Help Kyle Replace His Regalia

Hi everyone. As you may have heard, our good friend Kyle Young Pine recently suffered a huge loss when he discovered that his fancy feather regalia had been stolen from his car. Regalia like this takes years to create, contains pieces that are sacred and impossible to replace, and, as a result, is incredibly expensive. Kyle’s regalia is not just a part of his livelihood (although it definitely is). It is also a tie to his culture and a huge part of who he is and how he shares his culture with others. Losing his regalia limits his opportunities to share and participate in dance, culture and community in its full capacity. We want to help Kyle get back on his feet by setting up this GoFundMe so that he can start piecing together a new outfit. As an active and valued member of our board, Cousins Skateboard Community wants Kyle to know that we have all got his back, and we know it won’t be long until he is dancing again. Thank you for taking the time to read this. We appreciate your consideration in donating and sharing our GoFundMe on Kyle’s behalf.

Check out this article from CBC: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/kyle-young-pine-regalia-stolen-1.6117839

A message from Kyle:

Oki, nitanikko piita aapaskaan, Kyle Young Pine

I’m reaching out for help in replacing my fancy feather regalia. At some point this past weekend someone went into my luggage and took every piece of my fancy feather outfit. There are so many layers to how this impacts me and my community and I am completely honest in saying that a part of my spirit left when I opened the bag. 

First and foremost, I am an educator. Going into schools and events in and around Calgary is not only a passion of mine and a huge part of my livelihood, but it’s also what I find to be the most effective method in spreading Blackfoot knowledge. Bridging the gap between indigenous and non-indeginous people is my life purpose, and showing up in these spaces in my traditional clothing is something I am very proud of. I know I’m on the right path when I see how kids light up when I’m there and they’re participating. This work feels really important to me and I know it’s a small but important part of this cultural shift that’s happening right now.

My dance regalia being stolen is not only heart breaking for myself but also a shame for everyone involved in the making and blessing of it. So much time and energy are put into these outfits, and every single set of hands involved in this process have put so much love into the finished product. Fancy feathers represent so much more than the dancer who wears them; they represent our culture, our beliefs, our ceremonial ways, and most importantly our resiliency.

I’m putting all of my hope into these items being found, but in the meantime I need to move forward somehow and reaching out to the community for help came as a suggestion, so I’m giving it a shot. Not only will this money get me back dancing at schools and showing up for youth, but it also helps support each individual maker involved in the creation of a new outfit for me. 

Nitsikini’itsiip,

Kyle YP