Students of Port Alberni’s AW Neill Elementary School spent the week of May 17 to May 20 learning about Nuu-chah-nulth culture through hands-on activities, including projects that they’ve been working on throughout the year.
Prior to Aboriginal Awareness Week the students, under the guidance of their teachers and guests, took part in lessons and projects focused aboriginal culture. These projects were on display in the school hallways.
During Aboriginal Awareness Week guest presenters were brought in, coordinated by Nuu-chah-nulth Education Worker Richard Samuel. In half-hour segments, they guided the children through Nuu-chah-nulth language lessons, art, singing, bannock-making and they learned how to play lahal.
Tim Sutherland sang Nuu-chah-nulth songs for the children after fielding questions from them about how to make a deer hide hand-held drum. Nitanis Desjarlais shared edible plant knowledge with the students.
Elder Katie Fraser and Eva Prevost taught the children how to say Nuu-chah-nulth words through interactive games and exercises. In another room Faith Watts and Angeline Charleson taught cedar weaving techniques.
The school home economics classroom smelled heavenly as Faith Watts demonstrated bannock making.
The children loved to play the Nuu-chah-nulth guessing game of lahal under the guidance of Stan Lucas.
Outside they learned how to play lacrosse with Stephanie Hopkins and stealing sticks with Diane Gallic.
On the final day of Aboriginal Awareness Week everyone was treated to a traditional salmon barbeque with fish caught from the Somass River that morning and roasted on cedar sticks over a fire by Moy Sutherland and his wife Jan Green.
The week of culture wrapped up with a school assembly featuring the unveiling of a new cedar box and the school logo. Principal Darrin Olson, following Nuu-chah-nulth protocol, first acknowledged and thanked Hupacasath and Tseshaht First Nations for allowing the school in their territories.
The cedar box was built by Jim Lawson; the art work was created by artist Josh Shaw. Shaw said that he was asked to depict creatures seen in and around Port Alberni. With that in mind, his design featured plenty of trees, eagles, and a female salmon full of eggs, bears, wolves and hummingbirds. On one side was an image of a woman, who represents Mother Earth. On another side was a man, Shaw said, to maintain balance and because men and women need one another.
The box will be used to store drums and regalia and will be put on display during important school events.
Following the recent reconfiguration of the SD70 school system that saw the transformation of AW Neill Junior High school to an elementary school, the staff saw the need for a new school logo.
Principal Olson and teacher Mrs. Anker collaborated on a school logo design, and when they were finished, local artist Ray Sim was contracted to bring the image to life through paint.
The design features a wolf framed by green mountains cradling the sun. Sim said the wolf was chosen for the design because they are not only strong pack animals, but also strong individually – a message they hope to impart to the students.
The logo was unveiled to a huge round of applause. SD 70 trustee Jane Jones was in the audience along with Kelly Johnsen of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council.
Principal Olson said the school sends a huge thank you to Mr. Samuel, NTC Nuu-chah-nulth Education Worker for all his efforts in making the AW Neill Aboriginal Awareness Week the great success that it was. Funding for the cedar box came from the BCTF Ed May Social Responsibility Fund, AW Neill Elementary School and SD70.
Aboriginal Awareness Week at AW Neill Elementary School was made possible through funds from AW Neill School, the Parent Advisory Council and SD70.
