Regina's North Central Smudge Walk not deterred by rain

The annual North Central Smudge Walk carried on despite a rainy Regina morning.

More than 100 people gathered in Dewdney Park for the annual event. The walk, which travelled three kilometres around the border of North Central, is a symbolic cleansing for the community. Sage is used to smudge in an Indigenous form of prayer.  

"It is raining today, but it is seen as a blessing from the elders. It is an opportunity for us," said Nick Crighton, one of the organizers.

The walk was originally put together in response to an article published in Maclean's in 2007.

We are not Canada's worst neighbourhood.- Nick Crighton, Smudge Walk organizer

The article depicted North Central, also known as Washington Heights, as the worst neighbourhood in Canada. The North Central community banded together in response.

"We want to change that narrative. So community organizers and community members got together and said we are going to have a smudge walk to show you that we are not Canada's worst neighbourhood," Crighton said.

"We are a great community that has a lot of great people, and they are doing great things with the community."

Every year a youth is chosen to lead the walk, holding the sage used in the smudging, as a representation of the youth leading the way into the future.

This year's leader was Mia Chartrand, a Grade 11 student from Miller Comprehensive High School.

"I think it's an honour to be chosen to hold this, because this is my community I grew up in the majority of my life. I just think it's important for all of us to come together, and for me to be leading it is crazy, but it's so nice and I feel so honoured," said Chartrand.

Representatives from the provincial and municipal governments attended the event.

Mayor Michael Fougere said he attends the walk every year because he knows how important it is to the community.

"We work hard to correct the past, and make sure we work together. We can't have any reconciliation without knowing the truth and that's a part of walk together into the future," Fougere said.