Peepeekisis Cree Nation has officially opened the first Indigenous-owned and operated funeral home in Saskatchewan, located in Lorlie, Sask. “I feel proud,” Peepeekisis Chief Francis Dieter told CTV News at the grand opening on Thursday morning. The grand opening of the 10,000 foot facility was celebrated Thursday by Chief Dieter, members of the Peepeekisis Cree Nation Council, Elders, community members and partners. The idea for the funeral home came from a First Nation north of North Battleford. “We had a good friend of mine who was actually the chief of Thunderchild First Nation,” Chief Dieter explained. “He gave me a call and said, ‘Chief, there’s a funeral home up for sale in our area.’” Eventually, Peepeekisis First Nation decided to open one closer to home. “This facility is inspired by our First Nation heritage, but we aim for it to be accessible to everyone. Peepeekisis is unique in that we embrace a diverse range of races, cultures, and religions, and our community has always been welcoming to all,” Chief Dieter said in a news release. The funeral home marks an important milestone for the community, providing a space close to home where families can gather to honour and celebrate the lives of their loved ones. “This project represents another step toward sovereignty. For years, our community has needed a facility where we can come together to celebrate the lives of our loved ones, and today’s grand opening brings us one step closer to that goal,” Chief Dieter added. The new funeral home has created a space where Indigenous traditions can be practiced. “In a lot of places, smudging and similar practices are not permitted, and smudging is an important part of Indigenous cultures and traditions, not just for funerals but as a whole,” said Christian Lafontaine, managing director of the funeral home. “I think it’s important to have those traditions recognized and to provide a place where they can be practiced.” The facility’s design allowed for the inclusion of features where traditional practices can be observed, including smudging. Ronaye Wilson, Steel River Group’s vice president of project design and development, explained what what into it. “That meant a whole new RTU unit on the roof for exhaust, to get the smudge smoke out so that it doesn’t spill into the rest of the building and trigger any of the fire alarms,” Wilson told CTV News. The funeral home’s development was overseen by Steel River Group, an Indigenous-owned management and development company contracted by Peepeekisis First Nation. Wilson said a great deal of thought also went into creating the circular design, a motif that is important in Indigenous cultures. Lafontaine said there aren’t many facilities like the funeral home he now manages, and he hopes it will become a sought-after service across the province. “I’m hoping that we’ll be able to serve the whole province so that everybody has a place where they feel welcome,” he added. The facility features an entry hall, gathering hall, meeting rooms, kitchen, as well as catering and floral services. Cremation, traditional burial, memorial products, and ceremonial and ritual services will be offered at the funeral home. The cost of the funeral home is $7,076,375, with Indigenous Services Canada providing just over $1 million through the Community Opportunities Readiness Program. The new facility is part of the First Nation’s long-term development strategy. “Next, I’m hoping for an old folks’ home on the Nation,” Chief Dieter shared. For others, the funeral home isn’t part of a grand plan but rather something that revitalizes the small town of Lorlie. “My house actually would have been underneath part of this building,” Carl Sowden said. Sowden grew up in Lorlie, but he hasn’t been back in 60 years. He said it was a wonderful little town back then, compared to the present day, when “there’s nothing here in town.” “I’d like to see houses and people living here again,” he shared, expressing his hopes for Lorlie, which may soon come true.
