US EditionCree Child Takes First Steps on Parliament Hill in 'Historic' Ceremony
The James Bay Cree ceremony marked her first supported steps and drew cabinet ministers, Indigenous leaders and dozens of community members.
- On Wednesday, April 15, 2026, six-month-old Annora Crowe performed a traditional Cree "walking out" ceremony on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, marking the first time such a ceremony has been held at this location.
- Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty explained that the ceremony introduces a Cree child to the community with purpose, identity, and belonging, marking when a child takes their first supported steps on the land.
- Guided by parents Kimisha-Ann Capissisit and Marcus Perusse-Crowe and grandmother Angela Ottereyes, Annora walked counterclockwise around a tree as Algonquin elder Jane Chartrand performed a traditional welcoming song on their territory.
- Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak called Annora a "future First Nations prime minister" on social media, while Gull-Masty noted the event was a vital learning experience for her department.
- Participants emphasized that such ceremonies are a living part of community culture rather than relics of the past, with Gull-Masty stating these traditions will continue to bring families together in the future.
21 Articles
21 Articles
6-month-old Cree girl has her Walking Out ceremony on Parliament Hill
A Cree Walking Out ceremony on Parliament Hill on Wednesday morning at sunrise, arranged by Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty, was both a celebration and a learning opportunity for members of Parliament, she said, about the vibrant present and future of Indigenous cultures.
The Toronto Star
Cree child takes first steps on Parliament Hill in ‘historic’ ceremony
OTTAWA - A Cree child took her first steps on the land during a "walking out" ceremony on Parliament Hill today, a moment one Algonquin elder says is historic and
castanet.net
Cree child takes first steps on Parliament Hill in 'historic' ceremony
A Cree child took her first steps on the land during a "walking out" ceremony on Parliament Hill today, a moment one Algonquin elder says is historic and a reminder of the importance of family. Six-month old Annora Crowe emerged from a teepee holding her parents' hands and took her first s...
A Cree girl took her first steps on Wednesday during a welcoming ceremony on Parliament Hill, a moment that an Algonquin elder calls historic and recalls the importance of the family.
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