Burnaby North is in the middle of a rebuild on grounds of the current fields and parking lots which is located on the unceded territory of the hən̓qəmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples . Before construction began, the Indigenous Team at the school and district (comprised of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples) met to discuss how we could recognize this new build with the context and guidance of our Ingenuous community and partners.
An emotional and powerful Ground Blessing Ceremony @bnss. We must know, acknowledge and understand our past if we are going to build our collective future. Thank you to our families, students, staff and community for sharing your journey and joining in ours. pic.twitter.com/sgSy3XbC6r
— Dave Rawnsley (@dsrawnsley) March 12, 2020
This Blog does not have to do with technology, but with ceremony and I believe it is useful for research for those who are looking at examples of indigenization in schools. I believe that Howe (1998) is completely accurate when he states that ceremonial events can’t be replicated in cyberspace. I say this as a non-Indigenous person who has been blessed to be invited to such ceremonies in the past. Nevertheless, this particular event supported what we have been uncovering in this class, the relationship between Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples working to uphold the Indigenous Traditional Knowledge system.
Teachers at Burnaby North were looking at how the new building could be a first step in reconciliation and wanted to work with the Coast Salish (be it through art or teachings). We also did not want this to be a ‘one-off’ situation and looked to Indigenous artist and Squamish Nation Elder Xwalacktun to guide a collaborative art installation for the next building. Ultimately it was decided that he would come to the Burnaby North over the course of the year and work with Indigenous students and non-indigenous students on a House Post. Some of the features on the House Post have elements of the sea, sky and air as requested by the Indigenous students whom he talked to earlier in the year. There is also the Medicine wheel to represent the many Nations who come to our school as well as salmon to represent the streams that drained both into the Burrard Inlet and the Fraser River.
Students at Burnaby North working on the House Post
But before the Elder Xwalacktun began, we had a Ground Blessing Ceremony with our Indigenous students, families, community member, administration and Indigenous community members. The ceremony began with an acknowledgment from our Principal, we has drummers from school, song, and blanketing take place as we offered gifts into the soil as we broke the earth. Stories were shared and in a large circle, we listened and learned. I was invited to shovel the first scoop along with other Indigenous students . The most moving part (for me) was when the ceremony was complete, THREE BALD EAGLES circled above our heads. I can’t really explain the feeling we all had that day. I spoke to my students after and we just felt so at peace and really in awe with how nature almost communicated with us that day. I really felt like the eagles were almost acknowledging us at the site. It is this feeling that I think Howe (1998) believes is unimagined in cyberspace. I’ve included a link to another such project at a local Burnaby school below.
Ground Blessing Ceremony
Let me know if you have any questions!
Further Links