Students at the Mother Teresa Early Childhood Learning Centre recently gathered to mark the end of the learning year with the Eagle Staff, a traditional Indigenous symbol.
The school also brings in the staff in September to indicate the beginning of the year.
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Cynthia Young, Indigenous Programming Coordinator for the Lloydminster Catholic School Division, led the event.
With Mother Teresa students ranging from Pre-kindergarten to Grade 2, Young noted the importance of learning about Indigenous culture at a young age.
“Our students are going to start seeing all kinds of different cultural aspects,” said Young. “The younger we can start them off, the more understanding they’ll gain.”
According to Young, the ceremony, which included traditional dancers and drumming, is part of a year-long learning journey.
“Each ceremony and presentation we do gives them knowledge,” she said. “So, they start encompassing it inside themselves and carry this knowledge with them.”
Young also said symbols like the eagle staff and dreamcatcher help students understand and respect Indigenous culture.
“As soon as the students start seeing those things, they’re not scared of them anymore,” she said. “When they understand them, they know where to put them in their toolbox of life inside themselves.”
Young said these teachings give students the tools to “walk in a good way in our land.”
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Why did the Mother Teresa Early Childhood Learning Centre incorporate the Eagle Staff into both the opening and closing ceremonies of the school year?
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How does Cynthia Young believe early exposure to Indigenous symbols like the Eagle Staff and dreamcatcher benefits young students’ understanding and acceptance of different cultures? Visit us Multimedia