Vee Whitehorse of Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation presented at the Regina Elders Gathering in February 2020. Whitehorse is a leader at Leading Thunderbird Lodge where he supports Indigenous youth who are struggling with addictions. The holistic youth treatment centre offers opportunities for youth to connect with their culture, explore their identities, and heal. At the Elders Gathering, Whitehorse frames his discussion around the question: What are you dressed up in? He suggests that language, kinship, ceremony, and Mother Earth/heavens create a Natural Law and when you practice these components you will be less vulnerable, insulated or ‘dressed up’ and can protect yourself.
