Teachers and students of Gill Elementary School celebrated National Aboriginal Day June 10, a few days early, but for good reason.
National Aboriginal Day is celebrated in Canada on June 21, but Gill is in its last days, preparing to close due to a reconfiguring of the local school system, phasing out the middle schools and closing low enrolment schools.
Farewell activities have bumped the annual aboriginal day celebrations up a bit. Nuu-chah-nulth Education Worker Richard Samuel stepped up to the plate to organize a fun-filled day of First Nations-themed activities for the entire school.
Principal Darrin Olson estimates that 20 to 25 per cent of Gill students are of first nations ancestry, mainly Hupacasath and Metis.
There have been plenty of learning opportunities for the students leading up to the June 10 Aboriginal Day Celebration. Artists have been coming to the school to teach mask-making, drum- making and art. Some students have done research projects on Aboriginal culture and had their work ready for presentation.
The Aboriginal Day Celebration, said Principal Olson, was a culmination of many things that have been happening in the school all year long.
Presenters were invited in to share their cultural knowledge with students that day. Irene Robinson of Tseshaht was there to share stories. Other Nuu-chah-nulth Education Workers came to support Samuel and help out with bannock-making, teaching children how to make cedar bark roses or dream catchers, and one of his friends made an appearance via Skype.
Samuel said he wanted have some Metis content for the school’s Metis students but didn’t know anybody he could go to in Port Alberni. He remembered a Metis woman he met while at a Friendship Centre Conference and she made her presentation about her culture over the internet to a classroom full of students.
Everyone gathered in the gym for dance presentations made by invited guests from Eighth Avenue School who performed their play called The First Hunters.
Some of the Gill School students performed a fun dance while the singers were led by Samuel.
All of the children appeared to have enjoyed themselves throughout the day.
Principal Olson praised Samuel for his organizational skills and for putting together the Aboriginal Day celebration.
