Parks Of Calgary celebrates the diverse people, parks, places and partners that make our city unique through community and collaboration. Let us introduce you to one of your neighbours.
Today we live in a fast-paced world, constantly dividing our time and attention to play different roles in our lives, managing never-ending to-do lists, attending a calendar of events, you name it. When life gets busy, we often react to our body’s signals when it tells us something is wrong, instead of proactively taking the time to give it what it needs.
This is where having a wellness practice comes in. Caring for your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, so you can experience personal growth, fulfillment, holistic wellbeing and resilience when life happens. And the best part is, this looks different for everyone in our local Calgary community.
We recently chatted with Kyle Agapi (Young Pine), a local Indigenous Calgarian, who has been on an eye-opening journey of self-discovery, to turn his life around and give back to the Calgary community. Here we’re sharing the ups and downs he experienced to get where he is today, with a fresh perspective on his past and how it’s fuelling his future.
Kyle’s Transformative Journey Of Recovery & Acceptance Through Cultural Exploration
Kyle grew up in Okotoks before moving to Calgary as an adult in 2010. He split his time between his mother’s family, who is of Romanian/Anishnaabe/Ojibwey descent, and his biological father, who is Blackfoot from the Blood Reserve south of Fort MacLeod. “My mom wasn’t raised with her Indigenous culture, but my dad was very much so,” said Kyle, which would later become a big part of his story.
With addiction affecting most of his family members, Kyle’s childhood was good, but challenging. “I never really felt like I belonged growing up. There was always a dark energy exchange at school.” Instead, Kyle focused his efforts on sports, playing hockey and soon trading it in for skateboarding. “I saw the skatepark at golden hour, and felt like I’d found a community that screamed freedom. Freedom from the chaos at home, the prejudices at school, and a place where I could challenge myself.”
In the summers, Kyle attended rodeos and pow wows with his father, and it was here that he felt truly welcomed and accepted. But that feeling was short-lived, evaporating when he returned home to his regular routine. This repetitive feeling of being an outsider pushed him into an addiction in his early teens. “I didn’t see the problem because nobody held me accountable. Growing up in an unwelcoming environment didn’t lead me to become a proud Indigenous person. I didn’t want to be part of my culture.”
In 2008, Kyle had everything going for him, but addiction led him to the lowest point of his life. However, something happened that year that would change the course of his life forever. “I watched my friend dance pow wow with two bustles on his back. Before this, I thought there was only one style — men’s traditional, what my father danced — but I was intrigued.” This was Kyle’s first introduction to fancy feather dancing, and where he decided to become a dancer. He felt the same magnetism and promise of freedom he did years ago when he discovered skateboarding for the first time. Yet the physical demands of this style require dancers to be in excellent health, as it follows the fastest drum beat in his culture. “I decided I needed to get sober to follow my passion, and this would be my first of four attempts at being sober for life.”
How Kyle’s Wellness Journey Influences Our Calgary Community Today
Since 2013, Kyle has dedicated much of his time to serving our local community. In addition to running his own plumbing and gas business, he started out by performing simple dances around Calgary and southern Alberta, before word spread and his influence grew. “I now get asked to speak publicly, present at schools, share cultural education at corporate events and perform at conferences. As dancers, we’re asked to perform year-round, but I never thought I’d be the person directing them. I’m so proud to share my story and my culture now, because at one point, it was 50/50 if I would even wake up in the morning.”
Through his winding journey of ups and downs, discoveries and challenges, Kyle now uses his unique perspective and transformative experience to motivate and encourage those around him to engage and ask questions. “Indigenous history is often viewed in a very dark way, and people should educate themselves on Canada’s history. But it’s my mission to bring light to our culture. I’m very passionate about educating people in a safe space, I don’t shy away from telling the truth. It’s not necessary to shame people for something they didn’t personally do. The future is NOT divided, and we can make braver steps forward together.”
Kyle is also a proud father to his 8-year-old son, Phoenix, who is always right by his side, learning that most of our needs are met by being outside. “The land is and will always be our home, not the concrete jungle. I never realized how important this was growing up. Whether it’s a much needed boost of serotonin from the sun, cold therapy in the Bow River or camping under the stars, these are our best moments as father and son.”
Growing up learning to respect and revere nature, Kyle’s culture taught him that spending time outdoors is critical for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual fitness. “We prepare our sun lodges, sweat lodges, medicines and fasting materials from the earth. I’ve learned so much from the Blackfoot elders over the past decade, about a simpler way of life. To honor the land we stand on, while opening my heart, mind and body to spirituality. It takes a lot of courage to go into a territory that isn’t understood, but the rewards of letting fear go are unforgettable.”
Here in Calgary, you can often find Kyle running the stairs in Sunnyside Bank Park, skateboarding with Phoenix at Millenium Park, or performing at the Elbow River Camp during Stampede in ENMAX Park. “Even though Calgary has one of the largest city populations in Canada, there’s no shortage of places you can visit to find peace. I’ve found social media in moderation to be a very useful tool, and everyone should follow @parksofcalgary. It takes a lot of willpower and dedication to not get stuck on a screen all day, but it’s necessary to unplug and get outside. This is something Phoenix and I both try to implement in our lives.” Find Kyle on Instagram here.
Do you, or someone you know, have an inspiring story about how the outdoors, our Calgary community or focusing on your wellness has impacted your life? We’d love to hear about it! Email hello@parksofcalgary.com and share it with us for your chance to be featured on our blog.
One Response
Great job Kyle, not only for yourself but for being the best dad for Phoenix. It takes a lot of hard work but you are doing it. Yes being outdoors is one of the things that Calgary offers us. Just curious I have heard and seen a sweat lodge but never a Sun Lodge and wondered what the story is on a Sun Lodge.
Take care and keep doing what you are doing!
Florence