August 21, 2026

Ka Ni Kanichihk welcomed funders, council members, and community members alike to 455 McDermot Avenue on August 21 for a day to remember. The morning began with a Pipe Ceremony, followed by our Annual General Meeting, before we headed outdoors for our Sweat Lodge Grand Opening and first-ever block party. It was a special, fun-packed day, open to all, that ended the summer in a good way.

For the grand opening of the sweat lodge, our Kookums performed an opening song and cedar path to bless the space with ceremony. Cedar is one of the four sacred medicines, known for its purifying and protective qualities, and walking the cedar path is a way of cleansing and protecting all who enter. The opening song calls in that blessing, giving thanks and setting a good intention for how the space will be used and cared for moving forward.

This new all-season urban sweat lodge — named Madoodiswan, meaning “sweat lodge” — is the first of its kind in Winnipeg. Situated outside our expanded building and located at 90 Gertie Street, this urban ceremonial lodge provides year-round access to ceremony. For many community members, distance and transportation have long been barriers to participating in sweat lodge ceremony — aside from occasional private sweats, those wanting to take part had to drive or find transportation to get outside the city. By bringing this sacred space into the heart of the city, Ka Ni Kanichihk is helping make ceremony more accessible for relatives living in Winnipeg’s downtown and surrounding communities.

The lodge is built from cedar wood, and features an outdoor firepit to warm the grandfather stones used during the sweat. Inside the lodge, a patch of grass has been left at the centre — a way of keeping the ceremony connected to Mother Earth, even indoors.

Once the sweat lodge opening ceremony was complete, celebrations continued outdoors at our first-ever block party, featuring hot dogs, bingo, a bouncy castle, live performances, and a dunk tank. Each Ka Ni Kanichihk program also set up their own booth, connecting with community and sharing information about the supports and resources available through their respective programs. We also handed out 200 backpacks filled with school supplies to the first 200 kids who arrived.

The new sweat lodge has already been put to good use, hosting a handful of ceremonies for program participants and community members alike. Miigwetch to everyone who joined us on this special day in celebration of this incredible milestone!