June 23, 2019
As a child, when do you get to throw snowballs at school and get away with it? More than once and not get in trouble?
You do when you hang out with CBC — and we don't tell the teachers!
CBC producers Donna Carreiro and Meagan Fiddler visited Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation for two days to teach Grade 1-8 students how to tell their own stories.
For one of the activities, CBC took the class outdoors and asked the students, "If you were taking someone who's never been to NCN before on a tour, what would you show them? What are you most proud of in your community?"
Ne te tawin means my community, and this is a collection of their photographs and stories.
I like climbing up the stairs and sliding down the poles. We like to play tennis. The multiplex is new. It opened in March. It has a track with a big window. You can go under the benches and just chill. We like that we have a brand new multiplex.
— Lenny, Grade 6, and Alexis, Grade 3
The trees make clean air. The trees make paper. The trees make spruce gum. I chew it and it tastes good and it is medicine for me. The trees make syrup. The trees make fire and it makes us warm. We carve trees.
— Maddison, Grade 4, and Athena, Grade 2
The Granny Cabins are a nice place to make stuff out of wood. You could make stuff like snowshoes, toboggans, fishing rods, and it's a nice place to warm up. And sometimes you could for go walks in the woods.
— Kingsley, Grade 7
The Granny Cabins are really amazing. The grannies and grandpas are extremely nice. They are not rude unless you do something against their rules they have made for children's/teens' safety in the cabins.
— Kiva, Grade 7
We like our school. We like the playground. We like gym. We like gym because we get to play games. We have Cree class because we get to learn our language. My favourite word is mooswa, which means moose. I like life skills because we get to colour and play games and make smoothies.
— Christian, Grade 3, and Teagan, Grade 3
It has four colours: black, yellow, white and red. Those four colours represent something. The feathers are from eagles. It belongs to Teleeya's grandpa, Norman Linklater. Chiefs wear headdresses. They have ribbons. They have beads. The beadwork is nice.
— Summer, Grade 4, and Ariana, Grade 3
We like swings because they are fun. I like to jump off them. When I was five, I jumped off and broke my wrist. They have to be shared with a lot of people. You can do the butterfly with them. They have strong chains. You can climb up the poles. You can stand and swing. You can go on your belly.
— Teleeya, Grade 3, and Martin, Grade 4
It looks beautiful. It looks like big rocks. It's fun to walk through puddles. It's fun when there is mud, too. It would be fun to put a little boat in there. The ripples are pretty. The water is clear. It's sunny so it looks like a beach. It's cool because it looks like a waterfall.
— Grayson, Grade 4, and Tila, Grade 4
I picked this picture because I look happy in it and because the elementary school is in the background and this year is my last year in the elementary. I've been in school for 10 years and since then I've made lots of friends and got really close with lots of teachers. But I am proud of myself for making it to Grade 8 and going to graduate this year and go make new memories in high school.
— Kari, Grade 8 (left)
This was one of my favourite photos from NCN. There were a number of rez dogs that mingled outside while the kids were at school. They would play with each other or follow the kids around or just lie down and have a good snooze. This little guy waited close to the door while the students were in class. He was fine with me taking his photo but he wanted no pets. Short little legs, a stout body and full belly. He looked so sage with this full, long beard, soaking up the heat from the sun while leaning on the warm wooden boards.
— Meagan Fiddler