A special ceremony was held Monday, to mark the opening of the Cedar Way Healing Ceremony Room, at the Yorkton and District Nursing Home.

Tara Blount, a licensed practical nurse at the home, says the new area, created in conjunction with the Yorkton Tribal Council, provides a space for smudging ceremonies for First Nations residents and their families, and is an extension of the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s client-focused philosophy.

Blount says being able to engage in smudging ceremonies in a designated area will help to ground and reconnect residents, smudging away negativity, aiding in a different, more holistic type of healing, for mind, body and spirit.

A ceremony was also held at the home in the afternoon, to honour Truth and Reconciliation Day.