“Since I was little I always wanted to go to Brightwater and help with the hide. This year when we got there and I heard that I was going to get to scrap the hide I was so excited! It is so cool to be able to help build the drum for our school. I loved spending the day at Brightwater and learning of the land.”
Lashara, Pleasant Hill School
Culture Camp provided an opportunity for Pleasant Hill, Sylvia Fedoruk, Greystone, and Roland Michener Schools to connect with land based learning. In June, 2021, along with special guests Elder Tim Eashappie and Kathy Wahpepah Eashappie, Culture Teacher Jade Roberts and Consultants Samantha Gunn and Alisa Favel, we were able to deliver a unique learning experience for the schools. The learning was cross curricular and included areas of ELA, Social Studies, Science, Phys Ed, Health and Art.
The importance of sharing learning that highlights different ways of knowing, being and doing were valued. Culture Camp is Land based education; a way of delivering learning outside of the norm, the norm being the classroom. It responds to the Truth and Reconciliation’s Calls to action and this work aligns to our equity competencies, specifically “honoring diverse stories and experiences to better understand the past and present to envision a shared future by valuing and considering others’ needs, culture and background”.
Stations included moose fur tufting, hide processing, Ribbon skirt pins, samples of birch & maple sap and pemican. Each class took back their very own double ball kit as well as enough material, ribbons, and pins to share the ribbon skirt teachings with other classes in their school, ensuring the learning continues outside of the Culture Camp time.
This project was funded by an SPSF Programs of Excellence grant.
