New episode in Elders’ Wisdom Series features Elder Rod Hunter on the UCalgary Honour Song

The Elders’ Wisdom Series, presented by the Office of Indigenous Engagement at the University of Calgary, is a series of oral stories from Elders who share valuable cultural wisdom. 

The most recent edition to the collection has Elder Rod Hunter from Stoney Nakoda Bearspaw First Nation tell the origins of UCalgary’s Honour Song, which he gifted the university in 2018.

Hunter most recently performed the song for UCalgary grads during fall convocation which took place Nov. 12 to 13. The release of this episode of the Elders’ Wisdom Series is timely, as the university reflects on the song they heard over convocation.

Hunter says the song came to him in a dream after a powwow.

“I got up singing it, I put it on the recorder and I didn’t think much of it,” says Hunter. “Years passed and I was going through my recordings and that song came up, ‘Oh, yes!’ so I finished making it.”

Years later, the university invited Hunter to sing with his drum group, Eya Hey Nakoda. Considering the right song for the occasion, together with his son, Hunter landed on what they called at the time RB One. This song went on to become one of four key cultural gifts contributing to ii’ taa’poh’to’p, the University of Calgary Indigenous Strategy, when Hunter gifted the song to the university. 

The gifting took place through ceremony in a tipi on university grounds, marking a moment of mutual respect and cultural significance.

The Honour Song is now performed at all UCalgary convocations, as well as at major university events. 

“It always makes me feel good, because I have to sing it to them and I pray in my mind while I’m singing it that these students that are there in convocation become successful. That they take the good path,” says Hunter.

Hunter says the song is difficult to sing due to all the “ups and downs” in the vocals, but adds that, because of this, the song has more significance, as he compares its “ups and downs” to the peaks and valleys in life. “Even if you are down, you can always come back up,” he says.

When the song is played at a university event, campus members should remove their hats and stand if they are able. They should also sing along if they know the words. Requests can be made to the Office of Indigenous Engagement to set up a workshop with Hunter, or another one of the Traditional Knowledge Keepers or affiliates, to teach the Honour Song to members of the campus community.

You can watch Hunter’s Elders’ Wisdom Series episode below.