Potlatch Simulation

Grade 4/5 French Immersion students in Mme. Munn's and Mme. Bourne's at Homma Elementary participated in a Potlatch Simulation in late November.  The event was organized in collaboration with Aboriginal Education Teacher Ms. Bone and involved learning and practicing the concepts of witnessing, gifting, legend sharing, and feasting.  

Students learned that a Coast Salish Potlatch is not just a big party, but fundamental to social organization (e.g. due to the witnessing of marriages and naming ceremonies), has cultural significance (through the gifting of legends and songs), and is important economically due to the redistribution of wealth by the Potlatch host. 

Prior to the Potlatch Simulation, students read the book "Secret of the Dance" which is based on an Kwakwaka'wakw elder's actual experience with the banning of the potlatch by the Canadian government from 1885-1951.

After learning the basic concepts and history of the Potlatch Ceremony, students prepared medicine bags and learned about the four sacred medicines of the medicine wheel.  These were then gifted to the guest class during the potlatch simulation.

Before the potlatch, students worked in small groups learning a legend that they acted out for their guests.  Bannock was also prepared by the host class for the feasting portion of the potlatch.

Prior to the potlatch students learned the Coast Salish Anthem (gifted by Chief Dan George) and they followed along to the beat of a traditional rawhide drum for the opening of the ceremony.

It was an incredibly meaningful and memorable afternoon that both students and teachers felt honoured to witness and participate in.

HAND-MADE MOCCASINS

A Grade 9 English teacher at Burnett Secondary, David Giesbrecht, has given an Aboriginal student in his class the opportunity to do an Inquiry Project on the subject of Hand-Made Moccasins.  Some of the questions of the inquiry project are as follows: 

-       Who were making moccasins?

-       What is the material necessary to make them?

-       Since when were moccasins hand-made?

-       Why do we still hand-make moccasins?

-       What is being learned in the process of making moccasins? 

But most importantly, two significant questions about making moccasins contribute to a deeper understanding and self-discovery when involved in this activity:

-       What does a person learn about oneself by making moccasins?

-       Is there a traditional protocol when hand-making moccasins?

When using an animal skin to make an object, it is the protocol in First Nations culture to say thank you to the animal for giving its life for us to make moccasins. That is a way of showing respect to the animals and not taking them for granted.

Aboriginal students have shared with me that making moccasins is a way of connecting with the Aboriginal culture and experiencing a greater sense of belonging and respect for Mother Earth.

All my relations,

Monique Giard, Aboriginal Success Teacher, mgiard@sd38.bc.ca

Medicine Wheel Teachings at Hugh Boyd Secondary

Graham Shand, our district Elder in residence, will be offering a series of Medicine Wheel Teachings to students at Hugh Boyd Secondary. Thanks to Combined Studies teachers Dikaia Vakakis and Bryce Miller, their students in the Combined Studies Program will participate in an interactive discussion of the principles of the Mind, Body, Emotions, and Spirit of the balanced Medicine Wheel. At the end of November, they will be invited to participate in the powerful ceremony of the Sweat Lodge in Agassiz.

When you read the testimonials of those students who participated in the ceremony last year, it gives you a sense of the power of this ancient practice. This ceremony has been practiced over thousands of years, since time immemorial, because of its healing effect on people. These teachings are priceless and we are very fortunate to have Graham Shand share his knowledge with us.

“The Agassiz Sweat Lodge opened up my third eye and it helped me realize how life is so precious and I need to think about the future. A good eye opener; it answered my own question without thinking about it; it resolved itself.”

  Grade 12 student at Hugh Boyd Secondary

“The Sweat Lodge was pretty cool because it helped me think about lots of stuff; like things in my life that went wrong and things that went right. The choices I make impact my spirit and well-being.”

Grade 9 student at Hugh Boyd Secondary

“The sweat lodge was inspiring! It gave me a connection with my ancestors that I never had before. The ceremony answered a lot of questions without having to ask any.”

Grade 12 student at Hugh Boyd Secondary

“After the lodge I felt like I can run a marathon if I set my mind to it. It felt empowering. I think overall it was a good learning experience; it gave me a chance to explore myself and learn about other people. When every one introduced themselves around the circle with their names and nations it gave me a sense of belonging and community. It felt really good.”

Grade 12 student at Hugh Boyd Secondary

For more information please contact Monique Giard, Aboriginal Success Teacher, mgiard@sd38.bc.ca.

Visiting Elder to McNair Secondary

            Students at McNair Secondary participated in a number of activities with a visiting Cree Elder, Graham Shand.  Graham met with students both as a group and on a one-on-one basis.  He also hosted a sweat lodge ceremony in Agassiz, BC and a number of talking circles at McNair.  Students who participated in these conversations and activities expressed great gratitude and fulfillment.  It was also obvious to those involved that developing a relationship with an Elder had a profound influence on students’ character and cultural pride.  Students were encouraged to actively engage during these events rather than participate as bystanders.  For example, during a sweat lodge ceremony several students assisted the fire keeper, shared their own ancestral songs, and received names from an Elder. 

            One-on-one meetings with Graham also helped students reach a deeper level of cultural respect and understanding while revealing areas of potential and areas where support was needed.  Debriefing after these sessions was crucial as it made it possible to highlight where individual students could benefit from additional support.  A number of positive plans developed as a result of these meetings.  For example, one student was provided with personal tutoring to enhance her achievement in Communications 12 while another student met with Richmond firefighters and recruiters to tour their facilities and explore a potential future career.  

For more information please contact: Sonja Bone, sbone@richmond.sd38.bc.ca, (604)668-6615 ext. 1179.

  

I-story Project

This past spring I collaborated with Farrah Merali at Burnett Secondary using a grant from Vancouver Biennale to engage in an inquiry project with a grade 10 Social Studies class to explore what it means to be an individual in a collective, and the consequences of assimilation for First Nations people and new immigrants to Canada.  Our big idea was that the past impacts the present, and more personally, our past impacts our present.

Through field study (a walking tour through downtown Vancouver, including a viewing of the Biennale sculpture, Walking Figures) workshops (with Coast Salish teacher/performer Rosemary Georgeson to understand more about the history of First Nations people in Canada, and her own experience as a First Nations woman in the fishing industry) and ancestral research, students reflected on how personal histories intersect with personal and community identity.  Students then created an i-story about the history of one of their ancestors, and reflected on the importance of telling one’s story, and on the impact of ancestors in our lives. Throughout the project, students learned how to express themselves through film by creatively documenting their i-stories and learning process in a film. 

The link to our project with the Vancouver Biennale is here:

http://www.vancouverbiennale.com/learning-cases/brunett-secondary/

Our filmmaker for this project was Jessica Hallenbeck, and she was amazing.  The film that we made is posted on her website:

http://hallenbeckconsultants.com/#projects, under the title, Poem for Walking Figures.

If anyone is interested in this project or in working with the Vancouver Biennale, please contact me Leanne McColl, lmccoll@sd38.bc.ca, or (604)668-6000 ext. 1405.