Kodiak Herbal

A nations culture resides in the heart of its people

Welcome

Kodiak Herbal provides immersion in Michif Lifeways through art, crafts, traditional medicine and nature. Join a Metis Herbalist, Knowledge Keeper & Craftsperson to learn local skills, history and a unique perspective on the Canadian Prairies.

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Culture & Medicine Workshops

We celebrate our connections in the Metis Homelands by sharing the arts, crafts & traditions of the Canadian Prairies. You are invited to join a live or online workshop, or book a private experience to partake in the rich culture of the Metis of Southern Alberta.

Metis Educational Presentations

Presentations for schools, youth groups & colleges are available each semester. Students benefit from direct experience and observational learning in a variety of Metis traditions. Topics include Metis clothing, regalia, home-making, religion, sash weaving, arts & crafts, plant medicine, food and feasts, history and culture.  

Upcoming Events

There are no upcoming events at this time.

Meet Kalyn Kodiak

Walking on the edge of two worlds, Kalyn is a student of Michif Lifeways and modern western medical research regarding phytochemicals. She is a resource on traditional medicines to the Metis communities of Southern Alberta, and aen aapikayahk sayncheur flayshii (Metis sash weaver)

Kalyn teaches workshops in health and herbs, Metis traditions, plant identification & cultural art. She has been honored to visit numerous schools, youth and community groups as a culture teacher and herbalist. She is a passionate guide to locals & tourists who wish to learn about the Metis of Southern Alberta.

Our Blog

Students of Aberystwyth, Wales Visit Kodiak Herbal

I had the extreme pleasure of hosting students from Coleg Ceredigion during their visit to Canada in March 2022, for a plant walk featuring traditional Metis medicines of the Bow River Valley. Among the group of travelers, who hailed from various parts of the UK, were...

Medicine Workshop Aims to Reconnect Metis People with Tradition in Bragg Creek – Cochrane Eagle

Originally Published in the Cochrane Eagle, February 8 2022. Written by Jesse Cole. Kalyn Kodiak is a Métis traditional knowledge keeper and herbalist. She’ll be sharing some of that knowledge on Feb. 18 in Bragg Creek. Métis Canadians have a long and rich history in...

Indigenous Tourism Associations Support Small Culture Tourism Business

Kodiak Herbal is the proud recipient of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada's Stimulus Development Fund, as well as Indigenous Tourism Alberta's COVID-19 Relief Fund. This funding has enabled us to continue doing what we love - sharing Metis culture with...

There’s a Bear in my Freezer, Part 2

I wrote last autumn about a little black bear who got hit by a semi-trailer. I took him home and put him in my freezer. Here is what happened next. I could never kill a bear; bears to me are the physical form of a sacred guardian who has loved me and kept a watchful...

Metis Sash Loom Weaving – Live & Socially Distanced

Calgary, AB @ Herbal Healing Apothecary Saturday, January 16th, 9am-5pm - Delayed due to COVID restrictions Online Version Available Immerse yourself in the Story of the Michif People while creating your own sayncheur flayshii (Metis sash) on a locally-made...

Wildcrafting Medicine @ Providence Lane Farms

Wildcrafting & Medicine Making at Providence Lane Farms Saturday, May 23rd, 2020 @  10am-3pm Come out to Providence Lane Homestead, just North of Cochrane, for a day spent with Kalyn Kodiak, Metis Knowledge Keeper. Registration below. Are you interested in...

There’s a Black Bear in my Freezer

 Here's the story of how she came to be there: Steve and I took a day off after our wedding this August, to relax and go hiking in Kananaskis. This is where we saw the bear. She was a young black bear, likely a teenager, and she was sprinting across the highway just...

Traditional Metis Tree Medicines

Populus (Poplar, Aspen) Populus is a genus of 25-35 flowering deciduous trees native to the Northern Hemisphere. Common names for Populus include Cottonwoods, Poplars and Aspens. The name Populus (“of the people”)was given to these trees because they are so often...

Happy Indigenous People’s Month!

Coloring book of some common Metis weeds found around the city.