tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79416299249065529282024-03-12T18:08:21.256-07:00Oski-pimohtahtamwak Otayisīniwiwaw We are a leadership team at Bert Fox Community High School promoting and facilitating Truth and Reconciliation. We were given our name by Kete-ayah (Elder) Alma Poitras. Using Indigenous ways of knowing, place based education, experiential learning, strength-based philosophies, and workshop facilitation the students earn grade eleven and twelve credits; many students are also able to complete their grade twelve diploma within the year. sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-11281157276304198572018-05-16T13:37:00.000-07:002018-05-17T14:08:05.705-07:00Photo Essay: Through the Eyes of Taish<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNNfBXwtjOOAOsp9IOr1XTYVjAQmwr2HGsqVnPbiAVtWE1RcjjAIlz4AyBONDh-woeTu3MNlogwjYytJ9-NJTl54KTzLlWunYjWUKlQ441mXJdOtO8umiy37K2XYCyHPTFfC1wb2k_zc/s1600/20180423_133617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
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This is when we went to see the Robb Nash Project.<br />
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This is a talking circle we attended in the Moose Jaw Art Gallery.</div>
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This is me and my classmates eating at Jade Garden, having a good time.</div>
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This is us doing a Kairos Blanket Exercise.</div>
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This is Tyrell holding hands with a lady.</div>
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This is our first time going to Moose Jaw and </div>
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being introduced to Atamiskakewak National Gathering.</div>
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This is Raimey leading a Treaty Walk for us.</div>
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This is Miss Koops getting mad and screaming at me for no reason.</div>
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This is me handing out food to the poor.</div>
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sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-29968587557201972752018-05-15T09:58:00.000-07:002018-05-15T13:47:00.110-07:00Ernie's Plan After High School<span style="font-family: "arial";">Ernie’s Plan After High School<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">By Ernest Goodwill</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial";"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial";">What am I doing after grad? <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Hopefully move to Chilliwack BC<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Go stay with my uncle and cuz<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Probably stay with them for 2 months<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Start working<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Save up <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Make a plan<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Move back to the homelands<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Get a car<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Hopefully get a house <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">On the homeland<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">If it doesn’t work out then… <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">idk, live life on the grind <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I guess <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">If not just live in Chilliwack BC <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">It should be a good year <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Lots of fun things should happen<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I get to play ball with my dad and brothers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Some more family members<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">BBQ all summer<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Probably go to some sun-dance/powwows too<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">The powwows should be lit this year<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Can’t wait<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">It’s still a long way away<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">If everything is to work out then <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I got nothing to worry about<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Life’s like a box of chocolates <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">You never know <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">What you’re going to get<o:p></o:p></span>sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-71761980244249239022018-05-14T09:07:00.001-07:002018-05-14T09:07:18.384-07:00A Week in the Life of Ernest
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">A Week in the Life of Ernest</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">by Ernest Goodwill</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">April 23<sup>rd</sup>
to the 28th, the week my classmates were in Moose Jaw, <sup> </sup>I was
mostly working at Standing Buffalo Crossing. The people that work there are
really nice people. And I went to my grandpa’s funeral on Monday; then babysat
my sister’s baby Tuesday and Friday. It wasn’t too bad. I went to the RBI on
Saturday; it’s an indoor training facility for baseball. I’m going to BC in
June to go play ball, so I have to practice hard if I’m going to make it to the
top. I was skateboarding with my cousin Danzel, and I got to see my brother
Logan wipe out on the dirt bike yesterday. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">But that’s
pretty much it…</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-52034386427926421642018-05-03T14:54:00.002-07:002018-05-03T14:54:29.503-07:00Respect is Key; Love is Powerful: but Peace is Unimaginable
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Respect is Key; Love is Powerful: but Peace is Unimaginable</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">by Michael Starr-Desnomie</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Going to Moose Jaw was amazing </span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">getting the
feeling </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">that I never
felt before </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">in my life </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">it was a big
change for me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">starting off
fresh. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Going down that good road </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I will
always continue to walk </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There might
be some ups and downs </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">and
challenges to face. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Talking to strangers who mostly </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">turn into
family </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">and fans </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">was great </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">getting a
lot of positive feedback </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">getting told
by people </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">how they see
you </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">what they
think of you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But mostly what they love about
you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I told my story </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">what I went
through as a child </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">and growing
up as a teenager </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">experiencing
things that no kid </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">should go
through at a young age. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What I saw in my life </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">it will mark me for life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I fought my demons </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">to get my
wings back and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">flying high
and feeling freedom </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">is an
unexplainable feeling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I was told by a lady that my kukum
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">has been
with me this whole time. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">She told me
that she can see spirits. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I asked her what does she look
like and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">she told me
that she has short, black, curly hair</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">but when she
told me that </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">she has
golden wings and a golden halo. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I was
speechless when she said that to me <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I looked over my shoulder </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t see her but </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I knew that
I was safe and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">protected
and getting looked after. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">She told she might be a guarding
angel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My heart warmed up like it was on
fire. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I found out when I was in Moose
Jaw </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I was told by a lot of people </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">how gifted I
am </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">how I can
use those gifts </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">by helping
out the ten mothers </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">who came all
the way from Vancouver and Winnipeg. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I listen to
ever word they said </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">when they
invited us to a presentation of theirs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I got this special feeling </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">when Idelette Mcvicker said</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Listen with
your mind. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Listen with
your Heart. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Then you
will feel sunlight shinning </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">on your
wings as they spread out. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I listen to every word she said </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">she was telling people that </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">she belongs
to them in a special way </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">well, in her
own very special way. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">She even
pointed at me as said </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I belong to
you Michael. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It was a
very special moment for me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">because what
she all said </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">is what I
happened to me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I got a sign
from that presentation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I was sitting in a circle that </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">represents
us as a nation </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">the four
directions. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I always wanted to see that </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">all nations
sitting and talking with each other and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">taking each
other as one big, happy family. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Melaney Gleeson-Lyall and
Idelette Mcvicker and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">eight other
mothers that were a part of that presentation. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">They all
came to our Blanket Exercise that we were hosting at Moose Jaw Library. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Told them
and other people that were a part of the Talking Circle. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Letting out
tears of the pain of what I went through as a child and as a teenager </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">pouring my
heart out to people. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Telling
people what I went through growing up and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">saying even
what I been through. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Made me the man that I am today. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I’m not
going to fail my ancestors. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I rather
make them proud and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">bring back
my people from the shadows. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What I went
through I always had a saying to it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“I fought my
Demons to get my Wings back’’ </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">now flying
high in the sky </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">flying so
high that I never did before</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">feeling what
I never did in years </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Freedom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Opening up to people and meeting
them </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">they mostly
turned into family. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I accepted
everybody that said things that </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">never were
said to me before in my life. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Having that
empty space filled up with </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">lots of love
was the best feeling ever. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I always held my heart because </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">what people
say to me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">gives me the
strength </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">to love
myself </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">even more
than I did before. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Had so much Hope, Beliefs, Faith,
Love, and Respect in me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">that I’m
going to continue what I do and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">shine bright
for people and change their lives. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But there’s one moment that will
stay with me for a very long time. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When I was
attending the Blanket Exercise with the girls </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Because,
well, we had two groups so </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">the boys
took half and the girls took the other half. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I told
people about my story and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">when I was
shaking their hands </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">a lady told
me that I was very gifted and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">that she can
see me glowing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">She told
that my kukum has been with me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">this whole
time she saw her beside me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">when I was
talking </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">putting her
hand on my shoulder. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I looked
over my shoulder but </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I couldn’t
see her </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I asked her
what she looks like </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">she told me
she has short, curly, black hair. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I tried thinking,
who is she. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When she
told me that she had </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">golden wings
and a gold halo </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I was
speechless. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">She said it
could be a guarding angel or my kukum. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I felt safe
because I knew I was getting looked after </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">that I was
getting taken care of, me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That’s who
is guiding me down the good road. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">At least I was told because I
didn’t know and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">that means
so much to me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">that some
lady who was gifted </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">told me what
I didn’t know. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I talked with a lot people who
mostly turn into family </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">feeling what
I never felt in years </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">it was a
heart touching moment and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">it brought a
tear to my eye. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Being honored to walk in the
grand entry </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">was a
blessing to me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">because I
never walked in one before. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When I was in the talking circle
I always said. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I was that
cub that was lost in the woods </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">trying to
look for his family. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My mom never
gave up on me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">she found
me, picked me up and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">brought me
back to my brothers and sisters. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I always give thanks to my
ancestors each day I wake up. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Love knowing
that they run through my veins.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Feeling
protected because </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I know that
they are watching over me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When I’m needing help </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I know who
to turn to and </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ask for the
strength </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">to help what
I’m facing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It was the best week that I ever
had in my life </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">a lot of special
moments </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I will not
forget. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Where I am
now is much greater </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">than where I
was before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Doesn’t matter what color you
are.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What tradition you live by.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We are all made by the same God. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We all feel the same on the
inside. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We bleed the same color. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We should be respecting and
loving one another.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Because Respect is key.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Love is powerful.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But peace is unimaginable. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Let’s all move forward together.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Let’s all come together as one
nation.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As one big, happy family.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-32556001781776058022018-05-03T10:20:00.003-07:002018-05-03T10:20:44.509-07:00Courage
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Courage by Raven Cook<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">During a talking circle after the Blanket Exercise at River
View Collegiate, this one person acknowledged how the blankets were folding up
which is representing something such as how the land was stolen, the Indian
act, residential schools etc. but he pointed out how they were slowly
unfolding, I never really payed attention to that. When he pointed it all out
he says, he was focusing on the positive, so what he had said made so much
sense. It kept me thinking about everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">We had our last Blanket Exercise at the Moose Jaw library Lacey
and I facilitated. Michael came to support us, which meant a lot. The exercise
went good. During the talking circle everyone had some nice heartfelt words to
say; some said how they were feeling bad and guilty. I told them “we don’t do
this to make anyone feel bad, that’s never our intention, it’s okay, I forgive
you.” Maybe that’s something they needed to hear. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">During the talking circle I shared how I wanted to help
unfold the blankets, representing to help our people. I talked about not
knowing where to start but it’s something I want to do. It was a good Blanket Exercise.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the talking circle was over we did
our reciprocity hand shake. A lady named Amanda came up to talk to me; she
wanted to give me this necklace, the word “courage” was on the key, courage to
use my voice. I’ll wear it all the time to remind myself when I do need some
courage. If I find someone who needs courage I will pass it on and hope it
means something to him or her, just like how much it means to me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-40901701122374898522018-05-02T11:18:00.001-07:002018-05-03T10:21:20.664-07:00I'm Glad I Went to Moose JawBy Tyrell Tudor<br />
<br />
I had a good time in Moose Jaw. I think it was fun. I bonded with people and I talked to some of the local folks, and they were nice to me. <br />
<br />
I helped with the Treaty Walk and I had a great time. We were doing this one Treaty Walk and they said, "Let's hold hands and walk down this path in the park." So, I grabbed this lady's hand and walked down the path. <br />
<br />
The last day in Moose Jaw we took a picture by the Moose. We made a song and it was good. <br />
<br />
I'm glad I went to Moose Jaw.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqFAuzSj0L8mwICi7UQMLP0H0PhGFP4BAN2Ki69GLf49wRioL0yVm_Reoh8AT0kjn0kK_77l8KZFvqHvCbyb1zP9AOtw65GUDc01-Sn-m-hbD81neVXVEaWcZAw5T-mDeT6zZZ4wRxKg/s1600/20180428_195943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqFAuzSj0L8mwICi7UQMLP0H0PhGFP4BAN2Ki69GLf49wRioL0yVm_Reoh8AT0kjn0kK_77l8KZFvqHvCbyb1zP9AOtw65GUDc01-Sn-m-hbD81neVXVEaWcZAw5T-mDeT6zZZ4wRxKg/s320/20180428_195943.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-45450877433414861942018-05-02T09:06:00.000-07:002018-05-02T09:06:16.632-07:00Wearing Shades<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Wearing Shades </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">by Kaheau Ironeagle<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">When we walked into the banquet room I saw lots of people
sitting at tables, enjoying themselves. I recognized some people from earlier
in the week. The pot roast was pretty good. I liked the way that they made
their cakes, like the chocolate kind and the carrot cake. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">When Chris and Kallie got up to the microphone, they were
thanking all the people who sponsored <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Atamisk</span>ā<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">k</span>ē<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">wak </span>and volunteered throughout the week. They
congratulated us on being there, overcoming obstacles to help others. They
invited people to go up and say some good words about how good it was to work
with everyone throughout the week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">The guys were going up and I didn’t want to be the only
person not going up. So I just went up there. It was damn nerve wracking. I was
going to say lots, but I started shaking. I remember that I did say that
everybody should be happy. I was thanking everybody. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">It was a special moment to look back on. It was a fun week.
In that moment it was exciting to talk to lots of people. It was fun. In some
ways it was easy because I didn’t know the audience. I could see myself doing
this again. Wearing a pair of shades, it’s easy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-73855337339403414062018-04-30T11:58:00.002-07:002018-04-30T12:22:02.009-07:00Here for You<br />
Bert Fox Koops’ Family <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Hey Guys, <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
It is Sunday evening, and I am sitting here thinking about you. You
have impacted so many lives, that it’s very difficult to grasp the impact that
you have actually had here. For a small group of young men and women from
Reserves around Fort Qu’Appelle, you rocked this place. There is no
hiding where you come from, your background, your stories, your reality.
You came here with open minds and hearts, but what you brought to the table was
something no one could have planned or predicted. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
As a team, you were given a fairly comfortable schedule, which
included, classroom visits, Blanket Exercises, and Treaty Walks. The
classroom visits were good, but the Blanket Exercises were amazing, beyond any
expectation anyone had. You did eight, you had to double up on
three of the days. How amazing is that! The impact from those
sessions was very telling in the responses of the participants and people
passing by. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
I wanted you guys to be here more than you will ever know. Our country
is hurting, our world is hurting, and we need young people like you to lead us
in a direction of healing. There were a few of you with voices when you
arrived, but when you left here, each and every one of you had a voice. I
believe in each and every one of you, that now you have been given the
opportunity to step up and be a leader in your community and beyond. You
can make a difference, each and every one of you. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
I love you, and will always be here for you.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Deb Negraiff<br />
<br />
<o:p>Atamiskakewak National Gathering 2018 Education Chair</o:p><br />
<o:p>Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan</o:p><br />
<br />
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sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-60982551701476480842018-04-30T10:27:00.000-07:002018-04-30T10:27:21.270-07:00Family at Atamiskakewak
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Family at Atamiskakewak by Austen (Boss) Elliott </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">In our time in Moose Jaw we became closer together as a
family and as brothers and sisters. We all have something in common that make
us family. We all have stories that we can all relate to. In Moose Jaw we met
so many great people with very big hearts. I’m very grateful to have met so
many wonderful people and so many wonderful kids. Everyone we met had such a
wonderful heart, and how they’re able to share their beautiful stories with us.
This is Austin Elliott part of oskipimohtamwak otayisiniwiwaw I’m very grateful
to be a part of the National Gathering. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-60104629505330872892018-04-30T10:18:00.001-07:002018-04-30T10:18:56.517-07:00Imagine Canada <br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "abcphonicsone"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Imagine
Canada </span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "abcphonicsone"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">by Taish Desnomie</span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVrVyopu-1xT8TxyDcKnCIkAc4YgkxngVozQk41-Zu5VGmV5s0_-Z_bL6tVi1vgtlIDHU6YpFz9IRB8xV_VZhSEw-_DsM29s1mo-z4GY1NfoOC7uiP374mZsabJUG4VseCGOahgGxSDM/s1600/20160903_091303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVrVyopu-1xT8TxyDcKnCIkAc4YgkxngVozQk41-Zu5VGmV5s0_-Z_bL6tVi1vgtlIDHU6YpFz9IRB8xV_VZhSEw-_DsM29s1mo-z4GY1NfoOC7uiP374mZsabJUG4VseCGOahgGxSDM/s320/20160903_091303.jpg" width="240" /><span style="font-family: "abcphonicsone"; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></span></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Imagine a Canada were people can
be all they can be without having to over think their lifestyles and trying to
figure out who they are.</span><div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Imagine a Canada without suicide
where kids can be kids and not have to worry. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would not have to go to another funeral in
sorrow and heart break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Imagine a Canada without gangs
then we wouldn’t have to fight each other over who controls north, east, south,
west, none of that would matter.<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Imagine a Canada without racism
where we could all be one without having somebody on the media telling each
other they’re not good enough to do this or good enough to do that. Where our
skin color doesn’t define who we are but our respect for one another does. <div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Imagine a Canada where young
indigenous women can walk down the street at night without having to look over
their shoulders in fear, just imagine that for a second and think to yourself
what would Canada be like.<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Imagine if Canada could be an
actual place of peace and refuge for new comers. Not only to come here and be
put through the same prosecution they have already been through.<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Imagine if Canada never had an
Indian Act and we never had to be on reserves, killing each other, poisoning
our sprits with alcohol and drugs then we could be a rich, glowing culture
again<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
</div>
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Just imagine if Canada could help
its homeless veterans; then they would have a better time of dealing with their
problems fitting in to society not only wondering why they deserve this.</span><div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Imagine a Canada without the
things called 60s scoop, residential schools and intergenerational trauma
because of things like racism towards one another, stereo types for each of us.
Imagine a Canada like that.<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Imagine a Canada where everyone’s
voice can be heard. </span></span></span><br /></div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-92120851448627930982018-04-30T10:14:00.000-07:002018-04-30T10:14:00.077-07:00I Found My Voice
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I Found My Voice by Lacey Missens</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">This week we went to Atamiskakewak National Gathering. We had big
opportunities the whole week and mine was speaking in front of crowds and
“Finding My Voice”. I facilitated a Blanket Exercise. It wasn’t a big crowd but
it was a step into something for me, and it meant something to me, to go and
speak to people and facilitate the KBE.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNclA5pcyS1tR3loEqAAXiNZ2-TbUM7hnPxZcxh8dCcK6FKiT5IVBtralJrdz1tTj-78AIVx6TqbKs7WpSN_r5JU5gLmDKw_d3rVYfdRisEV0hiMUnkxeNWtfZJnOzkejRCpA2n6Z5SXk/s1600/20180428_181934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNclA5pcyS1tR3loEqAAXiNZ2-TbUM7hnPxZcxh8dCcK6FKiT5IVBtralJrdz1tTj-78AIVx6TqbKs7WpSN_r5JU5gLmDKw_d3rVYfdRisEV0hiMUnkxeNWtfZJnOzkejRCpA2n6Z5SXk/s320/20180428_181934.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">At the end of the week we went to a banquet. My class and I
were sitting near the front and Kallie and Chris gave everyone an opportunity to
go and speak. My class mates started going one by one. My friend spoke and told
me to go up; I didn’t really have a choice. I walked up towards the microphone.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">And this is what I said. “I’d like to thank Mrs Koops for
this and making this class, and my class (I pointed at them), I’m happy to be a
part of their lives. I wrote a blog a few months ago about finding my voice and
this is the time, I found my voice.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Thank you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Pd_874O3qyt03btWROeUvEqbvQjcgnY0SacI0seszb2CMzE8oXsEN9oOZf_bwjefLN4_-oJ3EMz4b-_Qgz-mv_3hN7e4lbU8E_RUfkQRD1uaQ1oro4XruafK-zmFmdFEbBorIhXp13E/s1600/20180428_195947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Pd_874O3qyt03btWROeUvEqbvQjcgnY0SacI0seszb2CMzE8oXsEN9oOZf_bwjefLN4_-oJ3EMz4b-_Qgz-mv_3hN7e4lbU8E_RUfkQRD1uaQ1oro4XruafK-zmFmdFEbBorIhXp13E/s320/20180428_195947.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-15238126997184306872018-02-13T14:52:00.000-08:002018-02-14T14:54:45.540-08:00Finding My Voice<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">By Lacey Missens</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrM4AFSF0tg0g-nJbar8jeW3AbLOgFA9vJW-uHN11N3GgemKzKuiaALJsWBCtpRCPTRXdUhJp385fPcFke3IorG_yQM6FGCB9kjXJZp5fYPIhhPBgB9F0ddh-xhBXiblHOHlx3z81R-7c/s1600/DSC_0058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrM4AFSF0tg0g-nJbar8jeW3AbLOgFA9vJW-uHN11N3GgemKzKuiaALJsWBCtpRCPTRXdUhJp385fPcFke3IorG_yQM6FGCB9kjXJZp5fYPIhhPBgB9F0ddh-xhBXiblHOHlx3z81R-7c/s320/DSC_0058.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Lacey on a Treaty Walk in Fort Qu'Appelle last September</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I’m sitting here, thinking to myself, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what should I write down?</i> when I have so many things I could say to
myself and everyone around me. I just don’t know how to put my words on the
page. I do know I have a voice and the people around me know I do; still, I’m
just trying to find mine when I’m in front of crowds. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">These are my thoughts during the Kairos Blanket Exercise. I
was always a shy person and many times I didn’t want to read the Blanket
Exercise script. I would watch my classmates. Every time I would try to step
up, I would try to say I wanted to finally read, but I would start thinking to
myself <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I know I won’t be able to do this
because people around me will doubt me </i>and my thoughts would listen to
those people and I would start to doubt my own self. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">When I went to Balgonie, I read for the first time. It was
hard for me because that’s when my thoughts came into my head and I would start
to have bad thoughts. For many people around me, they could speak in front of
the crowd because they found their voices and everyone has a story. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxh5kI14oywYSbgqSvmxc0YTic0xiBR104gpNqiCrwW7ecZ4WdD86UuN3mXnTONnayhfKgjndROAajCnx-Eo7KWrRtULHiXStmRiLCFNkDMxTlVN-uSG4DjrwLPwlo5N4O_fmo4ydMgk/s1600/DSC_0009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxh5kI14oywYSbgqSvmxc0YTic0xiBR104gpNqiCrwW7ecZ4WdD86UuN3mXnTONnayhfKgjndROAajCnx-Eo7KWrRtULHiXStmRiLCFNkDMxTlVN-uSG4DjrwLPwlo5N4O_fmo4ydMgk/s320/DSC_0009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Lacey reading from the Kairos Blanket Exercise script </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
for the first time in Balgonie, second from the right</div>
</div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">When I found out about this class, I didn’t know what I was
getting into. When I walked in on the first day we were in a talking circle and
there weren’t too many people around me. I was still scared to speak up; to
this day I’m still learning who I am and what I could actually do to motivate
other people around me. I did learn that I shouldn’t care about what other
people think about me when I do speak. People around you will listen to what
you’ve got to say for yourself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">My goal from now to the end of the year is… I hope I will
find my voice. I know I can see a difference from my first day in this class to
present day. I’m slowly starting to find my voice in me. I just think you
should never give up on what you believe in and push yourself to the good
things in life instead of the negative. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTevW638x0wbncX0G9mosmjrEbh6Nj5P2hcspeH1YDiOCC7E0plPfzRNt34draANPDwWp-XwZ9B0EEJ1A9EBJ_Gh8fbVojnIIFN1M4WzIrP-gm3Ou4lcoSoEnYFHmCStnBNNoVXlbVYGE/s1600/DSC_0145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTevW638x0wbncX0G9mosmjrEbh6Nj5P2hcspeH1YDiOCC7E0plPfzRNt34draANPDwWp-XwZ9B0EEJ1A9EBJ_Gh8fbVojnIIFN1M4WzIrP-gm3Ou4lcoSoEnYFHmCStnBNNoVXlbVYGE/s320/DSC_0145.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Back row, Left to Right: Lacey, Taish, Jason Weitzel (principal of Balgonie) </div>
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Raimey, Glen, Kisis Cappo (from Balcarres) and Raven</div>
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Front row, Left to Right: Austin, Calen, Michael</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-45876791009883901592018-02-12T15:00:00.000-08:002018-02-12T15:00:42.465-08:00My Year<span style="font-size: large;">by Raven Cook</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7uumtoovT9LmwDuTv4DU3QwYic4A_9eRyl3kPifVqEcD8TfjXI1wNy4K5pys_264k4kxLmTuQnSa90uO8gcllWUhYayptn-uQSoBwfx0_oCW14w21QjifswWaKAoGJgEnvlIo069Ox2M/s1600/DSC_0068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7uumtoovT9LmwDuTv4DU3QwYic4A_9eRyl3kPifVqEcD8TfjXI1wNy4K5pys_264k4kxLmTuQnSa90uO8gcllWUhYayptn-uQSoBwfx0_oCW14w21QjifswWaKAoGJgEnvlIo069Ox2M/s320/DSC_0068.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">Lately I’ve
been asking myself “Is everything I’m doing going to be worth it?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">We’re two
months into 2018. The whole thing with New Year’s resolutions (New Year, new
me) has me thinking about what I want to change about myself. I have probably
failed most of my resolutions already, haha. But when we fail at something we
can choose to let it break us or we can choose to learn from our failure and
come back stronger. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">The more I've thought about it, I’ve noticed I have a lot of things to look forward to my
last semester of high school. With days going by so fast, I guess I’ve been
scared for this semester to end. Things I look forward to is travelling
with my “oski-family”; finally graduating high school; and continuing my journey. I
think these next few months will probably be some of my favourite and will help
me find some sense of self. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">When I
turned 20, I had this feeling that it’s actually going to be “my year.” The
year I find some true happiness and my happiness won’t be temporary, like I’m so
used to it being. The support I have from my “oski-family” makes me feel I can
keep going. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"></span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">Everything
I’ve done with <span lang="EN-CA" style="line-height: 107%;">Oski-pimohtahtamwak
otayisīniwiwaw </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">has</span> always been worth doing.
So I think the answer I’ve been looking for is “yes, it’s all going to be worth
it.” Everything will be okay. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
</div>
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"></span></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8z8C0Z5lf_PYmIn2Ogao2B8bBdhG0uwhDtlWP6UDrji0VtGZ-keoybeOo5sdBsnzPxDOeVlMbhzKSOtqhpcIeFo4rc24TOk4xQNDT9aolufiGP9gRqD2k8WjTD5l7J_jJXmyR6ZQqLtQ/s1600/DSC_0107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8z8C0Z5lf_PYmIn2Ogao2B8bBdhG0uwhDtlWP6UDrji0VtGZ-keoybeOo5sdBsnzPxDOeVlMbhzKSOtqhpcIeFo4rc24TOk4xQNDT9aolufiGP9gRqD2k8WjTD5l7J_jJXmyR6ZQqLtQ/s320/DSC_0107.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-65974367660513374622018-02-09T12:27:00.002-08:002018-02-09T12:46:00.534-08:00The Most Loving Group HugThe Most Loving Group Hug<br />
by Michael Starr-Desnomie<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">The day when we got on the bus I was really pumped to go to
a different school to show people about the Kairos Blanket Exercise, sharing
the history of Canada that they didn’t know about. Driving to Regina was a good,
looking out the windows and seeing beautiful land and animals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">When we got to Mother Theresa Middle School I knew it was a Catholic
school. I and my brother were outside of school grounds having a smoke before
we went in. Walking into the school, looking around, it was a pretty nice
school, I've got to say. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">We met Evan Whitestar who told us that he grew up in Fort
Qu’Appelle. He told us all that he did for the Fort. It was good to meet
another Fort kid that became big. He was telling me and my
classmates about the history that he had in the Fort. He knew a couple people
that played for the Fort Knox and that went into the WHL. I didn’t know that.
It was great hearing what he was saying, what he did when he lived in the Fort.
When he was done talking to us the principal, Terri Cote, showed us the gym so we could get set up for
the Blanket Exercise.</span></div>
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<span style="background: black; border: 1pt black; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 0pt; line-height: 107%; padding: 0in;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">The Blanket Exercise went good; there were over 60 kids in
the gym, all in a circle. After the blanket exercise we always ask the people
to get into a circle so we can talk about how we think and feel. Some of the
kids in the circle didn’t want to speak, so I was waiting until it was my turn.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">At the beginning I told my brother Taish I’m going to pour
my heart out. I bro-handshaked him, then went back to the talking circle,
waiting for my turn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I was the last one to speak. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">When it was my turn I stood up.</span><span style="background: black; border: 1pt black; color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 0pt; line-height: 107%; padding: 0in;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I spoke my heart out. I was telling all of them, “You are
all leaders and family to me.” I also told them, “I don’t care what color you
are, I care for each and every one of you like family. I give you – each and
every one of you – Much Love and Respect."</span></div>
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</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I told them about the kids from the north that are needing our
help and I told them my reactions. How I couldn’t get through the first 4 pages
on the book called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shhh… Listen We Have
Something to Say. </i>I told them what I wanted to do. How I was feeling on
that day. That I needed to talk to someone about how I wanted to help them and
on the ideas that would work for them. I felt their pain. I know what they went
through, and don’t call me crazy, but I heard their voices in my head saying <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">help me Michael.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I couldn’t sit down or stay still for a long time. Told them
who I talked to on the phone, what I told them, how I was feeling and what was
on my heart. There was a lot of pressure on my heart. I told them I don’t care
what people say if I cry in front of people, it shows me that I’m a true man,
standing my ground, speaking my heart out to people, telling them how my life
is, like the Blanket Exercise told them my history, how it all made me the man
that I am today, how it made me became a great leader. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">When I was done talking I told them all thank you. One of my
teachers, Sherie McKay, who was helping us with the blanket exercise said, “Michael deserves
a group hug” and I said, “If you guys want, I’m a hugger.”</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Some kids came running up to me and hugged me, then all 60
kids came up and hugged me. Well, I got a good group hug with mostly all of
them. </span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">They told me that what I said, it touched all of them and I
felt happy and loved by all of them. It was an amazing feeling. I had never gotten
a group hug in a Blanket Exercise. I’ve got to say, that was the best Blanket
Exercise that I have ever had.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-3489918047785921332018-01-22T13:11:00.004-08:002018-01-22T13:11:56.890-08:00It Was a Beautiful Day: It’s Great to get the Community Together<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">It Was a Beautiful Day: It’s Great to get the Community
Together</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">by Austin Elliott</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">The Christmas Dinner was a fun and productive day. Everybody
did such an amazing job. I just want to say thank you to the cooks who prepared
a wonderful dinner. Everything was just amazing. I enjoyed the great food and
enjoyed talking with my friends. I would also like to say thanks for everyone
for their help. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">It was such a wonderful day. I’m glad I woke up to
come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the band came it made it a
whole lot better, not as much as the violin though because I grew up listening
to the violin, and hearing these people who played it was a blessing to hear
their skills. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Thanks everyone who participated in the Christmas dinner. It
was a beautiful day, so thank you. It’s great to get the community together and
have good laughs and good talks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Getting my classmate Taish to be Santa was funny. He had a
good time being Santa and the rest of our class did awesome being Santa’s
little helpers. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-45707529331657869012018-01-22T08:43:00.000-08:002018-01-22T08:43:20.035-08:00Respectful, Good Listeners<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">To the
students and staff at Grenfell High School:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">The Grenfell
blanket exercise was a fun and productive experience. We got to know really
wonderful people at GHS; you were very respectful during the teaching of the
blanket exercise. I hope what we taught impacted you in a respectful way. I
hope the teaching gave you a different perspective on how indigenous peoples
think. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">The students
were really interested in learning the blanket exercise and hopefully we can go
back and do a little more teaching to them. Everybody who came and listened to
us showed so much kindness. I would like to say thank you GHS for your
cooperation to take the time to learn what we teach and what we do. I’m very
grateful for everything you guys did, so much respect was shown at the time we
were there. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">I can’t
thank you more for everything you did while we were there. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">I wouldn’t
be doing this with oski-pimohtahtamwak otayisīniwiwaw because I have social
anxiety. It gets really hard for me to do stuff like this with my class. I’m thankful
for your understanding. I wonder if you would like to know more about what
we’re doing; if I could actually talk to you, I would say it myself, that you’re
very respectful, good listeners and also very outstanding people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">Grenfell High,
have a wonderful rest of your year. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">Yours truly,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">Austin
Elliott<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-57348203269996779762018-01-19T13:28:00.000-08:002018-01-19T13:28:07.042-08:00I Hear You and I'm Here to Help You<br />
<div class="MsoTitle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "adobe garamond pro" , serif; font-size: 29pt;">I Hear You and I’m Here to Help You<o:p></o:p></span></div>
by Michael Starr-Desnomie<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "arial";"> </span></o:p><br />
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<o:p></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">The day that Meredith Newman came to visit BFCHS, it was an
honor to meet her finally. She was Corey O’Soup’s assistant and she came all
the way from Saskatoon. She came a long way to meet us. When I first met her I thought
she was going to be short, but when I looked up, she was taller than me. I felt
short. My classmates and I shook her hand and said our names.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I spoke with her on the phone about two or three weeks
before. I had told Miss.Koops when I was reading the book’ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shhh…
Listen We Have Something to Say Youth voices From the North</i> that I couldn’t
get through the first four pages because of reading and learning a lot of
indigenous kids are needing help. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Young kids committing suicide had a lot of impact on my
heart. I was shaking. I was hearing all of those kids’ voices saying, “Michael help
me.” I couldn’t sit down, not even for a minute. I needed to talk to somebody
about it ASAP.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">When I went to tell my teacher she said, “You want me to
call somebody for you?” Because of what I had read in the book I wanted to take
action as soon as possible. Miss. Koops phoned Meredith, so that I could talk
to her and say what I really needed to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">When I was talking on the phone with Meredith I told her
that mostly, what I really want to do, is to help every single kid and youth
from the north. I heard their voices and I’m willing to help them until the day
that they cremate me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I will be watching over them and telling the creator to send
his best warriors down to earth to help our people. When Meredith came to see
us I told her that I have some ideas that can help the kids from the north to
make them go on the right path not the dark path, because the creator made us
for a reason. He gave us all gifts that we don’t know about, that we have to
find out for ourselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">They have to remember what runs through their veins. Their
ancestors are always here to help as well. They can go to sweats to speak to an
elder, to tell them what’s going on, so they can help them heal and make them
better. They can go to ceremonies to make them who they really are on the
inside and find who they can really be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">These kids need our help. I will do everything and anything
to help out the kids from the north even if it takes my last breath. When I was
talking to Meredith in the culture room I was telling her about the time I read
my poem. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">The very first time on Orange Shirt Day and that I got
invited to the Saskatchewan School Board Association (SSBA) and told her that
it went viral, but I was mostly talking about the book, that I wanted to help
with and help every single kid. I told her that kids don’t deserve the things
they’re going through. I know how they feel and I know their pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I’ve been through it as well. I battled my demons. I tried
to fight it alone, but I couldn’t do it by myself. I needed help. I told my
family and my parents, but I didn’t tell them in the first 3 to 4 years it was
happening, and each year it got worse and worse. My mom asked my moshum if she,
my mom, could make a sweat and she did. She went to get cloths and tobacco for it.
My mom did a lot for me and I’m very thankful for that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I told Meredith that I went through the same things like
those kids and that’s why I wanted to take action as soon as possible. No kid
deserves to be left out when they need help and I will always be here for them
because I’m not going anywhere. I take good care of my people and will always
always be there for them. I’m not going to let any kid be left out and I will
help them until the end. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I hear their voices and I’m willing to do anything for them.
I am telling everything that was in my heart to Meredith. It was a good feeling
to tell her what I can do to help even just telling stories that I heard from
an elder. I told her about the animals’ nature, things she hadn’t heard of. She
was surprised. She helped me by hearing every single word that I was saying
that can help with this book and for the kids from the north. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">When Meredith was about to leave I gave her tobacco that I
used to bless the food with. I gave it to her and told her, “I want to give you
this tobacco for you to return to your home fire and loved ones.” She was
almost crying because she hadn’t got something as special as that before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">When she went out the door I prayed for her and for a safe
trip back home. I also prayed to my thunderbird brothers to guide her safely
back to her home fire. It was an honor meeting her and speaking heart to heart
with her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-22356460230063504322018-01-11T10:00:00.003-08:002018-01-11T10:00:41.809-08:00High Hopes for UsYesterday we met Meredith Newman from the Child and Youth Advocate's office. She interviewed us because she is planning to write a piece on us for the Advocate Office's yearly report. After our first hour of visiting, we had a potluck lunch with more conversation. After lunch we returned to the classroom and shared some of our PowerPoints we are developing for some motivational speaking we've been invited to do in Elementary and Middle Years schools. There were hugs all around as she left, with lots of encouragement for what we're doing and hope that we will work together again.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlAiwbvYHw75vCI8n2uNk2lrI7TE5sFIyet-hDvPhyR35S6I5XFn4PcLyX1ooh-gc5UX20xJzsRKwkd1ws6VGnPIdvcvA7VSXLopwQ3M3c27ElGOxstbj3MzkvHsHY-zKI-ZS-_jn-54/s1600/DSC_0118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlAiwbvYHw75vCI8n2uNk2lrI7TE5sFIyet-hDvPhyR35S6I5XFn4PcLyX1ooh-gc5UX20xJzsRKwkd1ws6VGnPIdvcvA7VSXLopwQ3M3c27ElGOxstbj3MzkvHsHY-zKI-ZS-_jn-54/s320/DSC_0118.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Bailey, Meredith, Michael and Calen in Group picture</div>
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(Taish missed outbecause he was helping someone.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNgHpW7CbKWsYtYtF9GDLtSpG25I1EW9tQUyOhPFgmY7e1rWGVbaLdA5UxYNCsjX2y6-vuXS878mGJaJ4bf_AnIlrQzqEu325Kr795bnnpVfmmpofdaqW_lpgphIfbksdalJFI58fGiI/s1600/DSC_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNgHpW7CbKWsYtYtF9GDLtSpG25I1EW9tQUyOhPFgmY7e1rWGVbaLdA5UxYNCsjX2y6-vuXS878mGJaJ4bf_AnIlrQzqEu325Kr795bnnpVfmmpofdaqW_lpgphIfbksdalJFI58fGiI/s320/DSC_0011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Michael and Taish in a thoughtful moment.</div>
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"Meeting Meredith was a great honour. It was amazing that she gracefully came to our school with high hopes for us." Taish Desnomie<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnvy5J2xYzRY2dhhGKIo0z_dn4VVDWPDb8GTPGJbNNefGGeeg4GGA8gDr_kMw-2cEr8j6zZknQlty7nzT5128JU6_Mxy_ir0EDZB1pT1X03d32cicye7VgYlMSbKBVNq_lnACrlh-FnQ/s1600/DSC_0110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLnvy5J2xYzRY2dhhGKIo0z_dn4VVDWPDb8GTPGJbNNefGGeeg4GGA8gDr_kMw-2cEr8j6zZknQlty7nzT5128JU6_Mxy_ir0EDZB1pT1X03d32cicye7VgYlMSbKBVNq_lnACrlh-FnQ/s320/DSC_0110.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Michael, cozy in the ducky blanket, talking with Meredith</div>
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"Meeting Meredith was great, we got to know her a bit. She told us a bit about herself and what she does. She got to know us a bit more, what we plan to do for our community, and I especially want to help the kids in the north. Talking with her heart-to-heart about the book "Shhhhh...Listen!" and how I felt about it, how I went through the same thing, how I heard my name being called, and I was shaking because of reading that book. I couldn't even get to page five because there was lots of heaviness on my heart, I couldn't even sit down for a minute. I told her about the ideas that I have, that I could do to help First Nations kids and youth. I want to make them become somebody, that inner warrior that all of us need to find, we need to find our gifts and we need to find out what the Creator blessed us with. That's how come they are lost because they don't think about it. They need their culture more than they need anything because they have their ancestors in their blood and they need to keep that bloodline going and going. Young people don't need to take their own lives, they need our help, they need our support. I'm willing to do anything to help out those kids in the north. I gave her tobacco before she left. I prayed for her safe trip back home to her home fire, her loved ones and family. She almost teared up because she hadn't had that experience before from a First Nations leader." Michael Starr-Desnomie<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLRK8PrMLzxIcm5oOwuJciage-Wmt5nic-vWlcjFJnFX-lCH9dloJH8Jub0CX98ewXL8NrOTtOl96TULc8Z9OKHfuwFyrEJ4QroPul67pgX3zvsAT85XQxz-WsnET05BV-IjoC8oB2mo/s1600/DSC_0119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLRK8PrMLzxIcm5oOwuJciage-Wmt5nic-vWlcjFJnFX-lCH9dloJH8Jub0CX98ewXL8NrOTtOl96TULc8Z9OKHfuwFyrEJ4QroPul67pgX3zvsAT85XQxz-WsnET05BV-IjoC8oB2mo/s320/DSC_0119.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mrs. Koops and Meredith looking at the bulletin board outside the classroom which hlighlights the Special Report on the Youth Suicide Crisis in Northern Saskatchewan</div>
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<em>Shhh... LiSTEN!! We Have Something to Say!: Youth Voices from the North</em></div>
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photo by Michael Starr-Desnomie</div>
<br />
Lacey and Mrs. Koops took most of the pictures so we could remember our time together. <br />
<br />
"We'll See You Again, Meredith!" sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-36007023203547267392017-12-19T12:16:00.000-08:002017-12-19T12:18:08.864-08:00Worth It<strong><span style="font-size: large;">By Glen Asham</span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPKPpNOlkS9aGCL7WbLghwDvj1PZn7AAg7oEiX10DNGcpgiwSJL0ekIrDcCTrjrRcbYho7XOhp9eFiNDy6ynN8ypPcz3phcMkQR1rzoWH127s22EEyMdG0uj_6nmjNtilNgwfvqTMZE4/s1600/DSC_0030+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPKPpNOlkS9aGCL7WbLghwDvj1PZn7AAg7oEiX10DNGcpgiwSJL0ekIrDcCTrjrRcbYho7XOhp9eFiNDy6ynN8ypPcz3phcMkQR1rzoWH127s22EEyMdG0uj_6nmjNtilNgwfvqTMZE4/s320/DSC_0030+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">On November 7<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> we
attended a Sacred Water Pipe Ceremony at the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal
Council Governance Centre in Fort Qu'Appelle.</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xF4CXMGyRlPVLqlcLg9MtWdR3YzVEEQE8EWYTNfveSYQg6hlC-lcx7UqGPkZtVxZArqEc3T3sEgfHo93o1h7DmDeTTV3ZV5LDS7bVeTpHNmvK5C3bnyYCXsnCDR5s9vVBvak5WFmSOI/s1600/DSC_0060+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xF4CXMGyRlPVLqlcLg9MtWdR3YzVEEQE8EWYTNfveSYQg6hlC-lcx7UqGPkZtVxZArqEc3T3sEgfHo93o1h7DmDeTTV3ZV5LDS7bVeTpHNmvK5C3bnyYCXsnCDR5s9vVBvak5WFmSOI/s320/DSC_0060+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">The walk there was cold but
worth it in the end.</span></span><br />
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9fCAXAmEi92J8k0p4hXUU-7T-riEPf5U4odF_RDmxEWq3AjkqjTUHKEc85ahd9n58lNh3jFKVpU61qK4lcfYiD2w36qX6Wxo_n3Mv8n4aaPnnYVGh3Tdsk6Lq-vETVRcUiBCPi8CAh8/s1600/DSC_0024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9fCAXAmEi92J8k0p4hXUU-7T-riEPf5U4odF_RDmxEWq3AjkqjTUHKEc85ahd9n58lNh3jFKVpU61qK4lcfYiD2w36qX6Wxo_n3Mv8n4aaPnnYVGh3Tdsk6Lq-vETVRcUiBCPi8CAh8/s320/DSC_0024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">The group of people that ran
it was nice.</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">The Pipe ceremony was pretty cool. I appreciated them inviting us to attend. </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">Note. This picture was taken before the Pipe Ceremony began out of respect for the ceremony. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBCehlNZyWMcr9S8AOLKtwVk3Jn9mY0qgbl68q_dZnET0jMDHsTnx24b_AhTS09_7TrZDHPK2LLVhmov8VRWc4eWnnqkdi9fXxpBrTGE-QL0afZPxvpaR1kJAAADows1quCmnDLVOOr8/s1600/24796634_10155704859660801_3136348551789312499_n%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBCehlNZyWMcr9S8AOLKtwVk3Jn9mY0qgbl68q_dZnET0jMDHsTnx24b_AhTS09_7TrZDHPK2LLVhmov8VRWc4eWnnqkdi9fXxpBrTGE-QL0afZPxvpaR1kJAAADows1quCmnDLVOOr8/s320/24796634_10155704859660801_3136348551789312499_n%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Then we got soup and bannock. It was lit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-69595715519824734482017-12-19T07:41:00.000-08:002017-12-19T07:41:24.812-08:00The poem that was made from my heart and that will bring a tear to your eye because it’s the truth
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<span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p>by Michael Starr-Desnomie</o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">When I was going to class to see what my teacher had planned
I was walking to the junior computer lab. Mrs. Koops introduced me to a teacher
who I had never met before in the school. Her name was Ms. Thomson (without a
p). She looked new, but everyone is welcomed to Bert Fox. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I shook her hand and smiled, talked about our class and how
I’m showing leadership, but mostly Mrs. Koops was saying great stuff about me
that made me happy to hear. My teacher brought up my poem that I made on Orange
Shirt Day and how it went when I was reading my poem. I choked up but stood my
ground and Mrs. Koops tried to come take over for me, but it was my poem and I
was going to read it all because it had my name on top so I said to my teacher,
I’m reading all of it, but when I teared up at some points, she tried to come
take over, but I just needed a second to try calm down and breath then I
finished reading it all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Before Ms. Thomson read my poem she asked me what my poem was
called. I said, “Doing the Blanket Exercise on the Land Where All My People Lived.”
When she was done reading it I looked at her and I could see her in tears,
seeing tears that were rolling down her face. She said it’s beautiful and so
true. I told her I didn’t use my mind, I wrote that from heart. She told me you
do have a big heart. She was still tearing up so I hugged her, rubbed her back
and comforted her, then after I was done hugging her she held my hand and told
me, you are so gifted and explained to me that her mom went through the same
thing, she went through residential schools but her mom never talks about it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I kept on seeing tears rolling down her face. I wanted to
give her a hug to make her feel much better. She said the nicest things to me
that I will never forget. I will use those kind words that she said to me in my
future and as a leader. I explained to her how I felt and what I thought about
when I first did the blanket exercise. I explained to her that we all should be
treated equally; we are all the same. It doesn’t matter about your color or
what tribe you’re from, even how your culture is, we are all the same on the
inside. We all bleed the same color, have the same feelings, we are all the
same but we live differently. I give every single person Much Love &
Respect. We are all family in my eyes. I’m always here for my family when they’re
down so I can help them back up on their feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I told Ms. Thomson what my mom always said to me, become a
leader not a follower or my little saying, throw me to the wolves and I will
return the pack leader. It was amazing hearing all of my teachers say wonderful
things about me, always making me smile and happy about myself, making me stay
positive. When we were talking about what they think about my poem and I told Ms.
Thomson that I went to the Saskatchewan School Board Association to read my
poem that went viral across the world that I’m very proud of.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p>Miss Bev, Michael, Mrs. Koops and Ms. Thomson</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">One of my favorite teachers came by, Miss Bev. I gave her a
hug as well. She’s the teacher that always gave me fudge when I went to all of
my classes, and if I was good, but sometimes she forgot to make some for me,
when I kept on going to class and being good, but I said to her I think I’m too
sweet already, then Miss Bev smiled and gave me a hug and told me I am sweet. All
of those teachers that I was talking to – Ms. Thomson, Miss Bev, Mrs. Koops -- made
my day and I just felt great all day, well I always do. All of the teachers in
Bert Fox are very proud of me and they supported me all the way. With their
support they made me who I am and my mom as well, always believed in me and
always there for me, to pick me back up, that’s what mother bears do, keep
their cubs safe and believe in what they can become, a big strong leader. I’m
very proud of myself on becoming a great leader, a voice for my people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-31426454203721277292017-12-18T07:35:00.004-08:002017-12-18T07:35:42.668-08:00A Real Nice Talking Circle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
by Kaleya McNab</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "abcprint"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">This is the day when
my classmates and I went to Mr. Mohan’s Native Studies 10 class to do the Kairos Blanket
Exercise. His class was very good and listened. They all participated in the
KBE, but some of them were shy to read their scrolls, but they still read. I was
even shy to read the European parts, even though I did the KBE a bunch of times.
I can get shy to read because I don’t want to misread the script or the
scrolls. The KBE has a lot of information about the 60’s scoop and residential
schools and also talks about how the Europeans brought diseases and smallpox
that killed thousands of people and how the Europeans took over land. It is kind
of harsh to read the European parts. We even have some people cry while trying
to read their scrolls because of how harsh it is. When I first did the KBE I
was the narrator with one of my classmates a couple times then I started doing
the European parts. We all take turns doing the KBE. After the end of KBE we do
a talking circle; we can say whatever comes to our minds; it can be anything,
then after we are done doing a talking circle we all shake hands and we say
thank you for inviting us and having us. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-69133833028572460812017-12-08T09:46:00.000-08:002017-12-08T09:46:11.764-08:00He's What You Call a Modern Day Hero<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">by Taish Desnomie</span><br />
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Mr. O'Soup and I talking about bullying issues.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">He's what you call a modern day hero, a role model. He's probably my top role model over Rambo any day. He taught me a lot today. This I didn't know, he came from nothing, to being every kids' hero. We need more people like him. He taught me to follow my dreams, never give up, and to look forward.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Meeting Corey O'Soup, Saskatchewan's Advocate for Children and Youth, was a great experience because we are both in the same work. It gave me a lot of ideas. It gave me hope just to know that there is always a way to get past some of the problems in life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">A few weeks back, I wrote a letter with my classmates to Fort Qu'Appelle Elementary Community School and my class and I delivered it directly to the principal. We showed Ms. Young-Lee, our principal, the letter before we took it over. She had some suggestions and we made edits. Here's what the beginning of the letter said:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>"We, the class of
oski-pimohtahtamwak otayisīniwiwaw, have been invited to present workshops
throughout southern Saskatchewan, most often sharing the Kairos Blanket
Exercise. We are developing our leadership potential and our response skills.
Because we have lived through many difficult situations ourselves, we want to
support students who are dealing with difficult life situations including
bullying, racism, suicide, and poverty."</em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">We met with three more people from the elementary school to make some plans, Mrs. Lowe, Miss Tami, and Mrs. Brooks (the new principal). We went for lunch a few times, played some soccer once, and Michael attended one after school program so far. We also prepared a PowerPoint to tell people who we are, and so far we've gone to over half of the classrooms. Every classroom visit takes about twenty minutes because we are talking and the kids are asking questions. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Going to the elementary school is pretty fun; you get to meet some of the new generation of kids. When you're really sitting there talking to them, they really have a chance to open up with their feelings and laugh. It's really cool. You don't get to see that every day. I think it's really great that they all get a chance to look up to older kids and have a voice. </span></span><br />
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Introducing ourselves in an elementary classroom</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times;">Meeting Corey was a great experience for me and my classmates. It was really great because he gave me and my classmates lots of insight on what the world is really like today, about youth and women, and people going missing. He really opened up our eyes. He showed us that we could change our own communities and others around us. This kind of work that I'm doing right now, I'm really committed to doing this -- and without my classmates, I wouldn't be doing any of this, and I wouldn't have the help. My respect and everything I do all goes to them because they're my backbone. </span></span><br />
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Being goofy</div>
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sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-40858462910069261312017-12-07T18:32:00.000-08:002017-12-08T07:20:59.997-08:00Saskatchewan's Advocate for Children and Youth Visits oski-pimohtahtamwak otayisīniwiwaw <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Kaleya McNabb, Lacey Missens, Taish Desnomie, Mr. Corey O'Soup, Malynda Starr-Desnomie, Ms. Tami Janz-Sargees</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Raimey Pasqua and Michael Starr-Desnomie</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Mrs. Koops: What was most memorable about meeting Mr. O’Soup?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Michael: He brought some awesome cinnamon rolls. While I was
listening to him and taking pictures, he gave me a couple of ideas that I want
to do next with this little program. Try to join him as well, try to help kids
feel more safe and more welcome. All kids need to go home safely, and they all
need to be treated the same as they would be treated by family, loving one
another, respecting one another, always being there for them. Bullying is not
the way. When people are bullied it pushes them to the limits, even being
suicidal. Even the book that he gave us has lots of information about we could
do, what we could take action for. I like what he said, we could help him with
this work. People will listen to younger people, we’re getting out there in the
world. We need to let everybody know about this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Michael enjoying the best cinnamon rolls ever. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Malynda: He shared with us that when an older person speaks, you hear what they
say, but when a younger person speaks, we reflect on it more because we know what they
mean. When you get someone your own age, you know they’ll understand. The older
generation doesn’t really have the same problems as us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Mr. O'Soup speaking to us in the classroom.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Taish: I think that each kid, each youth, teenager,
pre-teen, kindergartener, should just get a piece of paper and write down what
they’re feeling, where they are in their lives, where they are coming from, to
reach out and talk to somebody, could be anybody, somebody close, mom, dad,
teacher, or a friend, and try and find that help to overcome their fears of
whatever’s bothering them, to find that courage inside of themselves to know
that they’re not alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Taish exchanging ideas with Mr. O'Soup.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Mrs. Koops: What was inspiring about our meeting with Mr. O’Soup?
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Michael: Everything. Everything that he said. As young
leaders like us, we could do something about it because we’re family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Discussions after we'd finished lunch.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Malynda: The whole time he was talking I was inspired and moved by what he was saying. That guy’s going to do some
awesome things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Malynda listening to every word. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Mrs. Koops: What are you taking away in your heart, as a
youth, after the meeting?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Malynda: When he was talking about social work, I really
want to go into social work after high school, he’s trying so hard to make the
whole system better and not so twisted as it is right now. With him having the
platform that he has, he can really make change in those areas so that makes me
feel better and more confident in wanting to pursue Social Work.</span></div>
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Mr. O'Soup sharing his story with us in the classroom.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Mrs. Koops: What does it mean to you that he is the first
Indigenous Child Advocate in Saskatchewan?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Malynda: Hearing his life story. How humble he is, and just
overall how great of a human being he is, making history. I feel so much more
uplifted as an Aboriginal person because I see what he’s trying so hard to do.
I’m really excited to see where he’ll take us and all the positive affects he’ll
have on this province and country. We shouldn’t be restricted that we can only
get a certain level of job. He is raising the bar for us, like, we can do it.</span></div>
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Mr. O'Soup gave us all copies of the newly released</div>
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<em>Shhh... LISTEN!! We have something to say! Youth Voices from the North</em></div>
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<em></em> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYDQiKzx5zT9LrHDNykCO2qNxIpOWjuUyvke0nUJoZ_vRdlQnfI8in5hipDE4f0sG-bcWGpH1BMC3yASsjsSTD3byWY5hFr0BrcOAqRlkIZsPg2QyneaT_tx4nOEwjxpsmKs15jlcQWg/s1600/DSC_0065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYDQiKzx5zT9LrHDNykCO2qNxIpOWjuUyvke0nUJoZ_vRdlQnfI8in5hipDE4f0sG-bcWGpH1BMC3yASsjsSTD3byWY5hFr0BrcOAqRlkIZsPg2QyneaT_tx4nOEwjxpsmKs15jlcQWg/s320/DSC_0065.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Taish said, "Will you sign mine."</div>
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Everyone else said, "I want mine signed, too."</div>
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Mr. O'Soup wrote, "Michael, where's my poem?"</div>
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Michael ran home and brought back a copy of his poem and gave it to Mr. O'Soup. </div>
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<em></em> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "arial";"> </span></o:p></div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-77380257714677861852017-11-30T13:14:00.001-08:002017-11-30T13:14:08.212-08:00On Becoming Powerful Speakers<span style="font-family: "arial";">On Becoming Powerful Speakers </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">by Calen Whiteman</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tGI6cGao1kbU4_OIEdqARrAR81EGv8v51U1NBhHGjhW-kE2sJe1j_Km9_6uQZOHgVS4D6LvTfgOxo8Thm2JVAfab-WVL6sfu3M1GDYkZDh-Hxt3NazVkYlkG2OHACGyiEVYeJC7MaJo/s1600/CSC_0485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tGI6cGao1kbU4_OIEdqARrAR81EGv8v51U1NBhHGjhW-kE2sJe1j_Km9_6uQZOHgVS4D6LvTfgOxo8Thm2JVAfab-WVL6sfu3M1GDYkZDh-Hxt3NazVkYlkG2OHACGyiEVYeJC7MaJo/s320/CSC_0485.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">The first day of class I said to Mrs. Koops, “I’m going to
be the narrator.” I was talking about the Kairos Blanket Exercise and told her
how I was interested in being a leader for other schools and teaching them how
this Blanket Exercise works and what it’s about. I told Mrs. Koops that I could
be the narrator because I thought I could take this challenge. I could read it;
I could nail it. Nobody else spoke up right away, so I decided I would because
I’m not shy in front of crowds. I knew the name of the Kairos Blanket Exercise,
but I didn’t know what it was about or what it said. My new leadership depended
on me understanding my own history, taking some risks, building relationships, and being generous.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">My first day back we had a talking circle as a class and Mrs.
Koops explained to us how the KBE worked and we had a practice. It meant a lot
to me because it was about my culture and how things have been happening so
long ago to Indigenous peoples, how our land was being taken from us by the
Europeans, the land being bought and sold, over 1000 Indigenous woman going
missing and today the number is much higher (Kairos Canada, 2015). It speaks to
me because I have had ancestors who have been through these things. My grandpa
was a survivor at the Residential School in Lebret. I was told some crazy, scary
stories about him being in there. I would explain more but they aren’t my
stories to hand out and I don’t like speaking about them to others. I have had
more family going through this, but I’ve never heard their
stories. It’s important for Canadians to hear about this story; they’re not going to hear enough about it on the news, on YouTube; that’s why I want to take part in being a narrator. It’s a big risk but it’s worth it because it’s a topic that gets dropped. Residential School was a big thing. The apology is not enough. First Nations are still living on poor reserves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">My first time I taught students from the University of Regina
they were in their 3<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup> and 4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> year in becoming a teacher.
We were at the Treaty 4 Gathering. At first I was nervous, but then I pulled it
together and realized that no one is going to learn if they’re not being
taught. At the end of our first session at Treaty 4 grounds we all sat in a
circle and had everyone say something about their experience doing the KBE; a
lot of their responses had me shocked because some of them didn’t know about
the land that has been taken from Indigenous peoples or the diseases that were
brought over to the northern part of Turtle Island. They didn’t know how residential
schools affected them and what has happen to people that were in those schools.
It’s a heartbreaking subject for me. Most of these U of R students were woman
and the part in the exercise on Indigenous woman going missing had some of them
looking shocked. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">My second time leading the KBE as the narrator and I think I
did a good job. They were younger kids, grade 5 and 6. There were about 3 kids that
I helped read their scripts and it was great because I was working on my
relationship skills while doing this with the little kids. Teaching them at a young
age is good to me because they could tell others about it and we can teach more
people. It’s an interesting topic when you take the time to realize what
happened to Indigenous peoples and how the Europeans broke their promises and Treaties (Kairos Canada, 2015).
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Since then, I’ve had opportunity to build relationships with
Sacred Heart High School’s teachers, Notre Dame students and teachers, and some
other schools that came to the Treaty 4 grounds and participated. It helped me
get my voice and to not be shy. It teaches me how to be a leader for others and
show them the exercise. One more thing that catches my attention is that we get
to teach it to anyone who invites us and wants us to. I’m willing to go around
and do this with other schools and possibly bigger places and towns. This is
important to me because it is part of my shared history; this happened to my
kin. I’ve had family go through it, my grandpa, my kokum, some aunties and
uncles were a couple years short of going to residential school before it got
shut down. Even thinking of the fact that they could have been in there still
hurts me. </span><span style="font-family: "arial";">I want people to know what happened because to some of us
it’s really emotional because we had family go through it and we hear about the
things that happened to them. I want to bring it up because it’s something
people shouldn’t forget about. It feels like people have forgotten because it’s
not a big topic anymore. For me it is a big topic because it still impacts me.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";">I want to make my voice, everybody’s voice, the voices that have been forgotten,
the voices that have been through those struggles that have never been heard, I
want them all remembered. Especially for the lives and the voices of my ancestors
who had to live the hard way when I have it easy in a way. I don’t have to go
to Residential Schools. I’m not taken away from my family. I’m not forced out
of my culture, to not be traditional. I can live a free and happy life, but why
couldn’t they? I want this exercise to help everyone understand that my people
have been suffering from these things and till this day still are; it was a
dark time back in the day for Indigenous people and it’s a dark subject for the
heirs of the family’s and kids that participated in this awful time. So my job
in this Kairos Blanket Exercise is to get the message out to everyone that I
can be of service to with my class and teacher. I’m hoping I and my friends can
get more and more invites from other schools to come show them how the KBE
works. We have done it 14 times now and by the time this school year is over I
think that we can get at least 40 or more opportunities as we are still
working and building on becoming powerful speakers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7941629924906552928.post-35231072678432210162017-11-28T07:53:00.000-08:002017-11-30T07:55:24.703-08:00My Buddy Taish is Somebody to Go To<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">by Austin (Boss) Elliott</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">We are going
to the elementary school tomorrow to introduce ourselves, creating what we’re
calling Oski-Generation. </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">Hopefully
what we do in the elementary school goes as planned, and I hope that everybody
participates in what we’re doing as a class. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">My buddy Taish
is second-guessing himself about it because nobody was paying attention (when we were planning). He
wants this to work for the benefit of our class. If this goes as planned then
we’ll achieve something from this, either if it’s happiness or being a good
leader to our young youth. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">If we can be
good leaders the youth will learn how to be respectful and encourage others, and
to treat people how they would want to be treated. It’s always good to show our
youth that anything can happen when they show respect; it will take them
places.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">As a fellow
friend of Taish Desnomie, he inspired me to eat right and workout. He is a
great leader to look up to. He shows care to people who are in need, and he
never gives up on you. If there is a problem, my buddy Taish is somebody to go
to. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
sheenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680357466493699833noreply@blogger.com1