Young students spend lunch with culture

Becky King, a Grade 5 student at Brightview elementary school in Edmonton, is thrilled to be learning about her culture.

"I've learned a lot of new things," she said. "The animals are our brothers and sisters."

Becky is among 14 Grade 4 to 6 students at the west end school taking part in the Coyote Pride Mentorship Program.

Since September 2004, Aboriginal students at Brightview and Prince Charles elementary schools (joined in January 2005 by Youngstown elementary school) have been part of the Aboriginal mentoring pilot program carried out once a week at noon hour by the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society.

It took Brad Seneca five years of lobbying for government dollars to make the program possible.
"My wife and I were trying to do a program with the government because we knew a mentoring program had to look different than the one-on-one that is done," said Seneca, who along with wife Shauna started Bent Arrow as a program in 1993, and a year later incorporated it as a society.
"Our concept was focused on the needs of Aboriginal children and our unique culture. We believe in group mentoring because it takes a whole community to raise a child," explained Bent Arrow program director Andrea Watchmaker.

"Mentoring was always about community. Children coming together with Elders to form a circle (for the Elders) to teach them about life. Everybody learned what lesson was to be taught," said Seneca.

In 2004, funding was approved through Alberta Mentoring Partnership for three groups to offer programs. Bent Arrow Society received $60,000 over two years, while funding also went to the Metis Nation in Calgary, and the Kainai on the Blood reserve.

Bent Arrow has put its funding into the three noon-hour programs, depending on Aboriginal Elders to volunteer their time to lead the students in learning about their culture and traditions.
"Kids can learn about their culture and eventually be proud of it," said Watchmaker.

Neither Tina Lapratt nor Lorna Gladue, who are among the 20 mentors in the program, grew up knowing their culture.

"As a mom, I don't have that to pass on," said Gladue, who is in her second year mentoring. She is learning along with the students and is now passing on what she learns to her own children.
"I think the kids need (the mentoring). It's something to look forward to, to learn more about their culture," said Gladue.

Lapratt, who's mentoring for her first year, agreed. She goes a step further saying that if the children can feel positive about their culture and who they are, when they become teenagers and need to make the difficult decisions they will feel grounded.

"It's important for them to build self-esteem. If they learn about their traditional customs it will help them make the right choices later on," she said.

Brightview elementary school principal Cathy Bible feels the students and the school are already reaping those benefits.

"It's a sense of belonging, a pride in their own culture, and that rubs off on the playground, in the classroom and with their other classmates," said Bible.

Seneca doesn't believe that Aboriginal children living in the city have a more difficult time keeping their culture than their reserve counterparts. He said he left his reserve in southern Ontario in 1969, but is a pipe carrier and sweat lodge leader.

"It all depends on how you practice your culture. You need to remember who you are," Brad Seneca said. "The more you know about that, the better off you are."

Evaluation of the Coyote Pride Mentoring Program has already been carried out by government officials. Seneca is pleased with the way the program has unfolded.

"I don't think we'd really want to change anything about our program," he said.
Grade 5 student Ashley Weinrich agreed.

"It teaches you a lot of stuff. I'm glad the program is at the school."