Spirits and culture to collide at Carlton

Schools have struggled for a long time with the issue of separating the spiritual from the cultural, and that’s no different for learning about First Nations history in Prince Albert.

Carlton Comprehensive High School is bridging that gap with its second annual round dance – a social event – as they light a ceremonial pipe to pass around for the first time on Friday afternoon.

The round dance was introduced last year after high school mentors were brought in to address concerns about low aboriginal graduation rates. Those mentors wanted to promote aboriginal culture through a round dance, said teacher Victor Thunderchild.

As a longtime teacher who grew up experiencing ceremonies on Thunderchild First Nation, Thunderchild has offered his knowledge up to students and to help as a go-between for school staff and the mentors with the round dance.

“My grandfather was very strong in his culture, my dad was very strong in his culture, my grandparents they had a huge influence on all of us,” Thunderchild said.

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In planning the event, the issue of incorporating cultural practices has popped up because promoting spirituality has been against past school policies. This is something Thunderchild has encountered as a teacher as well.

He said he’s told students “I can tell you what’s going on but I can’t do that because that’s not my place.”

For example, while they did a pipe ceremony before last year’s round dance, it was not lit.

“A lot of kids were asking, ‘why wasn’t it lit?’” Thunderchild said.

The pipe ceremony has great symbolic value, and comes before events like sweats, pow wows, round dances or meetings, Thunderchild said.

The pipe must be put together in a very precise way by an elder’s helper and the ceremony is led by an elder.

“As a pipe representing First Nations people, when you take that pipe and when you smoke that pipe, meaning that you’re going to be speaking truthfully. And that’s the significance of that pipe. And the fact that when you take that pipe that you’re going to be honouring what they’re saying,” Thunderchild explained.

But this time they’ve gotten the blessing from the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division director of education Robert Bratvold.

“When he said that they could light the pipe, that was great for us,” Thunderchild said.

He explained he’s excited for students to understand what the ceremony is in a hands on way.

“Now we’re starting to touch more [on the] spiritual component which is a good thing. And the kids are starting to find that this is something that’s been missing for awhile,”

The pipe ceremony is only part of the nine-hour cultural event at Carlton.

During the round dance itself, an all-male drum circle will sit in the centre of the room and women will provide supporting vocals.

Again, symbolism plays into the circle’s beat.

“It’s a short-fast, short-fast. That’s just to replicate the sound of mother Earth and that’s the beat of mother Earth as she makes that heart beat ,” Thunderchild said.

People will learn how to dance, see a drum circle play, and dine.

Some students will even act as cultural ambassadors.

Schedule of events Friday afternoon

1 p.m. – Pipe ceremony, introducing elders

Approximately 1:45 p.m. – honouring guests

Approximately 2 p.m. – Feast

Approximately 3 p.m. – Round dance begins

claskowski@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @chelsealaskowsk