Event builds understanding of Two-Spirit identity

Two commemorative dates in June, Pride Month and Indigenous History Month, offered an opportunity in the Battlefords to build understanding and connection.

An event, presented in partnership between the Battlefords Area Pride and the Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs, created a space for community members to learn, share, and reflect on the meaning of Two-Spirit identity – the 2S in the 2SLGBTQ+ acronym.

“We liked the idea of doing the event in June. It’s Indigenous History Month and Pride Month, so it’s a good blending of those themes,” says Kelly Waters, volunteer secretary, Battlefords Area Pride Board of Directors.

Waters notes that the two organizations have had many discussions on ways to coordinate and support their mutual interests in the community. “Anything on diversity and inclusivity is common ground ... there is lots of intersectionality,” says Waters.

“Two-Spirit” refers to Indigenous people who embody both masculine and feminine spirits, often encompassing a spiritual and gender identity outside the binary. The organizers noted that few people in the area, including among Indigenous communities, know a lot about Two-Spirit identity, its history, cultural significance, and how to be an effective ally. The event aimed to change that.

Attendees represented a wide range of people, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, Two-Spirit and allies, teens and seniors, and included people who wanted a deeper understanding of Two-Spirit identity in order to serve the community better in areas such as healthcare and education.

The response to the event was overwhelmingly positive, with 77 per cent of participants saying they learned quite a bit or a lot from the experience. Feedback included how they appreciated learning about the colonial impact on the erasure of Two-Spirit people and how to create and maintain space for them.

One participant commented, “Although I came in with a lot of 2S knowledge, it’s always healing to be around other Two-Spirits. I loved that there was an ally Elder. That the city councillor stayed to listen and learn warmed my heart.”

The day began with a blessing by Elder Alvin Baptiste, of the Red Pheasant Cree Nation. “We were looking for an Elder, but we didn’t even have to ask anyone. He contacted me and said, ‘I want to support this,’” Waters explains. “He said afterwards that he learned a lot. There were things that he previously didn’t understand about the history and experience of Two-Spirit people.”

Waters says that the feeling of the importance of the presentations and discussions was palpable in the room. “I was so engaged in what was taking place, I didn’t realize until later in the day that I wasn’t taking photos,” Waters says. “Everyone was listening and engaged and asking good questions. It was very powerful.”

This project received support from SaskCulture’s Multicultural Initiatives Fund – Small Projects, funded by the Sask Lotteries Trust Fund for Sport, Culture and Recreation.