First Nations runner making impact across Canada
Traditional indigenous runner Caribou Legs stopped in Swift Current on June 28 while completing a portion of his ongoing journey to raise awareness of First Nations issues.
Brad Firth has completed long runs to various locations all across the country over the past number of years, and he is currently making his way from Regina to Cape Breton on a run that will be completed on October 31.
He is a traditional message carrier, and runs in face paint and full regalia. His message is one of making a fundamental shift in Canadian culture, and moving away from the disrespect which has and continues to be shown to Indigenous peoples. All Canadians must wake up and take responsibility for their thoughts and actions. A portion of his message is also to put a spotlight on the issue of murdered and missing Indigenous women.
“You look at me running and there’s all kind of thoughts, projections, ideas, doubts, fears - when you look at me. My face. My regalia. You don’t see it too often on the highway,” Caribou Legs said during his stop in Swift Current.
“I’m forcing people to react in any way,” he admitted. “And that’s good by me too, because a lot of people need to get shaken up in this country around First Nations issues. It’s a badly needed wake up call.”
He said his running forces people to be aware of issues which aren’t always comfortable to address.
His stay in Swift Current was supported by the Living Sky Casino, who provided him a room for the evening at the Home Inn and Suites.
He said this is reflective of the support he receives from coast to coast.
“It’s nice to feel supported and it’s nice to feel validated and loved and appreciated. It goes a long way for me. I wake up with a team that totally surrounds me online. I’m just one click away from contacting anybody when I need something.”
“The people are always there. I’m their runner. Not many runners can really say that they’re a community runner, Brad Firth, known as Caribou Legs, was in Swift Current while he was preparing for a Regina to Cape Breton run for the next four months.
but I’ve got that role.”
He admits that his running is also a spiritual endeavour.
“It’s very spiritual. I’m a spiritual runner. There’s a lot of prayers involved. There’s a lot of ceremony involved. There’s lots of synchronicity that happen daily out there for me - whether its the birds or the animals that come out to cheer me on.”
“When I need feathers - eagle feathers or red tailed hawk feathers - most times when I pray for feathers usually one of the birds will sacrifice his life for me and a dead bird will be on my path. And those kind of offerings are really nice. And that’s when you know that The Creator has his hand in my running.”
You can follow Caribou Legs on Facebook or support his running efforts by donating to his Gofundme page.