Learning Opportunities

In the spirit of personal, professional and community-based reconciliation we invite you to join us as we build an extended Inclusive relational space toward understanding the reconciliation process.

Sharing time together over three days creates a powerful opportunity to better understand the living history of our land and its first peoples; learning through the guidance of authentic indigenous eyes. Having elders and traditional knowledge carriers share their thoughts and wisdom can bring us closer to viewing our experiences from within an indigenous worldview and encourage us to open our hearts and minds to other ways of knowing.

You can expect:

• hands on, land-based learning experiences,
• traditional teachings and storytelling,
• professional and personal networking and relationship building.

Spring Gathering Highlights:

Day 1

FINDING FAMILIES: Exploring The Royal Canadian Geographic Indigenous Floor Map
The Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada Giant Floor Map can help us to better understand the past, present, and future of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. The map displays a wealth of graphic, text, and virtual information and diversity of indigenous stories and voices.

TIPI RAISIING AND TEACHINGS
Led by Elder Whitstone and her assistants we will work together to raise Tipis and learn Tipi teachings and stories. These Tipis will be our classrooms for the next few days.

CAMPFIRE STORYTELLING – Time to relax with coffee, tea, and reflect on the day, and get to know each other a little better. 

Day 2

VISITATION: ONION LAKE FIRST NATION

We will bus for our daylong visitation to Onion Lake First Nation

• Highlights of the day will include
• Land-based Learning Morning Routine - Onion Lake Students and Staff
• Traditional Lunch
• Medicines Nature Walk
• Skinning and Tanning Demonstration
• Traditional Land Based Games
•  Onion Lake Land Based Inclusion Program– Information Session by School Authority Leadership 

HEART OF TREATY SIX (HOT6) COMMUNITY RECONCILIATION EVENT

Film:  Spirits of the Bodo Sand.  Located at Bodo, on the Alberta/Saskatchewan boundary half an hour south of Provost Alberta. This seven square km site is one of the largest pre-European contact archaeological sites in Canada. The site contains artifacts of several repeat occupations of the area, with large intact bison pounds and campsites.

Framing the discussion: “First Contact: When Conflicting Worldviews Collide.”  The film offers insightful opportunities for understanding how the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual relationships with the land sustained those who have lived there since the beginning of civilization.

CAMPFIRE STORTELLIING – Time to relax with coffee, tea,  and  reflect on the day, and get to know each other a little better. 

Day 3

PATHWAYS TOWARD LAND BASED CLASSROOMS

Participant groups will rotate through all four 75 min sessions:

1. Transitioning to Land Based Learning classrooms
2. Metis Land Based Learning
3. Indeginous Spiritual Connections to the Land
4. Inuit Land Based Learning

Collaborating Partners: Learning Network Educational Services, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Lakeland College, Heart of Treaty Six Reconciliation Committee, Rupertsland Institute, Lloydminster Catholic Schools, Lloydminster Public Schools, St. Paul Education Authority, Buffalo Trail Public Schools, Lakeland Catholic Schools.