(Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Culture-based learning

Youth camp finds balance between learning and safety

Sep 3, 2020 | 5:21 PM

A special camp for Indigenous youth North of Prince Albert has taught youth several special skills over eight weeks of cultural-based education.

The camp was organized by the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN) Urban office and has been running at Camp Tamarack. Throughout the time at camp there were 160 youth registered (ages seven to 17) and not one COVID-19 case. Urban Councillor Clarisse Lecoq said she was very pleased with the response.

“The kids are so awesome and the parents took the time to bring their kids to Prince Albert, even if they had to drive from Saskatoon or La Ronge,” she said.

The children engaged in a number of talking circles within a teepee. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

Lecoq explained the reason for the camp was a need she recognized to get youth outside. Many of the children have been forced to self-isolate in their home communities as a result of COVID-19, away from school, and with no access to activities.

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In an effort to minimize the risk of COVID-19, all the invited youth from the various PBCN communities were family and relatives, and so had already associated with each other.

In accordance with Saskatchewan Health Authority regulations, a number of other protocols procedures were strictly followed including the wearing of masks, and extensive sanitization and cleaning. Any youth or adult who had any flu-like symptom was kept home. The cabins can normally accomodate 20 people but for the purposes of social distancing, only five children per cabin were allowed.

The majority of the activities themselves centred around Indigenous culture such as learning how to make a ribbon skirt or drum. There were also lessons about proper etiquette during ceremonies, as well as plant teachings. Rachael Walker was among the two teachers and told paNOW she learned just as much about her culture as the youth did.

“We learned from each other,” she said.

Walker explained one of the biggest challenges for her was what subjects to teach, but added each new group had different needs to address.

“Anxiety we touched on, suicide, self esteem, building their confidence,” she said.

The young students learn about mental health. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

Two mental health workers were also at the camp and talked to each kid one-on-one about their feelings.

Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Chief Peter Beatty was invited to the camp on Thursday and thanked the organizers and the staff for their hard work. He explained how in today’s technological age, culture base teachings for youth becomes even more important.

“They are very proficient in that [technology] and I think if we can teach them the culture and the language and the way of our traditional lifestyle, and find that balance, then I think they can really go forward,” he said.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell