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Community Spotlight

The Community Spotlight gallery provides Werklund Centre's partner organizations in Calgary a space to share who they are. 

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Currently in the Spotlight

Elders Knowledge Circle Society


The Elders Knowledge Circle Society (EKCS) is an Elder-led Indigenous organization dedicated to preserving, protecting, revitalizing and sharing the knowledge carried by Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers.

Rooted in relationship, ceremony and Indigenous ways of knowing, EKCS brings together Elders and Knowledge Keepers from many Nations in Treaty 7. Together, they are creating a place where knowledge can be protected, where younger generations can learn from those who came before them, and where Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities can build stronger relationships with one another.

The Elders Story Project


The Elders Story Project began as a response to the truths being brought forward about Residential Schools and the growing number of potential unmarked graves being identified across Canada. The Grandparents knew that truth-telling was important, but they also knew the story could not end with trauma. The Elders Story Project creates space for Survivors and Knowledge Keepers to share their experiences in their own way and in their own time. Through story, ceremony, gathering and intergenerational learning, the project carries forward teachings about survival, healing, culture, identity and resilience. What began with conversations and story circles has grown into an ongoing body of work that includes public gatherings, video and oral teachings, a Learning and Healing Toolkit, and now a published collection of the Grandparents' stories.

Each year, the Elders Story Project gathers community at Werklund Centre on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. September 30 is an opportunity to make space for truth, but also for Indigenous ways of healing, remembering, gathering and carrying knowledge forward. We invite you to spend the day learning, reflecting and being in community, and to witness the work being led by the Grandparents of the Elders Knowledge Circle Society.

Learn more about September 30 at Werklund Centre

Explore the Elders Story Project

Continue the Journey

Want to learn more, connect with the Circle, explore a partnership, or find a way to support the work? We welcome opportunities to build relationships with community members, organizations, funders, educators, and partners who share a commitment to carrying Indigenous knowledge forward in a good way. Visit eldersknowledgecircle.com.

 


If you're interested in being featured in the Community Spotlight at Werklund Centre, please email info@werklundcentre.ca.

 

More from the Elders Knowledge Circle Society


Resilience Knowledge: Wisdom from the Elders’ Circle


The next chapter of the Elders Story Project is now being carried forward in print.

Resilience Knowledge: Wisdom From the Elders' Circle is a non-fiction collection of narratives about the impact of colonialism on Indigenous Peoples in Canada using both traditional oral systems, written transcripts, and direct audio recordings of Indigenous Elders’ stories to preserve wisdom and guide and support the next generation. Within these pages, Elders reflect on the legacy of residential schools and share messages of hope, courage, and strength, followed by heartfelt essays from youth that create a transformative intergenerational dialogue.

This book includes:

  • A collection led by Elders: A project guided by the protocols and pacing of the Elders Knowledge Circle to ensure cultural safety and authenticity.
  • First person: Shares the memories of more than 30 Residential School survivors from across Canada as well as close to 40 archival and contemporary images.
  • Living history format: Features written transcripts and links to the original audio recordings of the Elders’ oral teachings, stories, and memories.
  • Intergenerational dialogue: Includes responses from Indigenous youth, creating a powerful bridge between Survivors and the next generation.
  • Pathways to healing: Offers messages of resilience and care specifically designed to help young people navigate the legacy of residential and day schools.

This collection weaves together the voices from diverse Indigenous cultures to inspire collective healing from historical trauma. By reconnecting youth with their heritage and fostering understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups, Resilience Knowledge: Wisdom From the Elders' Circle serves as a vital tool for rebuilding cultural identity and envisioning a brighter, shared future.

And the responsibility to carry these things forward.

Presales for Resilience Knowledge: Wisdom from the Elders’ Circle are now open.

Pre-order the book

A Learning and Healing Toolkit


Learning about Residential Schools and the impacts of colonialism must include more than understanding what happened. It must also create pathways toward healing, relationship and a better understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing. The Elders Story Project: A Learning and Healing Toolkit was created to support that journey.

The free resource shares teachings and information from Elders and Knowledge Keepers on topics such as Indigenous governance, cultural protocols, intellectual property, Residential Schools, mental health and healing, ceremony, language, Treaty relationships and more.

It was created for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike and provides an opportunity to learn directly from the knowledge and experiences shared by the Grandparents.

Explore the Learning and Healing Toolkit