Dec. 5, 2025

This September, the 4th Annual Wabasca Cultural Days brought community members together to celebrate cultural traditions, learning, and meaningful connections through ceremonies, survival teachings, and knowledge-sharing sessions. Organized by the Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) and supported by Northern Wabasca, the free event welcomed residents from across the Wabasca-Desmarais region to revitalize cultural pride and identity.

Pictured above: From left to right, Jorren DeCoine (FCSS), Northern Store Manager Robert McKinley, and Janice Auger (FCSS) at the 2025 Cultural Days.

Through a variety of programs held at the Marian Wolitski Arena and surrounding venues, community members of all ages built confidence and self-esteem, while taking part in hands-on learning activities such as beading, fish scale art, meat cutting and smoking, and medicinal tea making. Elders and Knowledge Keepers shared teachings and traditional skills with participants throughout the week.

Northern Wabasca supported the celebrations with a $2,500 cash donation and an additional $1,000 in gift cards for raffle prizes and program activities. “We’ve been a big supporter since the beginning, and it’s incredible to see continuous learning happening across generations every year,” said Store Manager Robert McKinley.

North West’s charitable arm, the Healthy Horizons Foundation, has supported FCSS’s Cultural Days through grant contributions in the past as well. Together with Northern, over $42,000 has been contributed to the event, reflecting our commitment to fostering intergenerational learning and strengthening cultural connections across the communities we serve.