Wabasca women’s shelter incorporating Cree culture into teachings [Video]

Bigstone Cree Nation elders teach traditional skills as part of the domestic violence prevention at the Neepinise Family Healing Centre in Wabasca, Alta.

Neepinise runs a women’s domestic violence shelter, domestic violence outreach centre, and a food bank for Bigstone Cree Nation in Wabasca.

This community about 320 km north of Edmonton is made up of several Bigstone reserves and a hamlet within the M.D. of Opportunity. It is also a hub for smaller hamlets and other Bigstone reserves which are more remote. The estimated combined population for the M.D. and all Bigstone reserves in the 2021 Census is 5,337, although the population is likely higher.

The Bigstone Cree Nation website estimates on and off-reserve membership of about 5,000.

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Cree culture and domestic violence prevention

From September to April, the Neepinise outreach centre runs family violence prevention and understanding family violence programs …