A project more than a year in the making came to fruition Wednesday morning on the beaches of Pauquachin First Nation.
Working together with Pauquachin carver Curtis Henry, students of Kelset Elementary in North Saanich unveiled a canoe they helped build and watched as it set sail for the first time in local waters.
Built from a cedar tree chosen from the land, in what is also known as North Saanich, the snewel (canoe) took its inaugural voyage from the beach after being lifted to the shore by the students themselves.
Henry shared his skills and wisdom B次元官网网址� handed down from his grandfather, also a snewel carver B次元官网网址� in a similar project with Bayside Middle School in 2015.
Bringing the next generation of Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners together, he said, is B次元官网网址渢he most important thingB次元官网网址� because B次元官网网址渆verybody has gifts to share.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not just about building canoes,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 about teaching our culture.B次元官网网址�
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The project was made possible by a grant secured by the Pauquachin Nation who reached out to School District 63 to work collaboratively.
A project like this wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have been possible 100 years ago, said Robin Dupree, an Indigenous support teacher at Kelset.
B次元官网网址淣ow in 2018 our education system is changing. We have strong relationships building with our local First Nations,B次元官网网址� Dupree said. B次元官网网址淭his is an incredible learning opportunity.B次元官网网址�
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Each of the 400 students who participated travelled to Pauquachin on field trips to engage in storytelling and other cultural teachings. The students were present as the tree was chosen and felled and went on to sand and varnish it.
B次元官网网址淲e are Kelset Killer Whales,B次元官网网址� Dupree explained. B次元官网网址淎 lot of the children remembered the story of the Thunderbird, and how there is a connection between the Killer Whale and the Thunderbird.B次元官网网址�
To honour what they learned, the students chose a Sencoten name for the canoe that would carry on that tradition B次元官网网址� the Kelset Thunderbird.
B次元官网网址淭his is an amazing,B次元官网网址� she said, B次元官网网址渂ecause these are activities that are far and few between.B次元官网网址�
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