Elder and Knowledge Keeper

Elder Wanda First Rider of the Blackfoot Confederacy, serves as a spiritual guide, cultural teacher, and historical witness within the Stardale community.

Her teachings help place the experiences of young people within the broader history of Indigenous peoples.

Through prayer, ceremony, and cultural teachings, she helps create the spiritual foundation for the work.

Elder Wanda reminds youth that their struggles are not personal failures, but part of a larger history shaped by colonization and the loss of land, language, and culture.

At the same time, she teaches that Indigenous peoples have always carried strength, resilience, and spiritual knowledge.

Her presence helps ensure the circle remains grounded in Indigenous traditions and teachings.