New elders centre opened at Kahkewistahâw First Nation
April 28, 2025, 10:23 am
Ryan Kiedrowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
It was a moment many elders on Kahkewistahâw First Nation have been waiting for—the official grand opening of the new Elder’s Centre.
“For the other elders, it’s important, but to me, it’s my dream,” Wendy Alexson told the World-Spectator during a tour of the new building. “I’ve always wanted something for elders. I’ve lost five sisters. I had to grieve alone at home. This way, you come here and you share. You know there’s other elders probably grieving or sick, so we’ll sit around the table, we’ll have coffee or tea and talk about things and we’ll even pray for each other.”
Completed last November, the new building features a large indoor space with kitchen facilities, comfortable seating, a television with Starlink internet, an office space, and washroom/shower facilities. Many large windows allow for plenty of sunshine to fill the main space, decorated with local artwork including a bison hide decorated by local school kids. Outside, the wheelchair-accessible entrance leads up to a wrap-around deck with ample room for a raised garden bed and other outdoor amenities such as a barbecue.
Another feature is the walking trail outside the elder’s centre, approximately 1.5 km in length. This is part of a greater $700,000 development that will also see the addition of trees, shrubs, and ground cover, and eventually a gazebo with electrical hook-up.
During opening ceremonies held April 17, Kahkewistahâw Chief Evan Taypotat credited Alexson for her tenacity in keeping the need for an elder’s centre front of mind for Council, starting about four years prior.
“I applaud her for being respectful to the Council, but also being a little bit pushy because we got to be a little bit pushy at times if things aren’t happening,” he said.
A very important factor that Chief Taypotat pointed out was the location of the new building—between the Chief Kahkewistahâw Community School and the Chief Joseph Crowe Governance Centre.
“We put the building where it is for a reason, and we put that building there so that the elders could go over to the school, or the children in the school could go over the elders,” he explained. “And also so that the people that work in this building can go over to the elders, or the elders can come over to this door. A lot of the time, we rely on our elders for guidance.”
Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations vice-chief Fabian Head echoed those sentiments on holding the elders close.
“It is vital for our elders that are here, they are knowledge keepers,” Head said, adding that he relies on the advice of elders at his home nation regularly. “They have knowledge of what happened 30, 40, 50 years ago.”
Head also noted the importance of youth and was very pleased to see so many younger members of Kahkewistahâw in attendance for the special ceremony.
“They’re nation builders that are one day going to take our seats,” he said.
“One day, they’re going to become Chief and Council. The Creator sent them here so that they’ll remember this day, that they’ll remember the elders sitting here, the chief and council, and they’ll remember.”
Long-time Councillor Michael Bob also spoke on the importance of the new elder’s centre, a much larger gathering place with more amenities than the previous one.
“It’s a great day for Kahkewistahâw as we move forward in acknowledging the work that our elders have brought forward over the years,” he said. “I had the opportunity to work with four chiefs over the years for Kahkewistahâw, and those chiefs—every one of them—always made sure that we take care of our elders and make sure we have something for them. Now we have a beautiful building here, and we’re right by the school. Our children can go there, we can go there. We definitely want to make sure that knowledge is not lost.”
There are 40 people who live on Kahkewistahâw First Nation that are aged 60-plus, with more living in the cities. Alexson is looking forward to the community’s upcoming pow-wow when those visitors will also be able to enjoy the new building.
“When we have our pow-wow in June, we’re going to open it up to the ones that are out there,” she said. “They’ll come home to visit, and this is where they’re going to come and socialize.”
Community members of all ages gathered in front of the new elder’s centre to witness elder, former Chief, and FSIN senator Amanda Louison cut the ceremonial ribbon.
“By the power vested in me as chief of Kahkewistahâw First Nation, I hereby declare this building open for tea and bannock,” said Chief Taypotat prior to Louison slicing the red ribbon as those in attendance cheered in delight.
