September 2026 – Stories, Connection and Reconciliation

September is bringing lots of exciting opportunities to Stardale Women’s Group! With a month full of storytelling, drumming, film and community events, we are looking forward to spending time together, sharing experiences and continuing to create meaningful connections. September also brings the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, giving us an important opportunity to listen, learn and reflect together. 

Stories That Connect Us

Storytelling has always been an important part of life at Stardale. Whether the girls are sharing ideas during circle time, learning through cultural teachings, creating art, writing, drumming or working on a film, there are always new ways for them to explore their creativity and share their voices. These moments give the girls the freedom to express themselves while learning from each other and building confidence along the way. 

Finding Connection Through Creativity

The girls have explored many important topics through Stardale projects over the years, including identity, racism, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, residential schools and the impacts of colonialism. Projects like The Talking Quilt, along with filmmaking, performance, art and drumming, have created opportunities to share stories in creative and meaningful ways. These activities are also a wonderful way for the girls to connect with culture, community and one another. 

Drumming Together

Drumming continues to be one of the special ways the Stardale girls come together. Learning songs, performing as a group and sharing the drum creates opportunities for connection, confidence and plenty of memorable moments! The girls will have another opportunity to share their drumming with the community this September as part of an exciting evening at The Confluence.

Stories on the Screen

On September 17, 2026, Stardale Women’s Group will join the Calgary Justice Film Festival for a special justREEL Community Event at The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland.

The evening will feature the short films The Road and Shadow in Time, along with a conversation with Eugene Stickland, co-creator of the films.

Eugene has worked with the Stardale girls, helping them explore their ideas through discussion, writing and creativity. His work with the girls has given them space to think, share and discover new ways to tell their stories.

The Stardale Drummers will also perform during the evening, bringing music, culture and another important form of storytelling to the gathering.

The event begins at 6:00 p.m. at The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland, 750 9 Avenue SE in Calgary, with a reception to follow.

Admission is free and advance registration is available through Showpass:https://www.showpass.com/cjff-justreel-community-event-stardale-womens-group/

Continuing the Conversation

The month continues with another opportunity to gather when Stardale takes part in an event at Recovery Church on September 27 at 6:00 p.m., located at 131 7th Avenue SW in Calgary. We always enjoy opportunities to connect with new people, share more about Stardale and bring our stories into the wider community. 

As we move toward the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, September reminds us of the importance of honouring Survivors, remembering the children who attended residential schools and continuing to learn about the lasting impacts of colonialism. It is also a time to celebrate Indigenous voices, culture, knowledge and the strength found in coming together.

At Stardale, we look forward to continuing to create spaces where the girls can learn, laugh, create, share and feel confident in who they are. With so many stories, songs and special moments ahead, September is shaping up to be a meaningful month!

We hope you will join us at one of our September events and become part of the Stardale community.

Learn more at www.stardale.org

A Season to Grow: Connection, Belonging, and Summer

Summer has a way of creating space.

Longer days invite us outside. Conversations linger. Laughter carries a little farther. And sometimes, the simplest moments become the ones we remember most.

At Stardale Women’s Group, these moments matter.

Growth does not always happen in a classroom or through a major milestone. Sometimes it happens while creating something together, spending time on the land to gather medicines and pick berries, sharing a story, trying something new, or simply being surrounded by people who make you feel that you belong.

A Place to Belong

Belonging is more than being welcomed. It is knowing your voice matters once you are there.

For Indigenous girls and young women, opportunities to connect with community, culture, creativity, and one another can help nurture confidence and strengthen a sense of identity.

At Stardale, we believe every young woman deserves space to be heard, encouraged, and celebrated for who she is.

Her voice matters.
Her story matters.
Her dreams matter.

Growing Together

Summer reminds us that growth can be joyful.

It can look like laughter between friends, courage while trying something unfamiliar, a meaningful conversation, or the quiet confidence that comes from realizing, I can do this.

When we lead with sincerity, empathy, and compassion, we create spaces where young people can learn from one another, build meaningful relationships, and discover the strength already within their voices.

And perhaps summer gives all of us a chance to reflect:

Whose story can we make space to hear?
How can we help someone feel that they belong?
What can we learn from one another?
What kind of community are we creating for the next generation?

At Stardale, summer is another opportunity to connect, listen, learn, laugh, and grow together.

Because a season may pass quickly, but the confidence, connection, and sense of belonging we build within it can be carried forward long after summer ends.

Summer always brings a special energy to Stardale.

As the days grow longer and communities gather to celebrate, we are reminded that some of the most important learning happens when people come together to listen, share stories, and build relationships.

For nearly three decades, Stardale Women's Group has worked alongside Indigenous girls and young women, creating spaces where culture, leadership, creativity, and connection can flourish. Throughout those years, we have learned many valuable lessons, not only about resilience and healing, but also about the power of community and the importance of passing knowledge forward.

As we look ahead, Stardale is excited to expand opportunities for knowledge sharing and community engagement.

One thing has always been clear to us: Indigenous communities know what they need for hope, healing, and success. The wisdom exists within the community itself. Elders, young people, families, and community members all carry teachings and experiences that deserve to be heard, respected, and shared.

At Stardale, we believe these teachings can create meaningful change when people come together in the spirit of learning.

Over the coming months, we will continue to offer presentations, storytelling opportunities, circle talks, cultural teachings, and community discussions designed to foster understanding, strengthen relationships, and create spaces for honest conversations.

Many of these experiences will include the voices of the young women themselves. Through sharing their lived experiences, insights, creativity, and leadership, they continue to educate, inspire, and challenge us all to think differently about reconciliation, community, and belonging.

Storytelling has always been an important part of Indigenous culture. Stories teach, connect, heal, and preserve knowledge for future generations. When we create opportunities to share those stories, we create opportunities for understanding and change.

Whether through presentations, films, drumming, cultural teachings, or conversations held in circle, Stardale remains committed to creating spaces where learning happens through relationship and shared experience.

As we move through the summer and into the months ahead, we invite organizations, schools, businesses, and community groups to join us in these conversations.

There is always more to learn. There is always another story to hear. And there is always room for another voice in the circle.

Thank you to everyone who continues to walk alongside Stardale. Your support makes this work possible, and together, we look forward to continuing to build bridges, strengthen communities, and create lasting change.

To learn more about Stardale's presentations, curriculum, and community offerings, please visit www.stardalegroup.com, www.stardale.org or contact us directly. We would be honoured to connect with you.

June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada, a time to recognize and celebrate the histories, cultures, contributions, and resilience of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples. It is also the month of National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, a day dedicated to celebrating Indigenous cultures, languages, traditions, and communities.

For more than 29 years, Stardale Women's Group has been creating spaces where Indigenous girls and young women can build confidence, reconnect with culture, develop leadership skills, and strengthen their sense of belonging. Through mentorship, cultural activities, storytelling, filmmaking, and community-building, Stardale has been demonstrating reconciliation in action long before it became part of everyday conversation.

As Red Dress Day approaches, many educators, organizations, and communities are reflecting on how to meaningfully acknowledge the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. This day is not only about awareness—it is about remembering, honouring, and recognizing the ongoing impacts of colonial systems that continue to affect Indigenous families and communities today