Stampede's Indian Village to get new name in 2019

The Indian Village at the Calgary Stampede is getting a new name.

That was confirmed Wednesday by Lowa Beebe, the chair of the Stampede's Indian events committee, who addressed the issue in an interview Wednesday on The Homestretch.

"There will be a name change very soon," Beebe said.

"When teepee owners over the last couple decades came together to decide to change it, they decided to keep it for historical reasons. Their grandparents were here, their great grandparents were here, and every time they come together to do that, they keep it for historical reasons," she said.

"But … we're in a new location, for the third time. The teepee owners have been meeting with Stampede, and the teepee owners have definitely decided on a new name, so next year it will have a new name."

Beebe also wanted to clarify something else.

"Stampede is not forcing that name on us," she said.

"Stampede CEO Warren Connell has always said, it [the Indian Village] will be called what the First Nations ask us to call it.

"I am very happy with Warren's leadership, with our executive this year, and I'm really happy that next year, we have a new name coming," she said.

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With files from The Homestretch.