Gathering Friends at Ginew School

The Gathering of Friends is a 20+ year tradition at Ginew School. The school invites and hosts neighboring schools, including students and staff (teachers, administrators, and Education assistants), to join in a festival of cultural sharing. This year’s opening ceremony included MFNERC Executive Director Charles Fontaine and AFN National Grand Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, where they addressed the visiting teachers of the first day. The gathering continued with a rotation of workshops and lectures that covered cultural topics from language reclamation, traditional indigenous games, regalia, hunting, leather working, and Bannock making. The following day was the students’ turn to enjoy the event with a similar rotation of learning groups and a Powwow to conclude the day’s festivities.

Ginew Vice Principal Josephine noted the event was created to enhance a sense of community and to bolster relationships between indigenous people and settlers in the area. Since the origin of the first events, Gathering of Friends has been successful to the point of having a long waiting list of those eager to join the gathering. 

Gathering of Friends took place May 15-16 this year and proceeds to take place mid-May annually. Contact Ginew School for further details on upcoming events.