How this knowledge keeper is sharing traditional Indigenous teachings with Regina students - Action News
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Saskatchewan

How this knowledge keeper is sharing traditional Indigenous teachings with Regina students

Miskasowin is a land-based program for students who prefer to learn through hands-on, outdoor experiences. The program takes place at Campus Regina Public for four hours a day for one semester. Students will have the opportunity to earn five credits towards graduation while learning on the land.

High school youth doing hands-on learning tanning hides and studying medicinal plants

Students and program advisor Gary Gott research plants
Gary Gott and students going on a hike to research plants. (Louise BigEagle/CBC)

This story originally published on June 21, 2023.

A Regina program is offering students anopportunity to earn school credits while learning Indigenous culture and practices.

Planning for Miskasowin askihk, Campus Regina Public'sland-based program,started back in September of 2022.

Students spend four hours a day for one semester gettinghands-on outdoor experiences.

This program, runin partnership with Regina Public Schools and the University of Regina, lets students earn high school and university credits.

The most recentsemester had about a dozen students. Theirlast class of the termwas at the Echo Valley Provincial Park, where they set up camp and learned from Gary Gott.

Gary Gott is a cultural advisor and teacher's aide for the program.
Cultural Advisor Gary Gott. (Louise BigEagle/CBC)

Gott is an advisor and teacher's aide with theprogram.He sharesknowledge he learned from his grandparents and relatives.

"It's basically finding yourself or finding oneself on the land, and finding a connection to the land and how you connect to it in your own way," Gott said. "We educate these students on what we know from the scientific perspective and also from the spiritual and cultural perspective."

WATCH|Land-based learning teaches students Indigenous perspective on science, culture, and spiritual elements:

Land-based learning teaches students Indigenous perspective on science, culture, and spiritual elements

1 year ago
Duration 3:01
Students from Regina Public Schools enrolled in a land-based learning program are benefitting from hands-on, outdoor learning. Knowledge keeper Gary Gott is sharing traditional teachings about medicinal plants, speaking Cree, and tanning hides.

Students learn how to set up their tents properly, chop wood, cook food over a fire, canoe, and learn about plants and medicines while hiking.

Learning to basic survival skills is a part of the program.
Students learning the safe way to chop wood for their camp. (Louise BigEagle/CBC)
Learning about plants and medicinal medicinal plants outdoors is one of the many hand-on learning experiences.
Gary showing the students rabbit root, a medicinal plant that can be used for heart issues and circulation issues. (Louise BigEagle/CBC)

"I'll be going for a hike and also exploring some of the properties of some of the medicines or some of the plants and leaf matter that exists all around us as well. And maybe a little bit into spirituality and a little bit into a the role of glaciers and in the formation of this land," Gott said.

Leah Prosper, a 17-year-old Grade 12 student at Balfour Collegiate in Regina, applied because she wantedexperiences she didn'tget growing up in the city.

She said one of her favourite things to do so far in theprogram was hide tanning. It was hard, but she loved to learn something her ancestors have been doing for hundreds of years.

As part of the program students will learn to also tan hide as a part of the cultural teachings.
Students learning to scrape hide with animal brain and tools to shed the hair. (submitted by Gary Gott)

She said it cansometimes be difficult going to school because of the treatment some Indigenous students get from teachers and others.

"The curriculum, you know, there's always like a little bit of racism in it. So like this,it's a reason for us to be proud, I guess, and to find a reason to actually love education rather than dread going to school every day."

Two high school students who wanted to be a part of the new program.
Darious Matechuk, 16, and Leah Prosper, 17, are students in the Miskasowin askihk program. (Louise BigEagle/CBC)

Darius Matechuk, 16, also attends Balfour Collegiate as a Grade 11 student. He wanted to learn more about himself and where he comes from.

Matechuk said he loved that he learn to speak his language and get a university credit in Cree 100 along the way. He now knows some Cree phrases to introduce himself.

"I love learning about myself and learning the skills to find out more of who you are," said Matechuk.

Learning new skills is one thing in the program but making new friend is a bonus.
Students couldn't wait to get out on the water to put their new canoe skills to use on a hot day. (Louise BigEagle/CBC)