The first few months of school with a new class and new teacher can be hard for any child, but for one Cree family with four boys who wear their long hair in braids to honour their heritage, unwanted attention and questions are inevitable.
Azure, their mother, said they are fairly used to this at the start of a school year, and her boys are resilient. Black Press Media has honoured the familyB次元官网网址檚 request to not publish their last name to protect their identity.
She became more than a little concerned, however, when her five-year-old, Adam, came home from school in south Edmonton with his hair undone B次元官网网址� for the second time that year. He was upset and crying.
Azure and three of the four boys, including Adam, are members of Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis.
She braids her sonB次元官网网址檚 hair tightly each morning. The elastics are tight and shouldnB次元官网网址檛 come out on their own. That day was picture day at school, so sheB次元官网网址檇 even added extra hairspray.
Adam said the elastic had been pulled out by another child at school.
B次元官网网址淚n the moment, when it happens B次元官网网址� youB次元官网网址檙e hurt, youB次元官网网址檙e frustrated,B次元官网网址� said Azure. Children shouldnB次元官网网址檛 think itB次元官网网址檚 okay to touch his hair, she added, never mind pulling out his braid.
She made an eloquent post to a community Facebook page in Ponoka about how kids call her son a girl and pull out his braids. But he is B次元官网网址渁 boy with a braidB次元官网网址� and he is proud of them, she said.
B次元官网网址淭here is no reason why he should come home ashamed of his hair; but today he did. It hurts,B次元官网网址� she wrote. B次元官网网址淓very day we will push through this and every day he will walk through those doors at school with pride because he is a boy with a braid.B次元官网网址�
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She said she spoke out not to point fingers, but to start a discussion. She has since received dozens of messages, from people as close as neighbouring communities and as and far as Oklahoma, Kansas and Hawaii, who want to share their own painful experiences and thank her for posting.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 powerful, very powerful.B次元官网网址�
One story was particularly difficult to hear, she said. A young adult in their 20s involved in sports asked their mother to cut their hair, deciding they couldnB次元官网网址檛 take the taunting any longer.
B次元官网网址淭hat was a really tough story to hear. I canB次元官网网址檛 imagine having to do that.B次元官网网址�
Another reason her boys keep their hair long is to honour what she and her mother endured at residential schools.
She said it isnB次元官网网址檛 about the past, though.
B次元官网网址淲e want to renew relationships with everyone and move forward,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭his incident B次元官网网址� it is starting a conversation. That is reconciliation for us.B次元官网网址�
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School officials were quick to address the issue when she contacted them, she added.
In a statement to Black Press Media, the Edmonton Public School Board said staff want to ensure schools are safe places where students are valued and treated with respect.
B次元官网网址淪chools are expected to provide opportunities for all students to become knowledgeable about Indigenous values and culture and to demonstrate respect and recognition of First Nations, M茅tis and Inuit values and cultures,B次元官网网址� the statement said.
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