Ceremony, tradition, and orange shirts filled the Vilna School gymnasium on Friday afternoon, as the school hosted a celebration of First Nations culture, while creating awareness about the effects of residential schools.
Doris Collins from Kehewin was on hand to share her story, and speak about the effects that residential schooling had on her family.
“We’ve all been affected,” said Collins, adding, even those who didn’t physically attend residential schools still feel the pain and effects of their parents having attended.
She explained how her own mother was unable to show her children love.
“They took a child and put them in an ice cold building with no love,” she told students, as they sat quietly, and respectfully listened. “I never got a huge from my mother.”
She noted that many students from residential schools only knew pain and suffering, and were not taught how to love.
But, Collins says she knew she had to do something, and didn’t let the effects of residential schools take her life from her. Her method to fight back and reclaim the light within her heart was to embrace the First Nations culture.
“Every single individual in this room has a light inside them,” said Collins.
She encouraged students to remember who they are, and that the First Nations people are strong people.
“We are powerful.”
She acknowledged that it is hard for people to move forward, but by embracing their culture, it can be done. For Collins, traditional ceremonies were a crucial part of regaining her light.
“Do everything they told us not to do,” she said, referring to how residential schools often forbade First Nations children to speak their own language, and take part in traditional ceremonies.
“The answer is in ceremony . . . Miracles are here.”
The afternoon celebration also included Sam Bull of Whitefish (Goodfish) Lake, who played a traditional flute. Students again sat in silence, clearly engaged by the presentation. Also on hand was elder Mabel Shirt, who spoke about her experience as a student at a residential school.
Closing out the day were traditional dancers, Jody John from Kehewin and Fred Scanie from Saddle Lake. John is a world-renowned hoop dancer who has appeared in Nelly Furtado’s music videos and on the Billboard Music Awards, along with travelling all over North America to perform.
Scanie is a men’s traditional dancer, and he led a dance that included students joining in. A number of the school’s students chose to wear their traditional regalia in honour of Orange Shirt Day.
Vilna School teacher Erin Halonen was the day’s emcee, and said she felt the event was “overdue.” She noted that students seemed to be really engaged in the presentations.
“You could feel the respect.”
Trenten Quinney was one of the students directly involved in the celebration and ceremonial parts of the day. He said he felt “honoured to serve and give,” and was happy to be able to hear the stories that were shared.
