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National Indigenous Peoples’ day celebrated in Meadow Lake schools

Jun 21, 2018 | 5:00 PM

Local students got into the spirit of National Indigenous Peoples’ Day Thursday.  

The day is observed on June 21 annually to honour the Indigenous population of the entire country by celebrating culture. Many local schools took part, including Gateway Elementary School. The staff, led by teacher Jana Ross, filled the day with activities for students celebrating and observing Indigenous culture. The morning activity stations included Métis sash art, lacrosse, a traditional Cree game called stick dice, learning about plants and their medicinal uses, and Cree vocabulary bingo.

Ross said more than 63 per cent of the student population at the school identifies as Indigenous, and observing National Indigenous Peoples’ Day is important for students and staff alike.

“It’s great for the [Indigenous students] to learn their own culture,” Ross said. “A lot of these students have grandparents who went to residential school, so their culture has been lost over time. It’s about reclaiming that. And for the non-Indigenous students, they live in a province with a high aboriginal population and they need to know their neighbours and friends, educate themselves, and work on reconciliation.”

In the afternoon Gateway students, as well as Grades 3 and 4 students from Lakeview and Jubilee Elementary Schools took in a performance by the Northern Prairie Dancers square dance group from Prince Albert. Marlene Bear, who is originally from Flying Dust First Nation, created the group as a way to engage with high school students over 20 years ago.

Ashla Michel, a 25-year-old dancer from Pelican Narrows who has been part of the dance troupe since she was 13 years old, said it’s been a huge part of her life and her positive expression.

“It makes me feel happy,” Michel said. “I like showing people our talent from up north and where we come from. Teaching younger kids is awesome because it will just keep getting passed on.”

 

 

 

 

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @ReporterKath