Eagle's Nest Healing Lodge, Alberta

A Healing Lodge, Alberta

During our trip to this northern reserve, we have met a number of the aboriginal people from the community who as young students personally experienced a lot of hurt by the government of Canada under the Residential School Policy.

The government entrusted the education of the native children to the church which ran and managed the Residential Schools across Canada - Roman Catholic (60%), Anglican (30%) and United (10%) churches. 

During this dark era, aboriginal  children were forcibly removed from their parents, punished for speaking their language and were isolated from their communities.  As a result of the ill treatment, out of a total of 150,000 children that went through the residential school system, 6,000 died.  A number of them were subjected to torture and abuses.

The Canadian government has literally caused a cultural genocide of the aboriginal people many of whom have lost their culture, language and identity.  

The Residential Schools existed over a hundred years, however, the victims would need a lot of support and assistance and a long time to recover from the damages. 

The Eagle's Nest Healing Lodge is a place where native people with problems can self refer or be referred by agencies to get help.

Our group visited this facility in  Alberta,

   


 We also learned about their programs, culture and customs such as the use of the sweat lodge by the aboriginal people.

Native artwork decorated the place

We found the Healing Lodge a comfortable and welcoming place decorated with artwork of aboriginal themes.

The big room where meetings and workshops are held

A Sewing Room at the Lodge

The Lodge offers a number of programs to participants such as workshops, counselling, suicide prevention program, relaxation techniques and various other programs.

We started our tour at the big meeting room where workshop meetings are held.






We had a good tour of the facility escorted by the director of the Healing Lodge.

We saw a number of counselling rooms where individual counselling would take place for their clients.

There was a sewing room too!

The Daycare Room for little ones while their parents attending the programs

For women coming to the Healing Lodge with children, they can leave the kids in the daycare room where they will be looked after.

A spacious dining room with a spectacular view of the lake

What we really liked was the beautiful spacious dining room with a spectacular view of the lake!

The Eagle's Nest Healing Lodge is a beautiful lakeside retreat 

An indoor sweat lodge at the Eagles' Healing Lodge for  the cleansing ceremony

There was even an indoor sweat lodge right on the premise of the Eagle's Nest Healing Lodge for those who wish to participate in the cleansing ceremony while they are here.

Chopped firewood ready to be used for the Sweat Lodge 

The firewood were piled right outside the Sweat Lodge and ready to be used for the ceremony.

Our team and the Director of the Healing Lodge

After the tour, a staff sang a native song for us in the big meeting room and he even taught us a simple dance!


We learned a lot about the Eagle's Nest Healing Lodge and gained a better understanding of the challenges facing the native people.

R.T.
Eagle's Nest Healing Lodge
Alberta