December 2009 (PDF)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MANITOBA FIRST NATIONS EDUCATION RESOURCE CENTRE VISION MISSION “Support First Nations to develop and implement a comprehensive To help First Nations improve education for all learners to achieve: holistic educational system inclusive of First Nations languages, • mino-pimatisiwin (Cree, Ojibway, Oji-Cree)” world views, values, beliefs and traditions with exemplary academic • honso aynai (Dene)” standards, under First Nations jurisdiction.” • tokadakiya wichoni waste (Dakota)” www.mfnerc.org December 2009 Message from the Executive Director By Lorne C. Keeper INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Tansi Everyone. It Since August, the MFNERC management has Cree Culture Camp .........2 is with great pride hired twenty-five new staff. I send a welcome to History of Sea Falls .........3 to congratulate our new staff that are now employees of the MF- all on a produc- NERC. Each and every one of them will bring tive year in your a wealth of experience from across the disci- schools, class- plines to our organization and to the schools. rooms and your On that note, as educators enter a new realm own personal work within our field, others leave. I would like to life. let the schools and educators know that one of With restructuring our prized specialists has moved onto greener of the MFNERC spe- pastures. Darcy-Anne Thomas was with our cialists into teams, organization since its inception in 1999 and Year-at-a-Glance .............4 this fall has been an especially busy one. The worked diligently as an English Language Spe- MFNERC is now entering its twelfth year of ser- cialist. Darcy-Anne, we wish you all the best vice delivery to Manitoba First Nations schools. in your new endeavors! We would also like to If you have questions regarding the MFNERC wish Violet Okemaw, former In-Schools Co- teams and specialists, please do not hesitate to ordinator all the best in her academic studies. contact Rab Subedar, Director of Service Deliv- The MFNERC hosted it’s 11th Annual First Na- ery. He is stationed at the MFNERC sub-office tions Circle of Knowledge & Practices Confer- in Winnipeg. The toll free number for the MF- ence on October 22 -23 at the Radisson Hotel, NERC Winnipeg sub office is 1-877-247-7020. Winnipeg. It was a great success with four hun- First Nations Circle of The Winnipeg based office of the MFNERC dred and forty in attendance. As always, excel- Knowledge Conference....5 is still located on Sherwin Road, however lent presentations were made. Stay posted for Knowledge of the Forest there is a new sub office located at 200-1090 more information on the 12th annual Light- Workshop .......................6 Waverley Street. Our phone number at this ing the Fire Conference to be held May 12-14, sub office is 594-1290 or toll free at 1-866- 2010 at the Victoria Inn & Conference Centre. 319-4857. Feel free to drop by when you Ekosani, are in the city. The Instructional Resource Lorne C. Keeper Centre is still located at 1791 Dublin Ave. Matootisan: The Sweat Lodge By Wilfred Buck Mahtootisan (The Sweat Lodge) can be found approximately two hand spans from the end of the handle of the Big Dipper. On star charts, Matootisan is known as Corona Borealis. First Nations School Gardening Program ........8 Mahtootisan is part of the constellations that talk about Assini Awasis (Stonechild) and the Science Fair 2010 ........10 history of how the sweat lodge came to the MFNERC New Staff ......11 Matootisan: Sweat Lodge; Artwork by Edwin Bighetty people. Principals’ Newsletter • December 2009 1 Kinosawi Sipi Cree Language and Culture Camp 2009 By Ralph Arthurson he Kinosawi Sipi Cree Language and Culture Camp is held at Sea Falls which Tis about 40 kilometers from the Norway House Cree Nation. Sea Falls is a traditional camping area of the Norway House Cree. The purpose of the camp is to promote, maintain and develop the Cree Language and the Cree Culture by bringing people of all ages together in a forum to share traditional knowledge and skills of the language and culture. This gathering is an opportunity for our Elders and knowledgeable First Nations people to share and teach the traditions, traditional skills, the Language and the Culture. It is intended to share and teach the Language and culture to the children and youth in the hopes of maintaining it. The camp is also a great opportunity for those Cree speakers who do not have an opportunity to use their Language everyday to hear, speak and learn it from the experts like our Elders. The camp is a three day event with traditional ceremonies and several workshops. This year’s workshops included, drum making, arts and crafts, children games, face painting, traditional medicines and teachings, tipi teachings, sweet grass teachings, traditional cooking teachings, sacred shaking tent teachings, local boat tours to rock paintings, and sharing circles to name a few. Evening activities included sharing circles, karaoke, and storytelling. The camp is organized and run by a local committee of volunteers. The Chief and Council, Frontier School Division and the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Above: Local boat tours to rock paintings; Centre Inc. are also contributors to the event. Below: Offering tobacco at rock paintings. In addition many volunteers work unselfishly throughout the days before, during and after the event to making it a great success. 2 December 2009 • Principals’ Newsletter We believe that we must work together to honor our loved ones who have journeyed on into the Spirit World. It is through their visions that we as a people must work together in harmony, in balance and in unity. It is with these teachings that all of us have special unique gifts in helping together in time of needs, wants Clockwise: Sacred fire burns; Look out at Sea Falls; and aspirations Tipi at Cree Culture Camp for a better life. History of Sea Falls Let us pray and he location today is known as Sea Falls Sea Falls was a major obstacle for canoe work together but is commonly known as “Winipeko freighters, York Boat trippers and dog team so we can fulfill TPawistik” by the local inhabitants of the mushers who had to endure hauling and Norway House area. Historically, the Sea Falls area portaging of freight and cargo. According to the visions of was called Sea River Falls by the French, English the Hudson Bay Company documents, it is our ancestors. and the Scottish canoe freighters and explorers. recorded that people died in the area due to the Sea Falls is situated along the Nelson River, hardships that the falls presented. They have set the referred to as “Kischi Sipi” by the Cree people. foundation of our The Nelson River is one of the major rivers in Since time immemorial, the Cree ancestors who Manitoba with an immense water supply flowing inhabited the surrounding areas came to camp values and virtues. in from as far as British Columbia. During the at Sea Falls. Here the Cree people fished, hunted, Hudson Bay’s Fur Trade era, the Nelson River trapped and gathered native and traditional - The Spiritual Vision was a major water way between York Factory herbal remedies. In the 1970’s, primitive of the Cree (Hudson Nay) and the Red River Settlement artifacts were located at the Sea Falls site. Some Cultural Camp situated at the forks of the Assiniboine and of the artifacts found consisted of clay potter, Red Rivers (Winnipeg, Manitoba). For centuries pieces of tool implements and bone items. As the Cree ancestors found sustenance and well, old primitive fire pits were located at the survival on the lands around the “Kischi Sipi”. site. Principals’ Newsletter • December 2009 3 MFNERC MANITOBA FIRST NATIONS Year-At-A-Glance EDUCATION RESOURCE CENTRE INC. Dec 17 MFNERC Open House 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Dec 21 - Jan 1 MFNERC Holiday Break (MFNERC Offices Closed) Jan 4 Christmas Break Ends MFNERC Offices Re-Open Jan 7 IDT Meeting Jan 20 & 21 Speech & Lang. Regional Workshops - Island Lake CHRISTMAS Jan 22 Resource Teacher Meeting - Brandon OPEN HOUSE Jan 26 Science Team Meeting Feb 15 Louis Riel Day 1151 SHERWIN ROAD Feb 17 Service Delivery Unit/ Subject Area Meeting DOOR PRIZES FOR THE FIRST 100 PEOPLE Feb 18 IDT Meeting SILENT AUCTION - HALF THE PROCEEDS GO TO Mar 16 SEU Unit Meeting THE CHRISTMAS CHEER BOARD Mar 23 IDT Meeting Mar 24 & 25 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2009 Speech & Lang. Regional Workshops - Dauphin 11:00 AM TO 3:00 PM Mar 24 & 25 First Nations Science Fair Mar 26 Resource Teacher Meeting - Dauphin Mar 29 - Apr 2 Spring Break Apr 4 Good Friday (MFNERC Offices Closed) Apr 27 IDT Meeting Apr 28 Service Delivery Unit/ Subject Area Meeting May 12 - 14 Lighting the Fire Conf. May 24 Victoria Day (MFNERC Offices Closed) FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 940-7020 May 25 General Staff Meeting VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.MFNERC.ORG/ May 26 IDT Meeting 4 December 2009 • Principals’ Newsletter The First Nations Circle of Knowledge & Looking ahead, Practices Conference By Joy Keeper I believe that he 11th annual First Nations Circle of Dr. Michell in the near future at another event Knowledge and Practices Conference, for those who missed out on this dynamic the underlying October 22-23 was a great success for presentation. T all attendees and presenters. A total of four importance Another speaker who had a captivating audience hundred and forty participants gathered for on the second day was Dan Vandal, Winnipeg two days at the Radisson Hotel in downtown of higher City Councilor. Dan spoke about his troubling Winnipeg. This year’s theme was, The Voices of Wahbung, referring specifically to those First education, of Nations leaders who identified a clear direction science, of for the vision of First Nations education.