The land where Lethbridge College sits has been home to the Blackfoot people for thousands of years, providing sustenance and spiritual connections for generations. Now, those who walk the coulees surrounding the college’s campus can learn about the importance of the plants native to the area, with the creation of the Iissksiniip (Coming to Know and Learn) Coulee Walk, which was unveiled in September as part of Truth and Reconciliation Week.
The Iissksiniip Coulee Walk is an interpretative self-guided tour that explores the traditional plants found in the area, explains their uses and shares some of the traditional creation stories of the Siksikaitsitapi, the Blackfoot Confederacy. Traditional Blackfoot plant knowledge keeper and artist William Singer III (Api’soomaahka – Running Coyote), seen here walking with Lethbridge College President and CEO Dr. Paula Burns, created the walk in conjunction with the college’s Indigenous Services team.
