Strengthening Culture Through Partnerships and Community Investment

Preserving Culture, Strengthening Community

As a displaced First Nation, rebuilding community and culture is a key priority for BNA. The Family Well-Being Team plays an important role in this effort, offering programming once a week and up to six times a week in the Thunder Bay area, where most members reside.

Their most popular events include the annual Christmas party, where families celebrate the holiday together as a community, as well as traditional gatherings such as the annual community pow wow. Last year's theme was "Celebrating Pride and Two-Spirit Peoples." The team also hosts cultural workshops, including hide tanning, for members and surrounding communities.

Partnerships That Support Cultural Revitalization

Despite limited infrastructure for on-reserve programming, the Family Well-Being Team continues to organize well-attended annual events, including a youth camp where many participants stay overnight and the annual community ice-fishing event, where members compete to catch the largest fish of the day.

Hosting these events requires significant resources, particularly because many must be held in Thunder Bay due to the lack of an on-reserve community centre. BNA draws on a variety of internal funding sources to cover these costs, with own-source revenue generated through strategic partnerships helping offset expenses and ensuring these important cultural traditions continue for future generations.