Aski the Turtle is a puppet who will lead some of the storytelling and learning as Winston Churchill school hosts a night of celebration with bannock and soup being served for supper.
Grade four student Adam Tindall wants everyone to come over to the school for Aski night.
“If you didn’t know, North America is technically called Turtle Island. We’re going to learn about Indigenous people and things they did. I heard about this turtle in Kindergarten – that’s the only time I’ve heard about him.”
Along with his grandparents, Tindall says Aski the Turtle lives with another character called Mischief.
The event comes in the middle of Métis Awareness Week with Louis Riel Day being observed on Wednesday Nov. 16 as well. On that day in 1885, Riel was hanged in Regina for his role in opposing the Canadian government’s incursion on Métis homelands.
The Small Fires Indigenous Mentors from Lloydminster Comprehensive have made about 400 bannock and are involved in mentoring grades two and three at Winston Churchill school.
Aski, the Turtle is utilized in the classroom to support the improvement of First Nations and Métis student and family engagement and is a wonderful holistic approach to education, consistent with culturally-relevant teaching practices, says Denae Bruce who First Nations,Métis and Inuit lead with the Lloydminster Public School Division.
Principal Amy Skinner says the aim of the activity is bring the community together to learn more about our Indigenous heritage.
“We have the LPSD Prairie Thunder drum group that’s going to be performing. And it is Métis week in Saskatchewan and one of our students at LCHS is coming over to teach the Red River Jig and doing a jingle dance for us.”
Also attending on Wednesday evening will be Elder Vivian Whitstone, home school liaison Gina Nelson, and educator Clint Chocan who will share some songs on his guitar.
The come and go event starts at 5:30 p.m.