A traditional smudging ceremony led by Kyle Shottanana, councillor and spiritual advisor with Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡiʾit (Tobacco Plains Indian Band), was held at the newly opened Urgent and Primary Care Centre (UPCC) in Elkford.
The ceremony is intended to cleanse the renovated health-care space and bring “good medicine and healing” to the Elkford Health Centre, where the UPCC is located.
Throughout the development of the centre, Interior Health collaborated with Ktunaxa Nation and Métis Nation British Columbia to ensure Indigenous representation through language, signage, and art.
Notable additions include the Ktunaxa phrase Ya·kiⱡ ʔawumuʔtiⱡamnamki — meaning “place to seek medical help” — on the facility’s exterior, as well as Ktunaxa and Métis artwork displayed inside.
A wall at the front entrance features the word “welcome” in many of the languages spoken in the Elk Valley, including Ktunaxa, Michif, and Inuktitut.
The Elkford UPCC, located at 212 Alpine Way, is open seven days a week and provides same-day urgent and primary care appointments.
It offers services for minor illnesses and injuries, wound care, mental health support, and more.
Interior Health says the goal is to create a space that reflects and respects the cultures of those accessing care.
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