Volume 7 Issue 35, May 23, 2014 SNUNEYMUXW LEARNING Snuneymuxw News is published bi-weekly. We welcome your submissions: send to [email protected] Snuneymuxw News Qwam Qwum Stuwixwulh News We are moving into the final stretch! Wow, this year has flown by! As it is getting warmer, please remember to put sunscreen on your child before they come to school. A light jack- et is also helpful, as the weather changes quickly. This is especially important during Culture Week, when the students will spend much of the week outside. It’s a busy time—please see our list of important dates: May 26 – May 30 – Culture Week May 28—Canoeing (sunscreen, swimsuit required) May 31—Beach Day (sunscreen, swimsuit required) June 2-4 – School Assessors Visit Qwam Qwum for Recertification June 9 – Grade 2/3 Class & PM Preschool – Year End trip to Greater Vancouver Zoo June 10 & 11 – Grade 4/5 Year End Trip to Strathcona Park camp out June 12 – QQS Year End Graduation Ceremony at the Snuneymuxw Community Kitchen June 20 – Last Day of school for Preschool June 25 – Last day of school (1/2 day for Kindergarten-Grade 5) 2 Snuneymuxw News Language Teacher Update: CONGRATULATIONS GRADE 4/5 SPUPTITAL TEAM! On May 13, 2014 QQS entered our Grade 4/5 class in the Annual Spuptital Hulq’u’minum Language Contest. This year it was held at the Ladysmith Secondary School. There were 19 schools and our kids competed against 8 other schools—placing 3rd overall! The kids were so excited, and were ready to compete! This was the first time that Qwam Qwum has entered, and many of the other teams have competed for the entire 11 years of the event. We’re proud of our Grade 4/5 class for entering this contest, and proud of how hard our entire school (grown- ups included!) are working to learn our Hulq’u’minum Language! From Gary Smith 3 Snuneymuxw News Qwam Qwum Stuwixwulh Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program (DARE) Graduation On Friday, May 2nd, Constables Angela Lynch and Jindy Manj of the Nanaimo RCMP were here to celebrate with our DARE graduates. The students were honoured individually, and each received their certificates and DARE T- Shirts. This is the 2nd year that our students have been fortunate enough to participate in the DARE program. Under the direction of Constable Angela Lynch, the program equips our Grades 4 and 5 students with the necessary skills to make well-informed choices and to empower them to say no when they are tempted to use alcohol, tobacco or drugs. DARE helps students to recognize the dangers of violence in their schools and in the community. Throughout the 13 weeks of the program the students participate in a variety of oral and written activities to help learn these life- long skills. 4 Snuneymuxw News 5 Snuneymuxw News Annual Blanketing Ceremony Close to 60 families and friends gathered on Sunday to ‘Welcome’ into the community Snuneymuxw babies born in 2012 and 2013. Of the babies born in those years, five women chose to have their babies take part in the event. They have been working very hard measuring, cutting, sewing, and dedicating time to creating their child’s quilt. Two women and children were unable to attend Sunday-we missed you Terri and Reggie and Shirley and Nata- leen. Please know you were honored in your absence. The Health Centre would like to thank speaker and Council member Bill Yoachim , Council member Emily Man- son, the Snuneymuxw Dance Group, and all the family and friends of the children who came out to celebrate with us. Photos courtesy of Dave Bodaly 250-701-9827 6 Snuneymuxw News 7 Snuneymuxw News 8 Snuneymuxw News 9 Snuneymuxw News Snuneymuxw First Nation Men's Group Residential School Honouring Ceremony by Cst Jindy Manj, First Nations Policing, Nanaimo RCMP Detachment History and healing For over a century, the Government of Canada and churches operated 132 Residential Schools in Canada. The last residential school did not close until 1996. The vast majority of students suffered severe physical, sexual, mental, cultural, and spiritual abuse while attending Residential Schools. During this period the RCMP’s role involved forcibly removing First Nations children from their homes and placing them in Residential Schools. There are approximately 93,000 former students alive today who are known as survivors. On June 11, 2008, the Government of Canada issued a statement of apology to former students of Residential Schools. A Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established in 2008 (www.trc.ca). The goals of the commission included documenting the extent and impact of residential school experiences, providing a safe setting for survivors to share their stories, and to produce a report to the fed- eral government on the legacy of the residential school system. In 1998, the Aboriginal Healing Foundation was created to promote reconciliation and encourage and support First Nations people and their communities to establish and support healing programs to address the physical, sexual, mental, cultural, and spiritual abuse suffered in Residential Schools and the intergenerational impacts. Honouring ceremony The Snuneymuxw First Nation is comprised of 1,646 members, approximately 500 of whom reside on the four reserves located in the Nanaimo area on Vancouver Island. For more than 100 years, many Snuneymuxw First Nation people attended Residential Schools. The horrific abuse which occurred at the schools continues to have a detrimental impact on the survivors and all members of the communi- ty. Some Snuneymuxw survivors and community members have taken steps towards healing. One group which has supported ongoing healing within the community has been the Snuneymuxw First Nation Men's Group. In 2013, members of the men’s group organized and raised funds to host the Snuneymuxw First Nation Residential School Honouring Ceremony. The honouring ceremony was for living and deceased survivors of Residential School and for all members of the community who continue to struggle with the intergen- erational effects of Residential Schools. Over the last several years, the Nanaimo RCMP First Nations Policing Unit has partic- ipated in the Snuneymuxw Men’s Group meetings and has supported programs and services that address the negative impacts of Residential Schools. In providing sup- port for the honouring ceremony, both Cst. Jindy Manj and Cst. Angela Lynch invited RCMP members, civilians, and volunteers of the Nanaimo detachment to attend the honouring ceremony. The RCMP provided a $1,000 contribution towards the hon- ouring ceremony. The honouring ceremony was held on September 7, 2013 at the Snuneymuxw Long- house. A total of 150 people attended the ceremony, including 20 from the RCMP. The honouring ceremony involved prayers, elders, and mask dancers to carry out the Coast Salish traditions and beliefs in regards to healing. A traditional Coast Salish meal was provided. The Snuneymuxw First Nation Men's Group would like to thank those who attended for supporting healing among Snuneymuxw sur- vivors and others members of the community. 10 Snuneymuxw News 11 Snuneymuxw News About Chickenpox Caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), chickenpox used to be a common illness among kids in the Canada (particularly among those under age 12). An itchy rash of spots that look like blisters can appear all over the body and be accompanied by flu-like symptoms. Chickenpox is very contagious, so an infected child should stay home and rest until the rash is gone. Chicken pox is transferred between children by coughing, by touching the fluid in the blisters. Please keep your child home until their rash has healed. Please phone the Community Health Nurse @ 250- 740-2337. Kids can be protected from VZV by getting the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine. The vaccine significantly reduces the chances of getting chickenpox. Vaccinated kids who do get chickenpox tend to have milder cases and quick- er recoveries compared to those who contract the virus and aren't immunized. Symptoms Chickenpox often starts with a fever, headache, sore throat, or stomachache. These symptoms may last for a few days, with fever in the 101°-102°F (38.3°-38.8°C) range. Chickenpox causes a red, itchy skin rash that usually appears first on the abdomen or back and face, and then spreads to almost everywhere else on the body, including the scalp, mouth, arms, legs, and genitals. The rash begins as multiple small red bumps that look like pimples or insect bites, usually less than a quarter of an inch wide. They appear in crops over 2 to 4 days and develop into thin-walled blisters filled with fluid. The blister walls break, leaving open sores, which finally crust over to become dry, brown scabs. The rash is very itchy, and cool baths or calamine lotion may help to manage the itching. In rare cases, serious bacterial infec- tions involving the skin, lungs, bones, joints, and the brain can occur. High-Risk Groups Certain groups of people are more at risk for complications from chickenpox, including pregnant women and anyone with immune system problems. These groups should avoid others who have chickenpox. Prevention The chickenpox vaccine is 99% effective in kids. It’s recommended that kids receive the chickenpox vaccine twice — when they're 12 to 15 months old, with a booster shot at 4 to 6 years old. People 13 years of age and older who have never had chickenpox or haven't gotten the vaccine should receive two doses of the vaccine. Healthy kids who have had chickenpox do not need the vaccine — they usually have lifelong protection against the illness. 12 Snuneymuxw News Dealing With Discomfort To help relieve the itchiness, fever, and discomfort of chickenpox: Use cool wet compresses or give baths in cool or lukewarm water every 3 to 4 hours for the first few days.