Cross Lake has some visitors!

Tuesday we started at Mikisew School where they had a whole school assembly for us where we presented them with the snow shoes and steel pan. It was really lovely as Star the music teacher said some beautiful words about the gift of a drum. We are hoping that Anna will look into bringing students back to Toronto to meet Humberside students next year. Fingers crossed, we really hope they come!

We then went to the other provincial elementary school where our friend Ronnie works. Our first stop was the fiddle class. The students are so talented! They played two songs for us, and then their teacher invited Kate to play for the class. The students really liked hearing her play and asked their teacher at the end if he thought Kate played better then them. It was pretty cute.

At lunch Monica and I went to pay a quick visit to see Maxine. She came to Toronto last year, and she wanted to introduce us to her adorable son Marvin. He's so cute. It was so nice seeing her again. She was leaving to attend a funeral in Norway House, so we made a quick visit to during lunch.

In the afternoon we went to the Indian Residiential School (IRS) Survivor program building where an extremely knowledgable man from the community shared with us traditional medicines and teachings. As he was doing this a small weasel was seen running around the room. Apparently they are used for mouse control. It was pretty cute. We were all presented with gifts of sweet grass. It was really special and so interesting. We were given a traditional tea to try and were able to smell and touch a number of very cool and interesting artifacts. He also showed us some models of traditional structures and the old residential school.

He passed around photos from both Residential schools, and explained the awful cruelty and hardships that so many people in the community were forced to endure. It is heartbreaking the amount of pain and suffering the place caused and continues to bring upon the youth through intergenerational trauma. So many courageous people, who shared their very personal stories with us. We listened, and we want to help, however we can. Even if it is just to listen, we hear you.

We were then taken to the Cross Lake Education Authority (CREA) head office where we were greeting by Greg Halcrow the director of Education.  He spoke to us about the First Nation Education system and plans for a new high school.  The young population is growing quickly and they need to ensure they have the space to house everyone and offer the best education they can. They also need the federal government to start funding the students better, as First Nations schools are operating well below the Provincially funding that is given to their public schools. Change needs to happen, as all students deserve equal funding and quality education.

At night we went to back to Mikisew School for dinner where Ronnie and Elaine’s daughter Fawn prepared an amazing meal of Canadian goose! She's the BEST cook. We were all so spoiled by her cooking. The students were mostly very eager to try it. She then taught students how to bead and make dream catchers. It was so lovely to have them share so much of the traditional knowledge.

Truly a wonderful and full trip so far!