Indigenous and Local Economy
The findings in Phase 1 and 2 of the Moving Mountains Initiative revealed ‘Indigenous and Local Economy’ as a high opportunity area for collaborative solution building. Bow Valley civil society indicated a need to collaboratively build solutions that,
- Help recirculate money in the Bow Valley to support local businesses, civil society, the environment, and Bow Valley residents.
- Help build on the current work of local social entrepreneurs, amplify the collaborative work of shared platforms and social ventures, and spark donor collaborations in support of the local economy in the Bow Valley.
- Help Bow Valley to grow literacy and practice in Indigenomics – a new word that is about approaching economics from an Indigenous worldview and honours the powerful thinking of Indigenous wisdom of local economy, relationships and human values.
In Phase 3 of the Initiative, a Learn and Try Group was activated to address these issues. The group initially approached the broad topic of ‘Indigenous and Local Economy’ as interconnected issues with interconnected solutions. Shortly into collaborative dialogues, the group self organized into two cohorts – one group holding focus on local and social economy in the Bow Valley, and the other holding focus on growing Indigenous Economy in the Bow Valley. The Moving Mountains Initiative provided financial, administrative, and human resource support to these two Learn and Try Groups, supporting the advancement and development of shared service models for Stoney Nakoda-led Indigenous Cultural Awareness Training programs and the Indigenous-led sharing of Stoney Culture, and supporting the successful acquisition of impact investment funds for a single use plastics initiative in Banff, AB.
Centering equity-deserving voices and amplifying voices not often heard are key principles of Moving Mountains. The initiative worked within a co-leadership model, and the leadership team held themselves accountable to including and amplifying youth, seniors, 2SLGBTQ+ and IBPOC communities in the Bow Valley.
Sage Shepherd is a young local videographer who has captured stories and learning of the Moving Mountain’s collaborative work on the ground, bringing a young person’s perspective and approach to the initiative’s work. As a community organizer, social entrepreneur, videographer and children’s programmer in the Bow Valley, her experience touches many intersections of Bow Valley civil society. View Sage’s conversation with Learn and Try Group Lead, Philip Lozano below, and learn more about Sage here: https://www.facebook.com/ALLtheRageSAGE/about
MÎNÎ HRPA
Elder Terry Rider shared with the Moving Mountains community that Stoney Nakoda people ‘are here, have always been here, and will always be here’. Stoney Nakoda people are stewards of the land in the Bow Valley and throughout Stoney territory, since time immemorial. Read about the work of the Indigenous Knowledge Circle and the incubation of Mînî hrpa, and the first ever pop up Indigenous Cultural Centre in Banff, AB.
