Selkirk Secondary School
Artwork by: Kaiden Thorpe Selkirk Secondary student
Volume I Issue 2 MaY 2021
Ab Ed Journal
'Unity' by artist Mervin Windsor
Highway of Tears - by Ciara Robison Pg. 4 JOE PIERRE: Nasuʔkin of ʔaq'am - by Ciara Robison Pg. 5 Water Crisis in Aboriginal Communities in Canada - by Tye Corsie Pg. 6 History and Modernization of Mètis Beading - by Emi Callele Pg. 7 KENTHEN THOMAS: The Power of Story - by Logan Wahlstrom Pg. 8 Movie Review - Thunderheart - by Colton Zawada Pg. 10 Mètis Word Search - by Colton Zawada Pg. 11 Indigenous Ski Enthusiast, Athlete and Selkirk Student - by Logan Wahlstrom Pg. 12 Scholaraships 101 - by Emi Callele & Colton Zawada Pg. 13 Making of the Witness Blanket - by Esther Sylvestre Pg. 14 First Nation Education Steering Committee - by Mel Minichiello Pg. 15 Did you know? Indigenous Fun Facts - by Robin Betker Pg. 16
SELKIRK SECONDARY AB ED JOURNAL V1:2
'Returning Home' by artist Aaron Paquette 2010
Meet the Press
Joe Pierre Jr. has been a part of Ktunaxa government for 13 years in different roles and has just entered his 5th year as Nasuʔkin, meaning chief in Ktunaxa. I had the opportunity to speak with him and discuss different topics surrounding his job and the support that Ktunaxa youth are given in the community of ʔaq'am.
Youth also have been given a chance to experience the responsibilities of leadership roles in Ktunaxa government. The ʔAQ̓AMNIK̓ Elementary School provides a role in the school with the title of Nasuʔkin Nana. The student elected into this role is given the responsibility of becoming a spokesperson for the school and its students, coming up with small or large initiatives in their school and community. Other students are also put into the roles of council members creating a team of students dedicated to being role models for others within the school.
The Highway of Tears, is a 724 km highway in Northern B.C bordered by 23 First Nations communities. The communities that border this stretch of road are extremely isolated with a lack of public transportation, accessible health care, grocery stores, and gas stations. Due to the lack of transportation to cities and other places with needed resources for those living in these communities, hitchhiking has become a main form of transportation. The highway is isolated and travelers may go hours without seeing any signs of a community. This creates the ideal environment for those hitchhiking to be taken advantage of.
THE HIGHWAY OF TEARS
May 5th is the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Many people wear red in remembrance and to raise continued awareness.
WRITTEN BY: CIARA ROBISON
Joe spoke about how he would like people to recognize the original names of areas that we reside in, as those names have been used for millenia prior to the names used today. He wishes for people to learn these names and recognize how significant they truly are to the Ktunaxa people. You can find the original names of any places in North America by visiting firstvoices.com.
From 1970, young women, primarily Indigenous women have gone missing along the highway. This highway has been the home of an estimated 80 cases of women being murdered or suddenly disappearing from their communities, with girls as young as 12 years old being victims of the horrors of those targeting women along this 724 km stretch of highway. Only a fraction of the cases have been solved leaving dozens of families without closure or justice for their loved ones lost.
JOE PIERRE: Nasuʔkin of ʔaq'am
Along with the Nasuʔkin and council, the Ktunaxa government traditional chiefs still contribute to the functioning of the government within ʔaq'am, having an advisory role with their experience and wisdom. There are many different roles for the traditional chiefs such as the Bitteroot Chief and the Deer Chief who both take charge during certain times of the year. When asked about today's Indigenous youth, Pierre said he wants the youth to remember as they grow older that being in the modern world while maintaining their Ktunaxa identity is extremely important. “These are modern times, and as Ktunaxa people we have to be modern Ktunaxa people.” Pierre also shares that he wants to remind youth to be comfortable with speaking and interacting with elders while being a part of the modern world.
Throughout this past year youth have been supported in their education as well as with their mental health. Funding has been provided for young people to have access to the things needed to be successful academically, whether that be wifi or school supplies. The nation also created a wellness grant for youth allowing each child to receive a sum of money to use on initiatives to help lift their mood within this pandemic.
On August 3rd, 2016, the government of Canada opened a national inquiry into the cases that are still yet to be solved. The Highway of Tears is infamous for these cases of missing and murdered women and each family deserves the answers they have been searching for. Advocacy surrounding missing and murdered Aboriginal women has taken a turning point with more and more people becoming educated on this Canadian genocide. Aboriginal voices have been uplifted and their platforms have become larger, allowing a larger audience to be educated on how to further help hold those who have committed these terrible acts, accountable.
WATER CRISIS IN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES IN CANADA
I chose this topic because I was curious as someone of Aboriginal ancestry to see the horrific circumstances that these people are going through. Looking at the facts, I’m disappointed in the lack of assistance the government has provided.
WRITTEN BY: EMI CALLELE
In 2015 there were 105 long-term Aboriginal boil water advisories scattered across Canada, with 73% of those water sources being at risk of contamination. This had nearly 5,000 people within each advisory not having access to clean drinking water. Since the 2015 election Justin Trudeau had promised to remove all Aboriginal boil water advisories. As of April 2021, 106 advisories have been lifted (there had been 54 additional ones added since 2015). There are 52 water advisories left within 33 communities The deadline for the removal of the advisories was March 2021. In December 2020, the government provided more than $1.5 billion to 'accelerate' lifting all long-term drinking water advisories on Aboriginal reserves. Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller confirmed that the Trudeau government will not meet its pledge to lift all drinking water advisories in First Nations communities across Canada by March 2021. This is also met with the complications of COVID-19.
Many people are fed up with the behavior from the lack of commitment put into this issue. There have been many comments on this issue on multiple platforms. Sol Mamakwa MMP states on Twitter “Even here in Thunder Bay, I cannot take a drink from tap water because I'm so used to being afraid to drink from the tap water in my house.” Sol is a 75-year-old former chief of Neskantaga. On top of this the Auditor General Karen Hogan says "I am very concerned and honestly disheartened that this long-standing issue is still not resolved. Access to safe drinking water is a basic human necessity. I don't believe anyone would say that this is in any way an acceptable situation in Canada in 2021." After seeing the information while researching this topic I too have become a lot more disappointed in what the government has done to help out the Aboriginal people. I hope that we get the chance to help out people in the ways that the government hasn't yet, starting by having more people become aware of this major issue.
HISTORY AND MODERNIZATION OF METIS BEADING
WRITTEN BY: TYE CORSIE
Christi Belcourt combined both her knowledge of plants and painting into a technique mimicking Métis-beaded flowers. Ela Handbags collaborated with Belcourt, creating a collection, donating $10.00 for every sale to the Onanman Collective. Mi’kmaw artists Garratt Gloade and Cheyenne Isaac-Gloade created a modern way to teach youth beading. Workshops were made,using Nike Airforce shoes. Cheyenne is quoted as saying, “I think this project alone kind of is a significant thing in bringing the past and the present together.” If you wish to learn and practice beading, Skinku¢ Treasures located in Tamarack Centre, Cranbrook has beading supplies. There are also multiple beading tutorials and patterns online. Métis beading allows reconnecting citizens a chance to learn a spiritual and multi-generational practice.
Arguably one of the most recognizable symbols of the Métis are colourful beaded flowers. Often referred to as the “Flower Beadwork People” by the Cree and Dakota Nations, the Metis incorporated both First Nations quillwork and French silk embroidery techniques into unique floral patterns. The different floral patterns distinguish what family or region you were from. Métis women would bead moccasins, coats, hats, gloves, and medicine bags. Beads were either made from glass or seed. These designs often show symmetry representing balance, harmony, as well as reconciling with multiple heritages. The number four is an important number to Aboriginal cultures. There are four seasons, four sections of the medicine wheel, and four parts of a plant. Four can be shown in many ways throughout beadwork, be it four flower petals or four leaves. As more Métis people continue to reconnect, more windows are open for incorporating beadwork in non-traditional ways - moving Métis culture into the present and future.
LW: What is it that you connect with about these types of stories? KT: The easy answer is the lessons learned and how we can connect to all living things. The hard answer is teaching others how we connect to all living things, not just us humans but to EVERYTHING! At then end of our prayers we say, “All Our Relations.” This is taught in our stories that we have kinship with all living things, we are all family. This is the connection that we have to all living things; the plants, trees, those that swim, four legged and those that fly. This is not limited to living breathing beings but also to the elements of earth such as fire, land, water and air. Everything whether we agree or believe it, gives us the ability to live the life that we enjoy. At the end of the story, of any story being told, I always hope that the listeners hear what they need to hear and more. LW: How long have you been telling stories for? What has it looked like over that time? KT: I have been sharing and telling stories since I could talk. We all have! Thomas King the author says, “the truth about stories is, that’s all we are.” Which to me means a few things: we are the sum of all our experiences, we all have different paths that led us to today, and we have different perceptions of our past. When asked about my day, or how was that experience for you? I give an answer of my certain perception. We are all storytellers. We just choose when and how to share our stories. I have been sharing traditional Secwepemc stories for twenty or so years and I have about forty stories that I can perform or share in a moment.
Interview questions written by: LOGAN WAHLSTROM
LW: What was your motivation to start telling stories yourself? KT: When my son, Susep, was in grade eight, he and his friends agreed to sing for his school the welcome song and one of their own songs. But upon getting on-stage his friends backed out. Susep went on-stage by himself and sang our Secwepemc welcome song. His friends saw his courage and how he stepped up and joined him for the second song. Afterwards I asked him what gave him the fortitude to do this huge act of courage and he said, “I don’t know where I heard this, maybe from you (meaning me) but when you know a song you need to sing it, when you know a story it's your duty to share it and when you know our traditions it's your responsibility to share it.” This had such a profound effect on me, and was around then when I knew it was time to accept the title of storyteller.
LW: Can you explain Indigenous storytelling and knowledge keeping? KT: Storytelling, in any Indigenous setting, is a testament to the connection that community has to mother earth. It is said that stories speak to the laws and how us humans interconnect to all living things within mother earth. This can be best seen through the languages of the Indigenous peoples. For example, us Secwepemc people, 85% of our Indigenous language is action words or verbs. This is due to ‘happenings’ in our ancestors’ life. If they saw something happening such as a flicker of light or a cougar take down its prey, my ancestors would make a phrase or a word to describe this happening. This is where our languages derive from. We think of it as coming from the land. So, when we create a story, the language that's used came from the land, which means the story also came from the land as well. We also understood that we as humans are not at the top of any so-called food chain. Everything in life, has the option to give us life. The plants, trees, animals, small plants and all living things take care of us by feeding us, giving us medicines and tools and implements to survive. This is expressed in great detail within the stories, so pay homage and give reverence to all living things. LW: Can you explain your career path and what led you to this path? KT: Storytelling is only a small part of who I am, but it is also a huge factor in my life. Storytelling has always been ever present in most of my life. However, I have worn many other hats such as CP Rail conductor, construction worker, youth worker and finally, teacher. For the longest time I resisted the title storyteller because with it carries responsibility. Responsibility such as teaching and passing the knowledge, also carrying oneself in a good and kind way. When I was younger I wanted to run wild and free to practice my life as I saw fit. However, as time passed, I knew and felt it was time to pick up that responsibility and to be a knowledge keeper and educator. I got a degree at UBC and became a qualified teacher. So, long story short, to get where I am I took many detours and just enjoyed my life and let my journey take me to here. Exactly where I need to be at the exact right time. LW: How were you first introduced to these type of stories? KT: The stories were always around during my formative years but I did not pay much heed to them. But in my late teens, I was asked to play a part in a brand-new theatre company called, “Secwepemc Theatre.” The main part of this play was a story called, “How Coyote and Bear Make Day and Night.” I did this with my brother, who is a rather good storyteller and actor in his own right. We were asked to perform this story all over BC together. Then my brother got a family, life and career so he did not want to be nomadic living out of the back seat of a car and performing anymore. People were still asking for us to perform so I did the stories by myself. Since then, I have developed a passion and was taught the true meaning of the stories and eventually became a storyteller.
KENTHEN THOMAS: THE POWER OF STORY
Kenthen Thomas is an Indigenous storyteller from the Secwepemc Nation. Kenthen has been sharing traditional Secwepemc stories for twenty years. Stories have always been a big part of Kenthen’s life, but he has worn many hats on his journey to accepting the responsibility of being a storyteller. Kenthen explains the art and craft of storytelling and his experience helped him realize how much these stories mean to people, the important theory behind it, and the valuable lessons that can be learned from them.
LW: What’s your favourite story? Why that story? KT: “How Coyote Made a Tree Fall in Love with Him.” I really liked this story because it spoke to how trees decided to help us breathe and how they took our breath and cleaned it and gave it back to us. Another one is, “The Cstetlnem Water Monster.” This story asks the listeners to consider what type of leader/warrior are they? The story talks about different leaders and how they respond to a water monster and how they try to kill it. All our stories consider many different types of lessons and have varying meanings within them. At the end of the day, I enjoy our stories each and every one of them. Much like how we believe that listeners hear the lesson that they need at that moment and time. We also believe that the teller of the story also tells that certain story that they need to tell for that moment and time. LW: What lessons do you think we can learn from stories? KT: The stories of my ancestor are so profound and meaningful. How can a story that was told a thousand years ago still be meaningful today? In the story of “How Coyote Made a Tree Fall in Love with Him” where Coyote encourages trees and all living plants to exchange their oxygen with our carbon dioxide, hence our breath. I always ask the question how my ancestors saw this happening. Without science, without technology and our abilities today, how did they feel and see this? I think a grade five student out of Kamloops answered this the best when he said, “I think your ancestors were so connected to mother earth that they didn’t need proof or to see it happening, they just knew and felt it happening and believed it.” So, when my ancestors created these stories, they knew some things were beyond their present understanding and scope, but they knew a story needed to be told. They understood the teachings needed to be shared. I also like to believe that these stories are as relevant and important today as the day they were created because they are connected to the land. The land has not changed, and we still need “our relations” to survive thus the effect and importance of these stories and their relevance.
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Popcorn rating system 1: Don't recommend (Ate none of the bag) 2: Meh (Ate 1/4 of the bag) 3: Average (Ate half the bag) 4: Very good (Ate most of the bag) 5: Excellent Movie (Ate the full bag)
Popcorn Rating: 4.5/5
mÈ tis Word search
WRITTEN BY: COLTON ZAWADA
Michif Word Search Word Bank: (Two) deu (Four) kat (Nine) nef (Elk) arignal (Bird) wezoo (Yellow) zhoo'n (Tree) tram (Forest) grañ bwaa (River) rivyer (Saturday) samjii (Monday) laeñjii (Thursday) zhwiijii (December) disaaa'nbr (August) aau (September) seeptaaa'nbr (Pink) pchi dwe (White) blañsh (Mountain) moñtagn
Indigenous Movie Review
Reviewed by: Colton Zawada
Michif Word Search
Thunderheart is a classic thriller that takes place on an Indian reserve in South Dakota. Despite the fiction, Thunderheart is a good representation of the conflict that that took place between FBI and Indian activists back in the 1970s. The movie is able to blend this well with a captivating murder mystery storyline that is truly fascinating. From its engaging thrills, while also tying in historic events in an interesting way, Thunderheart is a movie that has definite re-playability, and I would recommend it for anyone to watch.
Traditional Metis sashes represent culture and identity (cbc)
INDIGENOUS SKI ENTHUSIAST, ATHLETE, SELKIRK STUDENT: TRENT WALKLEY
WRITTEN BY: EMI CALLELE & COLTON ZAWADA
Trent Walkley is an Indigenous athlete who attends Selkirk Secondary School and is in Grade 11. Trent is a freestyle/mogul skier on the Panorama Freestyle Team and the Apex Performance Freestyle Team.
Trent competes at a provincial, national and international level, when he has the chance to. Trent said in the interview, “Skiing has given me a lot of opportunities to travel. I get to see different places across the province and even on the other side of the country. I get to see different communities and different hills all the time”. I asked Trent how much commitment it takes for practices and competitions, he responded with, “This winter because I am a CSI (Canadian Sport Institute Athlete), I was exempted from travel restrictions just for training and training only, so in March I spent 52 hours in a vehicle, and in 2021 alone we have traveled the equivalent of 15% around the world. The schedule for practices are 3 days on and 1 or 2 days off, and the coach picks out what you need to do for training. Pretty much the whole thing is individualized for every different person.” Trent also won the Freestyle BC Spirit award in 2020 for being the Most Sportsmanlike and Selfless Male Athlete in B.C.
There are many websites and resources available to help find scholarships or bursaries that apply to you. The Indigenous Bursaries Search Tool holds a list of over 500 bursaries and scholarships throughout Canada. If you are looking to apply to an institution outside of Canada in North America, StudentScholarships.org is a tool that is useful for finding scholarships. Canada Benefits is a site that can create a personalized list of programs and services that can aid you provincially, territorially, and federally. It is important to seek additional resources from guidance counselors, Aboriginal Education Support Workers, and community members.
WRITTEN BY: LOGAN WAHLSTROM
Scholarships have a reputation for only being accessible to those with very high marks, outstanding community and volunteer contributions, and severe financial need. This is true to a degree, but around two thirds of the scholarships out there do not have these prerequisites. Because of this, many scholarships go unclaimed each year and are a lot less competitive than people think. In fact, just in Canada, there are over 5 million dollars worth of scholarships that go unclaimed each year which is why it is worth the time and effort to apply for them. There are many different sources of scholarship money. Some of these include internal scholarships (local), university entrance scholarships, band funding, large companies and corporations such as RBC, BC Hydro, and many others. When applying for scholarships, it is crucial to plan and stay organized. A few requirements for applications that are common include government-issued photo identification, one or two letters of recommendation, a resume, and transcripts. Most scholarship administrators also require a budget plan. These expenses include tuition, textbooks, cost of living (rent), childcare, transportation, and utilities. There are many helpful budgeting resources such as the StudentAidBC Budget Worksheet and WorkBC.ca Cost of Living Calculator.
SCHOLARSHIPS 101
The Witness Blanket was made to honor the survivors of residential schools. It was a visionary project created by Carey Newman, who came up with the idea of gathering objects from Residential Schools from across Canada and placing them in wooden squares, each telling a unique story. (Each piece can also be viewed online with its accompanying story). Called the Witness Blanket, it refers to “bearing Witness” as Carey describes in thee book. “To show your existence that something is true (Cary Newman)."
PICKING UP THE PIECES: A BEAUTIFUL BOOK
The original completed Witness Blanket is housed in the Canadian Museum of Human Rights in Winnipeg, MB. Because the witness blanket is so fragile to transport, (3.23 meters high and 11.96 meters long, weighing 2 tons and assembled with 13 panels) a copy of it was made and was on display at Mount Royal University in 2020. It had many contributors gathering and logging all the items collected from across the country (over 889 pieces) and is one of the most ambitious projects I have ever seen. The team went to every province and territory in Canada, visited 77 communities and met over 10,000 people.
WRITTEN BY: ESTHER SYLVESTRE
Their website has a huge depth of information, including teacher resources that are engaging and detailed guides for bringing First Peoples perspectives on teaching and learning into classrooms in British Columbia. Hard copies of these can be found in our Ab Ed Room at Selkirk. When the wisdom of the First Peoples Principles of Learning is understood, it can “guide educators’ choices about what is important to learn, what kinds of learning experiences to create for/and with, learners in the contexts the learners and educators are in. This will vary from place to place, and community of learners to community of learners (Jo-Anne L. Chrona).” Our learning environments are enriched by these principles, supporting First Nation students and their peers to thrive and flourish in their educational journey and beyond. For more info visit www.fnesc.ca
I highly recommend everyone reads and shares this book, there is so much information in it, and it is beautifully illustrated. I could write a novel just trying to review all the breath-taking pictures and articles that are featured but it's best to experience for yourself. Link to video https://vimeo.com/457804808
FIRST NATION EDUCATION STEERING COMMITTEE
WRITTEN BY: MEL MINICHIELLO
A book about the making of the Witness Blanket, by Carey Newman and Kirstie Hudson. Filled with pictures and stories from coast to coast, about the making of this magnificent tribute to the residential schools of Canada.
Found in classrooms across British Columbia, most educators and students would be familiar with this poster and the nine powerful ‘First Peoples Principles of Learning’ it outlines. What they may not know however, is how the First Nation Education Steering Committee (FNESC) helped bring this document to life and the important work they do in empowering First Nation students in BC. Founded in 1992, the FNESC grew out of recognition of the need for an organization focused on improving the success of First Nation students in BC, steered by First Nation people themselves. With the primary goal of "promoting and supporting the provision of quality education to First Nations learners in BC," they work at all levels, regions and through all avenues in BC. One way they do this is through their annual Indigenous Education Conference. The conference aims to “bring people together to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for helping First Nations learners reach their full potential”.
This publication is approved by the Selkirk Secondary Admin & Aboriginal Education Team, who provided oversight, editorial and design support to our wonderful students.
DID YOU KNOW? INDIGENOUS FACTS
Esther Sylvestre
Mel Minichiello
Aboriginal Education Support Workers
WRITTEN BY: ROBIN BETKER
MICHIF WORD SEARCH ANSWERS
In Indigenous cultures the circle is a sacred symbol. In First Nation spirituality the circle is everywhere – the medicine wheel, meetings and gatherings are held in circles, dances go in circles, drums are round, as are sweat lodges and tipis. The circle is the symbol of the cycle of all forms of life. From: https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/7-first-nation-facts-you-should-know 218 Indigenous languages that are still spoken in North America have a word that is used to describe people that don’t fit in the heteronormative. Grizzly bears were so feared and respected by Native Americans that hunting them required a company of 4 to 10 warriors and was dwarfareone with the same preparation and ceremony as intertribal . From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_attack#Brown_bears The word totem comes from the Algonquian word odoodem meaning “his kinship group.” They can be up to 18m's high, and the original totem poles were created by only six nations of the western part of North America: The Haida ("hydah") Nuxalt ("nu-halk") Kwakwaka'wakw (kwak-wak-ya-wak) Tlingit (Kinlg-kit) Tsimshian (sim-she-an) Coast Salish (say-lish) people https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/14-totally-terrific-totem-pole-facts
This publication is approved by the Selkirk Secondary School Aboriginal Education Team
Robin Betker
Scott Sharun Vice Principal
The raven & coyote represent First Nations teaching and learning; the human figure in the middle represents the children; the Métis infinity symbol is incorporated within the circle and the four points are Inuksuk - that represent the Inuit, which signifies vision and direction. - Chris Paul, a coast Salish artist
This issue, along with our first issue from February 2021, can be accessed on the Aboriginal Education page at the Selkirk Secondary School website. www.sd6.bc.ca/sss
Selkirk Secondary is situated on the traditional unceded territory of the Ktunaxa People and on the land chosen as home by the Mètis Peoples.