Indigenous Learning & Culture

We will achieve equity of outcomes for Indigenous learners in Cariboo-Chilcotin School District. We will continue to examine our environments, structures, and practices to identify and address barriers. We are committed to continuing to strengthen relationships with First Nation communities as rightsholders and collaborate with community partners who support Indigenous children and youth and their families. We will embed learning about Indigenous culture, perspectives, and language in the daily experience of learners in our schools. Some examples of the work of our plan are:

•District-wide staff learning about Truth and Reconciliation, local Indigenous culture, Circle of Courage and trauma-informed practice

•Planned school-wide culture learning aligned with calendar of local cultural seasonal activities

•Visible language and culture across schools (Knowledge keepers in schools, ceremony, welcome signage, elders posters)

•Review of school libraries and resource collections and additional funding for Authentic First Peoples Resources

•Recognizing cultural learning in community with graduation program credits (local Independent Directed Study framework)

•Meaningful engagement of schools and district in Local Education Agreements (LEA)

•Re-engagement with Equity in Action 

Explore the ways we are LEARNING BETTER TOGETHER for equity for Indigenous students and learning about local Indigenous culture for all students and staff:

Brianna Pope Presents her Independent Studies Project

Lake City Secondary

Brianna Pope spent at LEAST 120 hours taking courses online as well as on campus at UBC. The courses ranged from exploring multiple barriers facing marginalized people, neuroscience, and integrated medicine. Brianna was an excellent student who showcased her final projects in various courses and eloquently discussed her learning. We couldn't be more proud!

Lahal at Lake City

Lake City Secondary

Denisiqi Cultural Ambassador's Bruce Baptiste and Jenny Quilt along with elder Gary Stieman taught over 50 students how to play Lahal. As it is a gambling game, prizes are a must!  The students are looking forward to playing again in December.

Students Learn How to Make Salve

Lake City Secondary

Grade 12 students in Ms. Buafo's English class spent time on the medicine trail at WLFN. They then returned to class to learn from Freda Alphonse, Bonnie Robinson, and Karen Grant. Each of the students prepared their own medicinal salve using the plants they collected as well as bear grease, lard, and pitch medicine.

Respect

Chilcotin Road Elementary

Along with our students learning about the month of November and what it means to move into underground houses, we as a school, this month, are learning about Respect! The Bison carries the gift of respect.

Learning About Plants

Horsefly Elementary Junior 

Students learned about invasive and native plants in our local environment.

Talking Sticks

100 Mile Elementary

Talking sticks are a traditional tool used by many North American Indigenous peoples during meetings and discussions. They serve as a symbolic means of communication, allowing each speaker to have the floor without interruption. The use of a talking stick fosters respect, active listening, and inclusivity, ensuring that everyone's voice is heard. This practice reflects the values of community and consensus, emphasizing the importance of dialogue in decision-making processes. By holding the stick, a speaker is granted the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings, promoting a deeper understanding among participants.

Mrs. Helmer's class worked with our Indigenous Support Worker on creating their own talking sticks to understand and use the practice.

Horse Lake Kindergarten Class Visits Horse Lake Farm Cooperative

Horse Lake Elementary

The Horse Lake Kindergarten Class revisited the Horse Lake Farm Cooperative Farm for the second of a number of recurring visits. Murray Casey, a Tsq’escenemc First Nations Elder, welcomed the students to the land by singing and drumming a First Nations welcome song. He then explained the significance of the local garden and how it has traditionally been a part of local Indigenous culture.

The kindergarten students then explored the garden with the farm program leaders and learned about the vegetables grown there. Later, they walked across fields and down to Horse Lake, observing migrating birds, and investigating gopher and badger holes. They were very curious about the badgers and were excited to learn more about them back at school.

The Beat of the Drum

Marie Sharpe Elementary

Throughout October, Ms. Jack has brought teachings about the drum and songs to all our classes. Students have been introduced to traditional Chilcotin songs and are learning to keep the beat before working with drums.

Walking Together at Mile 108 Elementary

Mile 108 Elementary

Great learning, discussions and activities around sense of belonging and how we are all connected.

Learning How to Smudge with Elder Patrick Lulua

Naghtaneqed Elementary/Junior

Patrick Lulua spent an afternoon with Naghtaneqed students teaching them the plants used for smudging, the history, storytelling and how to smudge. Patrick ended the session with smudging students and staff.

Grade 8 Welcome at PSO!

Peter Skene Ogden Secondary

Sharmaine Grimes and Angel Smith, Indigenous Support Workers at PSO hosted a welcome event for grade 8 Indigenous students. Students participated in icebreaker games, made a medicine bag and spend some time learning about the importance of a medicine bag. This awesome opportunity gave students a chance to get connected with each other and staff in the school's Indigenous education space. We are looking forward to a great year!

Indigenous Boot Camp Structural Firefighting

Lake City Secondary

Students from Lake City Secondary and area learned everything from first aid to structural firefighting in this two-day session hosted by First Nations' Emergency Services. Special thanks to Kelvin Parent and WLFD as well.

Farwell Canyon and Flats

150 Mile Elementary

Grade 5 students at 150 Mile went on a planned trip to Farwall Canyon and Flats learn about geography, indigenous history as well as traditional plants used in harvesting and the methods used to harvest and store.

First Nation Student Transportation Fund

Indigenous Education

Through our joint plans we were approved for $45197.00 for extracurricular support and $92918.00 for To and From Support. The extracurricular funds are generated by looking at our 1701 numbers and multiplying by $31.54. This is used to support all parental travel expense transporting their child to extracurriculars. This could be teams, clubs, tutoring and anything outside of regular curriculum. We are advertising this through Education Coordinators and emails to all parents. These funds only support on-reserve students in school related events. The $92918.00 breaks down to parental assistance, bands running extra transportation to allow some scheduling flexibility, transition events, and an extended bus run. All of these dollars were jointly applied for in collaboration with the bands and the needs of their students. Considerations were any transportation issue that was getting in the way of a child experiencing academic success.

Annual Cultural Calendars

Board Office

As we move forward in a good way it is important that schools recognize the importance of infusing Indigenous ways of knowing and doing into the regular curriculum and making sure that these teachings are happening throughout the year. Schools have constructed annual cultural plans that follow the seasonal rounds and activities of local communities. Many schools are also connecting their teachings to the Circle of Courage.

Tsilhqot’in Sweat Ceremony

Indigenous Education Department

On the September 23 Pro-D Day, Bruce Baptiste and Cordell Archie facilitated a Tsilhqot’in sweat ceremony for district staff. Staff experienced both the ceremony teachings of a sweat and a smudge. Many great teachings were passed along. Further opportunities for other staff and students will be offered.

Snootli Creek Regional Park - Big Cedars Trail

Tatla Lake Elementary & Jr. Secondary School

Our school trip to Snootli Creek Park in Bella Coola was centered around Indigenous learning, with a focus on culturally modified trees and edible and medicinal plants. The students learned about the unique methods the Nuxalk people used to modify trees for practical and cultural purposes, such as harvesting bark for clothing and other materials without harming the tree. They also explored the surrounding forest and learned how different plants have been traditionally used for food and medicine. This learning experience deepened the students’ understanding of the land and its resources, highlighting the sustainable practices passed down through generations of Indigenous communities.

Lake City Secondary students help out on Orange Shirt Day at WLFN Arbour

Lake City Secondary

Lake City Secondary students help out on Orange Shirt Day at WLFN Arbour.

Truth and Reconciliation Week at Columneetza

Columneetza Junior Secondary

At Columneetza, we organized a series of events to demonstrate our support for and commitment to reconciliation with First Nations communities. Both students and staff actively participated in these events.

District Leadership Learning About

District

The district leadership team of PVP, managers, and senior staff was honoured to have our own Dancing Water Sandy lead learning for us about First Nations traditional knowledge and use of plants. We mixed teas and made smudge candles and salve.

Walking Together On Orange Shirt Day

Ecole 100 Mile Elementary

As we learn to walk together, we do so when we cultivate understanding, compassion, and connection. Students of 100 Mile Elementary were able to attend pow wows at both Tsq'escen and T’exelcemc for a first-hand expereience of the healing power and beauty of dance and drum. Primary students that stayed on site created their own orange shirts and statements about how they will move forward as people seeking to make reconciliation reality with statements such as, "I will be kind," "I will try to understand others," and "I will be loving." Intermediate students came together in an assembly to discuss how a legacy of dishonesty and hurt was created upon the first treaties in their misleading and taking advantage of indigenous peoples, and how cultural genocide has had tremendously hurtful and lasting impacts. As a whole school, we then walked together while Mrs. Dixon offered a smudge for any and all members of our school community.

Salmon Day

Marie Sharpe Elementary

On September 26th we celebrated the month of the Humpback Salmon. We were gifted teachings from Martin Kruus from Scout Island, Freda Alphonse from SD27, and Dannika Murphy, Kyleen Toyne, and William Lulua from WLFN. Students learned about the Salmon Life Cycle, participated in processing and smoking a salmon, did Salmon art, and wrote a song about the Salmon.

Integrating Smudging Into What We Do

Marie Sharpe Elementary

Grade 4/5 teacher Ms. Page has dedicated her time here at Marie Sharpe sharing about her Metis Culture, and learning more about our local Indigenous Culture. Here we see one of the smudges she has led this year.

Orange Shirt Day

Mountview Elementary

Mountview hosted a morning assembly that focussed on remembering the legacy of the residential schools, equity and empathy, and how history should never repeat itself. The attached photos are from that assembly. Students then went back to classes and did various activities with art and writing that focussed on their thoughts about acts of reconciliation that they can do as kids. Ideas like connecting with the land, spending time with elders, and including everyone in their circles emerged. It was a wonderful day.

PSO Orange Shirt Day Assembly

Peter Skene Ogden Secondary

PSO students were grateful to hear from two residential school survivors during a school wide assembly to recognize Truth and Reconciliation day at PSO—two survivors from Tsq̓éscen̓ spoke to students about their experiences in residential school and as young adults grappling with the experiences afterwards. It was particularly special because Atoinette Archie and Elsie Archie were speaking to a crowed that included their grandchildren who are staff at our school and great grandchildren who are now students at our school. It was moving to see students come up to Toni and Elsie after the assembly and thank them for their time and story.

Remembering Our Children Exhibit

Lake City Secondary

Classes attended the 'Remembering Our Children' photo exhibit hosted by WLFN and Orange Shirt Society. Chris, research assistant from WLFN St. Joseph's Mission, explained the photos and students had the opportunity to reflect upon what they had seen.

Bannock Making

Lake City Secondary

Students learned how to make bannock and shared it with others.

Lahal and Orange Shirt Day

Lake City Secondary

Students learned how to play Lahal in the afternoon of Orange Shirt Day.

Truth and Reconciliation

Skyline Alternate

Listening and learning.

Smudging and Blessing our Entrance

Chilcotin Road Elementary

We moved our Elder posters to a permanent location in the entrance of Chilcotin Road Elementary. To honour the new location we blessed it with drumming and smudging. Thank you to Linda Jack for helping to organize this event.

Gathering and incorporating “Braiding SWEETGRASS”

Skyline Alternate

Youth went out to gather vegetables to prepare for Skyline Welcoming feast.

Opening Day

Lac La Hache Elementary

Lac La Hache elementary school greatly appreciated the Canim Lake Knowledge Keepers getting our school year off to a great start through some indigenous cultural practices such as smudging and drumming. 

Canim Lake Pow Wow

Lac La Hache Elementary 

The Lac La Hache students and staff were very appreciative and honoured to participate and enjoy the Canim Lake Pow Wow focused on educating the different types of indigenous dance. 

Walking Together - Equine Assisted Learning

Tatla Lake Elementary & Jr. Secondary School

Our school recently hosted an enriching event focused on Indigenous Learning, inspired by the book "Walking Together.". The day featured an equine-assisted learning experience, where students engaged with horses to build awareness and understanding. Working collaboratively, the students in one activity practiced matching their steps to the horses' movements, emphasizing the importance of connection, respect, and mindfulness—key values highlighted in Indigenous teachings. 

Primary Students Attend Healing For Our Children Traditional Pow Wow

Horse Lake Elementary

The Tsq'escen First Nation at Canim Lake invited our grade one and two students to the Healing For Our Children Traditional Pow Wow to experience the event.  Our students were fascinated with the dancing and the regalia, and then jumped at the opportunity to join the dancing.  The Pow Wow featured one of our own students, Chloe Pellerin, in full regalia dancing with her classmates.

Sqleten (salmon) and Trout at Nesika

Nesika Elementary

Ms. Danikka Murphy shared some beautiful salmon and trout with our students last week. Having spent the weekend cleaning and preparing fish for her community, she spoke with the students about the gratitude she feels for the fish who give their lives to nourish ours. Students learned how to tell the difference between male and female salmon and noticed the similarities and differences between the salmon and the trout. Danikka finished off the learning with a brainstorm of ways that we might prepare the fish: smoked, candied, canned, BBQ and fish head soup were all ideas shared by the students.

Smudging

Cultural Committee

Ms. McCartney and Ms. Billyboy, both part of the Cultural Committee volunteered to smudge at the front entrance of Columneetza to start off the week of Sept. 24th-27th & Sept. 30th honouring Truth and Reconciliation.  

Start of Year Smudge

150 Mile Elementary

150 Mile Elementary was excited to have Val West attend our school to provide a start of school year smudge. Val took the time to explain what the significance of a smudge was and what all the parts of the tools represented. Val walked around the students and staff allowing them to smell the smudge smoke and see the tools and then offered individual smudges to any students and staff that requested.

Collecting Rocks

Alexis Creek Elementary/ Jr/ Sec School

At Alexis Creek Elementary /Jr /Sec School, we decided to embark on a special project for recognizing Orange Shirt Day, and Truth and Reconciliation. For our project, we needed to collect river rocks. We found a wonderful spot at the bridge near Yunesit'in, where the Chilcotin River gifts us with many beautiful shaped river stones and rocks. We spent part of our morning collecting river rocks. We began by saying thanks to the rocks for letting us move them to our school where we can paint them and honor them in our project. We all worked together to gather those perfect rocks. The rain didn't bother us a bit.

Grade 7 Students Lead Horse Lake Orange Shirt Day Assembly

Horse Lake Elementary

The Horse Lake Elementary grade 7 students, under the guidance of their teacher, Lisa Pugh, organized and presented our school's Orange Shirt Day Assembly.  They began the ceremony with a Territorial Acknowledgement that they had authored, then introduced a video of Phyllis Webstad  describing the origins of Orange Shirt Day.  This was followed by a "What Is Truth and Reconciliation" video which explained the reason for the day being observed across the country.  The assembly concluded with a video of the Women's Warrior Song to honor survivors by Elder Martina Pierre of the Lil'Wat Nation.  The grade 7 students drummed and sang along with the song, while all the students circled the perimeter of the gym and did the Friendship Dance.

Learning about Salmon

Horsefly and Big Lake 

The Horsefly and Big Lake kids learned about the salmon and the forest while exploring the Horsefly River. 

Orange Shirt Day author visit with Courtney Defriend!

Tatla Lake Elementary & Jr. Secondary School

Courtney read her book "If Instead of a Person" and lead us in a brief, child-friendly discussion on the themes of Orange Shirt Day and Truth & Reconciliation. "If Instead of a Person," depicts traditional teachings on our connection and similarities to Mother Earth. In the past, Residential Schools did not allow such teachings to be shared with our children. Today, this book contributes to many ways to reintroduce Indigenous principles to children and families and encourages us all to be agents of change.

Orange Shirt Day at Forest Grove

Forest Grove Elementary

Students listened and learned in a good way form Trish Meraw from Canim Lake about the history and experiences in residential schools. The school has created orange shirt day hearts for our school ground as a reminder or the importance of this day.

Every Child Matters at Anahim Lake School

Anahim Lake School

We celebrated Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day this whole month. Younger children made paper chains out of orange paper with handwritten mantras for those they loved. Older students made calzone for every child to take home this past Food Friday and Perogies two weeks previously. We took our beautiful, student-made stand up paddleboards to launch at a local lake but ended up playing on the beach instead. It turns out that it's easy for non-locals to get lost on roads leading to our community. We will shoot for another launch in the spring. All was not lost as our Denisiqi friends made a fire for us all to share in its warmth. 

Orange Shirt Day Parade

Lac La Hache Elementary 

The students of Lac La Hache Elementary School participated in an Orange Shirt Day parade to help bring awareness to the the community of the upcoming Truth and Reconciliation day. 

Truth and Reconciliation Medicine Plants Walk with Elders.

Naghtaneqed Elementary Junior Secondary 

Naghtaneqed students and elders travelled to 4500 Road in Nemiah Valley to pick Labrador leaves and Rose hip berries. We will be making Labrador tea, and Rosehip jelly Tuesday and Wednesday.

Drumming Preparation

Cataline Elementary

With the knowledge gained from Mrs. Charley and Mr. Favelle, Ms. Bonnell has begun this year teaching (and reviewing) her grade 4/5 class traditional drumming in preparation for morning walks at Cataline Elementary. Using the drum making kits funded by FNEC and then crafted by the grade 6 students of last year, this year’s students are able to participate fully in weekly drumming and singing both during their Language and Culture time, as well as with their classroom teachers. 

School-wide Bannock

Cataline Elementary

With the guidance of our guest, Sonya Charley, and the support of Cataline’s Indigenous Support Worker, Jennifer Bauerochse, students had the opportunity to make traditional Bannock during Mrs. Charley’s Language and Culture class. Various classes were able to follow the direction of Mrs. Charley, getting their hands in the dough, to create enough Bannock for the whole school to enjoy! 

Smoking Salmon

Cataline Elementary

Under the direction of Cataline’s ISW, Jennifer Bauerochse and Language and Culture teacher, Mrs. Charley, Cataline students learned about the traditional methods of cleaning, preparing and smoking salmon. Although, the salmon was smoked in a less than traditional format, the students were able to use this salmon to connect the importance of this animal to Indigenous cultures, as well as learning the traditional ways of curing and drying the meat in preparation for winter storage. It tasted delicious, too.  

Engaging with Indigenous Authors

Cataline Elementary

Cataline elementary students were treated to virtual Indigenous author readings during National Truth and Reconciliation week. Having registered for various events, Cataline students were able to sit comfortably within their classrooms or gymnasium and listen virtually to authors, such as Phyllis Webstad and Courtney Defriend, read their own stories, getting a firsthand description of what inspired the writing, the message, and the importance of the book. 

PSO's Annual Sage Picking Trip

Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School

PSO students travelled to the Ashcroft area to harvest sage and juniper, learn about medicines and spend a day on the land. 

Orange Shirt Day

Nesika Elementary

100 students from Nesika Elementary School had the immense privilege to visit the WLFN Pow wow arbor for a gathering of well over 500 students and colleagues from SD27. They took two buses and were there for half the day. Students had the opportunity to listen to speeches and bear witness to survivors' accounts. Local community agencies were well represented and students were even gifted with food and items to take home. Thank you Orange Shirt Society, SD27, WLFN and all who helped put together this meaningful event.    

Orange Shirt Day at Likely School

Likely Elementary

Likely staff and students learn about Truth and Reconciliation. 

Indigenous Plant Cultural Mapping

Horse Lake Elementary

"Horse Lake Elementary's grade 7 class travelled to the north shore of Horse Lake to record where a variety of Indigenous plants were located and respectfully harvest some of the plants, under the guidance of their teacher, Mrs. Pugh.  After harvest, some of the plants will be used for gifts for visiting elders and knowledge keepers and other plants will be re-seeded into our Indigenous Plant Garden located behind our classroom. 

Our Indigenous Plant Garden was created in 2022 as part of a NOIIE funded project with the help of Secwepemc elder Grace Archie and Knowledge Keeper Joe Archie who guided us to discover plants around our school. This year's field trip will continue the legacy and keep the garden growing. 

Students will continue to work with the garden in May-June when we will be transplanting smaller plants into the garden as well.  Also, a cultural map of the plants we observed will be created to show others where various plants used for ceremony, food, technology, and medicine are found in our area.

Orange Shirt Day

150 Mile Elementary

Students at 150 Mile gathered in the gym for our annual Orange Shirt Day assembly, where we learned about the history of the Residential Schools and why we wear orange shirts on this day. We then went for a walk as a school to signify the 'bringing home' of the children.

Gathering and Honoring

Skyline Alternate 

The afternoon was spent at the Denisiqi Gathering.  One youth’s quote of the day, “We played in the park, we had fun and I felt like a child.”