Kyra Northwest is the Consultation Manager for Montana First Nation. Photo supplied. By Laura Mushumanski (ANNews) – Growing up in Montana First Nation (Akamihk), one of the four First Nations that make up Maskwacis Cree Nations, Kyra Northwest, current Consultation Manager for Montana First Nation, had the opportunity to learn about nehiyawe, Cree values. One that has resonated over time was “always uplift each other in community,” said Northwest. The values she learned were from spending time with her grandparents, who taught about care and respect for all living beings, especially the plants. These teachings taught Northwest about the importance of reciprocity that led to unpacking what learning about community really means – who is involved, how to go about things in a good way, how to listen, learn and engage. These are all things that impact how she currently walks in the world. For Northwest, the teachings are interrelated, with her “acknowledging the importance of focusing on good things.” This can shape a person’s world into also doing good things, speaking good things, hearing good things, and just being a good relative. For Kyra, being a good relative is about “being able to connect on a community level and support one another, learning about one another while reminding ourselves of these fundamental teachings that are rooted in knowing our relations with the earth.” All these teachings are part of understanding the continuation of life. “We should always be caring for each other and helping each other out,” Northwest shared. “If someone is not in a good place, it is important to learn how we can support them, all to show each other that we are here for them, even in the hard times, that we are here together, not separate.” Northwest is not only an advocate for the environment, but also part of bringing the Buffalo back with the Buffalo Treaty that was originally signed on September 24, 2014, with the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana, USA. Kyra has a deep connection to the Buffalo and to the land and what that means for her people. “Being part of the Buffalo Treaty has been as a joint effort to bring back our relative that was removed from the landscape and how that has deeply impacted everything,” said Northwest. What she has come to know over a lifetime of learning, is that “the Buffalo was a traditional gift giving economy, where at a community level they were so important in supporting and making our communities better.” Since 2014, the Buffalo Treaty has built relationships with nations within North America, specifically with sharing education around honouring, recognizing, and revitalizing the ‘time immemorial relationship we have with the Buffalo’ – as a collective initiative undersigned by nations all to welcome Buffalo to once again live among us. The Buffalo Treaty’s collective intention is rooted in recognizing the Buffalo as a wild free-ranging animal that is an important part of the ecology. In 2021, Northwest became the founding director and strategic advisor for the International Buffalo Relations Institute. Her heart’s work focuses on implementing the Buffalo Treaty while supporting Indigenous Nations in returning the Buffalo to the lands. Alongside Northwest’s work with restoring cultural and ecological connections, Kyra has been a member of Line 3 Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee since 2017. Laura Mushumanski is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Kyra Northwest discusses the importance of knowing our relations with the earth
