Ceremony transferred knowledge

As part of its celebration of Education Week, the Alberta Teachers' Association hosted a dedication ceremony in Edmonton on May 5 for Education is Our Buffalo: A Teacher's Resource for First Nations, Metis and Inuit Education. The resource book was written by many Aboriginal writers, including Leo Fox, Ed Lavallee, Liz Poitras and Amoudla Sataa.

The dedication ceremony included a pipe and transfer component, which officially transferred the Aboriginal knowledge in the book to the teachers of Alberta.

The book includes sections on history, spirituality and teachings, cultural traditions and recent developments in Kindergarten to Grade 12 Aboriginal education.

Elder Leonard Saddleback of Samson Cree Nation led the ceremony. The program began with a grand entry, an opening prayer and an honor song.

Education Week ran from April 30 to May 6. It's theme this year was Learning: It's Yours for Life. One of the messages of the week was that students need a broad range of learning experiences that go beyond the core subjects. This book is expected to provide an additional way of supplying that knowledge about Aboriginal history and culture.