Chāpān Games and Teachings
September 28, 2025 | 11am – 7:15 pm
CN Stage & Skate Park at The Forks
 

The event focuses on the Chāpān Circle of Elders healing through the medicine of laughter and having fun with traditional Indigenous games and will feature stand-up comedy, storytelling, Chāpān teachings, sharing circles, food trucks, free food by The Salvation Army,  a Sacred Fire, musicians and DJs and more. Grand Entry will be at 11am.

The meaning behind the Cree word Chāpān refers to the traditional role of the elderly as well as youth in families, especially when everyone in the community left every summer to go hunting and fishing at the family camps.

Granny Albert McLeod explains, “here, everyone had a role, everyone was busy – one of the Traditional roles of the Chāpāns was to take care of the young - sometimes they would lead the little ones, and sometimes the little ones would lead their Chāpans. This was the cycle of life and a very special relationship.”

“This is very different from today,” Granny Louise remarks. “Chāpān Games and Teachings is a time to remember and dream about what life was like before we all had to live apart from each other”.

We ask that attendees bring a pair of shoes to fit a child in kindergarten-grade 8. The shoes will be displayed on September 28th and then donated to a different school every year.

More info to come!