Amiskwaciy welcomes royalty

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Amiskwaciy Academy was filled with excitement as students and staff awaited the arrival of Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado of Japan on June 11. The visit was part of a two-week trip to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and Japan.

Accompanied by consul general Yoshikazu Takeuchi, Japanese ambassador Hiroaki Fujii, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs official Yasuo Minermura, and a lady in waiting, the princess pulled up in a black limousine at about 9:15 am. Amiskwaciy principal Dr. Phyllis Cardinal and superintendant of schools Angus McBeath greeted the guests and delivered welcome speeches. The princess was treated to an opening song performed by students.

In order to learn more about Aboriginal education, culture and traditions, the princess took a brief tour of the school and sweatlodge. Princess Takamado proceeded to the gym where students from Prince Charles elementary school presented a team dance. Grade 11 student Kelsey Wolver from Amiskwaciy performed a hoop dance, which received a round of applause from the audience.

After signing the school guestbook, Princess Takamado presented the school with gifts that included artifacts collected by her late husband, as well as a book that documented the royal couple's visits to Nunavut.

Cardinal presented the princess with a print of a mural called The Gift of Knowledge, which adorns the school foyer.

"We enjoyed her visit. She's a very warm person, very impressed that she took the time to meet with the students and talked with them. I think she was genuinely interested in them and the work that they were doing. It was a very nice visit," said Cardinal.

During her stay in Edmonton, Princess Takamado received an honorary doctorate of law and opened the Centre for Japanese Studies at the University of Alberta. She was awarded with another honorary law degree from the University of Prince Edward Island prior to her departure from Canada on June 20.