Learning Story – Why are stories important?
The Week of Nov 17, 2023
What Happened?
We noticed so many stories emerging today during the hard work of bringing all of the wood into the site. Stories of where we are from and where we travel were shared when the atlas came out. Search and Rescue and Parks Canada taught us different self care strategies that have worked for people who wanted to be found if they were lost on the Land. Even one of the presenters was lost as a child! An Aurora College student generously shared the story of Ts’ąkuı Theda, The Old Lady of the Falls. This prompted a Bushkid to share his story by saying “Well this is going to be a long one…” The story of the first Bushkid (snowman) named Old Geoffrey Bushkid (name keeps changing) begins with “well they have been here for hundreds of years”. Two enormous trees that have fallen on the Bushkids site tend to be favourite places to play. “What happened to that tree anyways?”
Why is it Important?
At closing circle we asked the question “Why are stories important?”. We heard “so we can have memories”; “to share a teaching”; “so the really really old ones aren’t forgotten”; “to learn about the Land”; “an Elder might only tell you a story once and it is your job to listen.” This knowledge building circle doesn’t quite feel finished! At Bushkids, it is important for us to make room for and guard time for stories of all kinds. This includes traditional stories that are offered as a gift and might not be appropriate to re-tell, as well as the stories that Bushkids have about themselves or their families. The more we hear stories, the more we can all practice how to listen deeply. It’s also an opportunity to co-construct knowledge. When we re-tell an event, and reflect and wonder about it, we can extend our thinking and learning.
What Does This Mean For Next Time?
We have invited someone from the community to come and tell some stories with the Bushkids. We are going to share more pictures of Bushkids and invite them to offer more input into our own learning stories at Bushkids. We will make more space for stories to be shared in creative ways at Bushkids. We will continue to co-construct our own understandings of why stories are important. It is an opportunity to appreciate the diversity of the peoples that spend time on the Land at Bushkids.