Aki as Teacher: Land Acknowledgement as an Act of Truth and Reconciliation, Fall session

This October 16th, Aki as Teacher, Land Acknowledgment as an Act of Truth and Reconciliation, a four-day professional development series spanning the four seasons, returned for its second year. The session was joined by 22 instructional staff, educational assistants and a principal from MFNSS schools and was supported by six MFNSS instructional services staff. Misty rain and cold did not hinder the fall session held on the 16th; the series addressed the challenges of recovering from trauma and the ethical harvesting of wild medicine. This session was led by Elder Wally Chartrand and Shirli Ewanchuk, language and culture facilitator with MFNERC. Elder Wally shared stories of his life that led to carrying wounds and the efforts he made to recover from those traumas as an adult. His personal stories address the difficulties First Nations have faced during residential schooling and the hurdles those with generational trauma face. Shirli Ewanchuk’s teaching on medicines included a traditional craft lesson for the classroom, then lessons on identifying and harvesting wild medicinal and edible plants. Participants gained knowledge on the Land, and about the Land, in alignment with the goal of the learning series. The participating principal said about the fall session, they feel encouraged in the reminder of “the importance of knowing who you are, where you came from and that you have resilience in you and for all students.”