Central area.