Ojibwe Word of the Week: June

This month we decided to continue with the idea of a pow wows and chose words from the book "Bow Wow Pow Wow". We read this book to our classes, watched videos about the significance of pow wows and reflected on our own visit to the Lambton College Pow Wow earlier in the year. This book had a lot of animals so we decided on four animals for the words of the week. We have found that our students make good connections when the words are animals.

Ojibwe Words of the Week: June

Nimosh - Dog
Waabooz - Rabbit
Esiban - Raccoon
Gaag - Porcupine

Click here to access the Ojibwe Word of the Week PDF

AAW Year End Trip to Bkejwanong

Earlier in the week our grade 5/6 and 6 classes were fortunate to take a field trip to Bkejwanong.  It was a beautiful sunny day - perfect for archery, fishing, drumming, singing, and a delicious lunch as well!

It is a quick bus ride from A.A. Wright to Bkejwanong.  The students spent the ride talking about past fishing experiences, what they were looking forward to, and sorting through their tackle boxes comparing lures and hooks.  Once we crossed over the bridge and travelled down the main road it was so meaningful to hear and see students point out where their grandparents lived, where their cousins went to school, where they have played lacrosse or hockey in the past, where their siblings go to day care, and even where their parents work.  Hearing those connections and seeing the pride on their faces as they were able to point these things out to their peers was priceless.

Once we arrived at the Bkejwanong Youth Facility (BYF) we were met by Adrian and his two post-secondary summer students.  They welcomed us to the BYF, told us all about the activities and programs that are run there, and answered our questions.  Many students were excited to learn that they were old enough to take part in the activities offered there.  If you are interested in learning more about the Bkejwanong Youth Facility you can check out their website HERE.

After this we divided into two groups to start our morning activities - archery and fishing.  At archery Adrian taught us how to properly hold a bow, the best stance to be successful, and the importance of being aware of your surroundings.  For some it was their first time trying archery, while others were already familiar and comfortable with the skill.  Either way they were all engaged and excited to rotate between the 6 targets set out for us.

After an hour or so our group rotated so it was our turn to take on some fishing.  Again, we had some students who were experienced, while others were new to it.  The staff were so helpful in showing our kids how to cast and probably untangled more lines in that hour than they have in the rest of their lived combined.  For the students, it was a great opportunity to work on patience, calm, and appreciating the landscape around you.

At this point it was time for lunch.  We were fortunate enough to have locally catered fry bread tacos.  Based on the empty plates and full tummies I think its safe to say the kids all thought it was DELICIOUS.

After lunch we took part in some drumming and dancing with local community members, the Isaac family.  They shared with us some of their knowledge surrounding residential schools and the impact they had on Indigenous culture.  For example, Cedric explained to us how Pow Wows and drumming were made illegal as a means of suppressing culture.  It was important for the students to have this knowledge reinforced.

The students enjoyed checking out the drums and shakers and identifying which parts of the animals were used for which instruments.  Last but not least we took part in a round dance before we left.  All in all it was a fantastic day of culture, activity, learning, and sharing!  Thank you to everyone who helped make today such a meaningful and worthwhile experience for our students!

Wrapping up the Year at Bkejwanong

For our year end trip, Jen's class and my class travelled to Bkejwanong (Walpole Island). Up to this point, my kiddos have only experienced the flow of the water from lake to river and the reedy landscape of the First Nation through the beauty of Google Earth. 

"That sign says Boozhoo!" a six year old yelled out on the bus as we traveled over the bridge and onto the First Nation of Bkejwanong. Their eyes were sparkling as they experienced the Snye River in real life.

Enroute to our destination of High Banks park, we shared our observations of the ferry dock that travelled directly across the St. Clair River to the United States of America. The kids were in awe of the colourful climber equipment at Bkejwanong Kinomaagewgmig (Walpole Island Elementary School) and were pleasantly surprised to see a daycare and police station.  

After some exploration time at the outdoor fitness and play equipment at High Banks Park, we were joined by the Isaac family. Students were quick to form a circle around them on the grass under the clearest sky we've had in weeks. Their eyes were locked onto the shakers and drums made of horns, deer hide, and rattle snake as the Isaac family shared their make and sounds. And then magic began...

We spent the next 40 minutes matching the beat of our shakers to the rhythm of Mr. Isaac's drum. We sang along celebrating the land, women, and one another. We danced in unision. We embraced a culture we had been celebrating throughout the year.