Student gathered to watch a teepee raising at Lloyd’s Lakeland College campus on Sept. 26 to honour Truth and Reconciliation Day, Sept. 30. Students got to see the teepee go up, learned about the significance behind the process, and were able to go inside. Jeannette Benoit-Leipert Meridian Source
Originally published : https://www.meridiansource.ca/students-connect-over-culture/
Students from both LCSD and LPSD attended various learning events this week in honour of Truth and Reconciliation Day.
Since Sept. 30 is a Saturday this year, orange shirt day will be held on Sept. 29 in Lloyd schools.
On Sept. 26, students gathered at Lakeland College to watch a teepee raising. The event was hosted by Lakeland College Indigenous student support manager Tinisha Young along with her mother, LCSD Indigenous program coordinator Cynthia Young.
She said her mother and father taught her a lot about different aspects of their culture growing up.
“My mom and dad have taught me what they know. They gave me my smudging lessons, my ribbon skirt, my strawberry teachings, and my teepee teachings,” she said.
“One of the first things I talked about was our teepee teachings and our teepee poles. Back in the day, we would use that teepee as a parenting tool. We talk about sharing, love, kindness, cleanliness—all those things are in our teepee poles,” said Young.
“We had a really good turnout. There was lots of students there. I hope they learned there’s meaning in everything we have, everything we do, and that we practice.”
Students and school staff watched the teepee go up and were then able to take turns going inside, class by class.
Young said it wouldn’t have been possible without the Lakeland College Indigenous student council members.
“I really like our Indigenous student council stepped up. They were all really proud they put up a teepee for the first time, so that was really cool,” said Young.
In addition to the teepee raising, Border City students participated in many other educational events including a mini powwow, bannock making, storytelling and crafts.
Students from both school divisions also attended the Indigenous Economic Partnership Summit.
Originally published : https://www.meridiansource.ca/students-connect-over-culture/
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