Saskatoon man smudges outside makeshift shelter to advocate for homeless

David Fineday said he spent four days straight smudging and praying outside in freezing conditions. The Saskatoon man wants more help for people who do not have a place to live.

"I'm advocating so no more people are lost on the street," Fineday said. "No more people lose limbs, no more people go to hospitals of chronic illnesses, people dying of pneumonia out there."

Fineday said he was granted a 96-hour smudging permit by the City of Saskatoon and assembled an encampment on 20th Street in a lot across the street from Station 20 West. Fineday said the camp could fit about 12 people, but that typically ten people are in at a time. He said people come into the space to smudge, pray, warm-up, sleep on cots and have a hot beverage or something to eat. He said the group relies on donations of food and clothing from the community. 

"Last year within a month I probably lost six friends and that's what's making me do this," Fineday said.

Fineday said he was homeless two years ago and as a survivor of the Sixties Scoop his trauma played a large role in the struggles he faced later in life. 

Fineday's smudge permit began Saturday. He hosted a homelessness rally in the space and the event included drumming, dancing and smudging.

A makeshift camp sprung up around the site, including a structure featuring several tarps strung up to block the wind.

Fineday's permit ended Tuesday at 6 p.m. CST and he said the city told him he would need to tear down the shelter once the permit expired.

City says encampment must come down

The Saskatoon Fire Department confirmed in a statement Tuesday that a "weather shield" would have to be removed unless the property owner obtained necessary permits and ensured the structure met safety standards.

"The weather shield on the site was set up for the purposes of the smudge. This was a temporary measure to provide relief from the extreme weather that Saskatoon recently experienced," said Fire Marshal Ryan Bradley in a written statement sent to CBC News.

"The weather shield must be removed when the permit expires," the statement reads. 

City says it supports smudging

The statement said that "the City has and will continue to support cultural practices and will work with the community to assist in those efforts. However, the Fire Department must operate within the boundaries of the City of Saskatoon Bylaws." 

It also notes that the lot's property owner has agreed to work with "the applicant of the burn permit to ensure smudging can continue; however, the property owner is not permitting encampments to be erected on their property."

"It's more than a passion, it's like I have to do it," Fineday said. "I don't see anybody else out here putting up tents and trying to help the people."

On November 20, the city addressed an encampment on 20th street and said it had not granted any permission for the camp to stay, but rather had granted a permit for smudging.

"We do want to support the smudging and the ceremonial fire that he is intending on having," Fire Marshall Ryan Bradley said at a press conference.

 "But we also want to make clear that the line stops with that support of the ceremonial fire and the smudge. And by no way are we endorsing an encampment at the area."

Smudging is considered a sacred tradition in Indigenous culture. It's an act where sweet grass or sage is burned in ritual and people can use the smoke to cleanse their hearts, minds and bodies. Fineday has been performing smudges every Saturday for the last four years with a group he leads called Smudge On. 

"People feel very at home and safe in there with the fire, cause the the fire does something to you," Fineday said. "It has that nice hot, hot heat and it soothes you, this is a sacred fire."

Fineday said more Indigenous-led shelters are needed to re-connect people to their spirituality. 

"That's what I'm trying to do, bring back the circle," Fineday said. "I'd like to see more [shelters] run by First Nations people."

Fineday said if the city asks, he will comply with the encampment's removal but said he will just request another smudging permit. He said if the city takes the camp apart, people will be left on the streets without shelter.

CBC News visited the encampment site on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CST and it remained.