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" Blementary students learn thé wisdom of their elders

AS GLORIA Nahanee, a
“Squamish Nation
and. traditional dancer,
watches anxiously from the

sidelines, five pupils from:

Worgate. community school
‘step. onto’ the gymnasium
floor, preparing to give
their fellow students an ex-
hibition ‘of powwow danc-

ing.

‘By Paul Hughes
Contributing Writer

The rhythmic ‘beat’ of native

"drums fills. the air as Nicole Baker

and Nicolette George step forward
‘to perform the jingle dance.

“Their feet begin to pound the
floor .as the spirit. of the drums
“sweeps over them, and they move

- with intrinsic grace and an energy

that allows them to continue dan-
. cing for nearly 15 minutes.

‘The remaining dancers, Jessica

‘Baker, Vange Nahanee and Wilfy:
traditional.

Baker, all wearing ;
regalia, wait to take their. turns on
_ the floor... ; .
Between performancés, Gloria
” Nahanee explains. the. history of
‘the dances’. and : the . symbolic

“ges ‘behind each ‘style of

‘ 3

teacher.

Each bell on Nicole’s dress, for
instance, is a sacred medicine. An
elder from Manitoba had a vision
to. hang these bells on powwow
costumes to protect and heal the
dancers.

The dresses all have 365 bells,
one for each day of the year.

Nahanee and all five dancers
are part of a unique cultural pro-
gram currently being offered at
four local elementary schools that
have a significant native enrol-
ment.

In addition to Norgate school,
Queen Mary, Westview,:‘and St.
Edmund’s Catholic.school are all
participating in the program.

Initially, the idea was promoted
to help native children learn about
their history.

AFFAIRS

Nahanee said that at. a recent
‘exhibition dance, non-native
children were . encouraged to per-
form with the traditional dancers.

“They laughed so loud - they
drowned out the sound of the
drums,”’ she said. “I told. them
that was good, The power of
children’ s laughter is really
strong.’ :

Nahanee began the. program. in
September of 1991 at Queen Mary
community school where she pres-
ently teaches twice a week.

Norgate, Westview and St.
mund’s,

Ed-
who added the program ~

Nahanee believes that passing « to their curriculum earlier this

along the wisdom of-the elders to

the young native people is essen-

tial to the’ preservation of ‘a
culture in danger of extinction.

‘They are our future leaders,"*
she said.. ‘They will’ be: our
champions.”’ , tots :
~ However, native’ children are
not the only beneficiaries.

At Norgate and, Westview’
schools, : for example, - non-native
children also. take part, thus learn-
ing, as one intermediate teacher at
Norgate put it, ‘‘to honor another
culture that is a part of B.C. and

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school year, have cultural classes
once a week.

Aside from traditional dancing,
Nahanee also helps the students
understand other facets of the rich
Coast Salish heritage, such as the
significance of the canoe and. how
cedar was, and still is; consitizred

‘the great provider for nati

ple.

ft is inthis way that she hopes
to pass on the spirit of her people.
to another generation, and, at the
same time, “honor the elders that
waiked before us.”’

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