Louis Bull - Community opens new school with dancing and drumming

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On Jan. 18, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the newly built Kisipatnahk School on the Louis Bull reserve in Hobbema.

More than a hundred people attended the ceremony, which included a pipe ceremony, entertainment by a hoop dancer, traditional dancers, and a local traditional drum group.

Elder, Lottie Moonias, 79, did the honor of cutting the ribbon, while Elders, students, invited guests, family, friends and the community looked on.

"The opening was really great. I cannot believe the turn out we had," said Lorna Seesequasis, principal of Kisipatnahk School. "It was unbelievable how well all the volunteers pitched in and helped," she said.

A grand entry, lunch, and special guest speakers were all part of the agenda. In the evening the community topped off the celebration with a supper and round dance.

The high school that was under construction for a year is now home to a couple of junior high grades. Other senior high classes will be running full force in September. In the past, high school students had to travel to Samson, Ermineskin, Wetaskiwin or Ponoka to attend high school.

"We moved into the school but the high school won't be in operation until September," said Mary Monias, resource teacher. "We've started to take a junior high classes in one of the classrooms," she said.

The school, built to resemble the shape of an eagle when viewed from above, has taken the Cree name Kisipatnahk, which means a high or steep hill.

The community is already reaping some of the benefits of having the high school on the reserve.

"Before the school was built, we had to go to the local recreation hall for our school gymnasium classes. The school can now host sport tournaments here. We were never able to do that before because the rec. hall was always booked," said Seesequasis. "It will be exciting when the students in Grade 12 have their graduation. It will be the first time ever that the graduation ceremonies will be held in the community," she said.

Grades 4 through 12 will be taught at the new school. Louis Bull is home to 700 people.