Learning Story – Singing With the Drum
The Week of Feb 28, 2023
What Happened?
Welcomed Lila Erasmus and Elder Edna Paul back today. We brought materials made from caribou bone and caribou hide today. We made caribou soup and bannock on a stick. We played Dene toss ball and beaded in the wall tent. One Bushkid taught others how to loom on their fingers with small elastics to make jewellery. We made a Bushkids drum today!
Why is it Important?
We are so grateful for the knowledge and expertise that Lila and Edna bring to us. It truly requires our whole community to help Bushkids to provide opportunities where they see themselves and their own culture in the curriculum. Some of the Bushkids wouldn’t stop eating the caribou soup and others wouldn’t stop singing with Lila and her drums. Lila was running out of songs! The Bushkids helped to make the soup with Edna and we will continue to make sure they all have the opportunity to participate in this important skill in the bush. We saw so much patience in the Bushkids while cooking bannock on a stick – we were so proud of them and how mindful they were being. We saw lots of negotiating happen while creating games with the ball or deciding what rules to use for the various games played on the sliding hill. Our closing was full of song – some of the Bushkids waited for their turn to sing a full song with Lila while playing the second drum.
What Does This Mean For Next Time?
We will bring the drum back and make sure we have lots of opportunities to sing. We would love to have the Bushkids make their own drums however it is challenging to find the funding to purchase these materials. We will continue to play Dene games with the ball and to support the sewing projects in the walltent. We will involve the Bushkids in the work we do at the camp and encourage everyone to help make the food. We thought we could have a celebration next session before March Break. We are being gifted some bison meat from Al Harman and a bison head from the North Slave Metis Alliance. Our focus can turn to a different animal next week – the bison.