Annual event celebrates and shares the Nakawe language

Page 14

As long as the sun shines, the rivers flow and the grass grows, the pride of the Nakawe will be alive and strong.

The 4th annual Kinistin First Nation's Nakawe Language Showcase was held at the Nibwakawigamig school on April 20, with a number of presenters sharing the language and culture of the people with the more than 300 students, teachers and visitors in attendance.

"We have this to celebrate with the school and the community and to show that our Nakawe language is alive and well," explained event co-ordinator Albert Scott. "It is our benchmark to celebrating our language."

The showcase featured workshops focusing on various topics relevant to the First Nation's culture, providing an understanding of the heritage and meanings behind the rituals observed by the people.

Participating in the first of these workshops, Peter Nippi explained the meaning of treaties and how they were developed.

"We are all treaty. It takes two people to make a treaty," explained Nippi. By Nippi's definition, a treaty is a piece of paper on which promises are made and a commitment is given to keeping those promises.

Throughout his presentation, Nippi explained how his forefathers abstained from signing a treaty for four years in hopes of becoming a part of Treaty 4, which was signed in 1874.

"The number four is very sacred," he said. "There are four seasons-spring, summer, winter and fall. There are four directions-north, south, east and west. And there are four elements of life-physical, mental, emotional and spiritual."

Nippi spoke about the methods in which the treaties were signed and of the promises that were made through those treaties.

The attention of his audience was fully captured as he presented a set of large silver coins, which everyone involved in the treaty signing received.

Outside the school, Scott gathered with participants in the large 24-foot tipi where he told the tale of the rock and its purpose in the evolution of the world and people today. Throughout the story, he encouraged his listeners to repeat his Nakawe words, allowing them the opportunity to learn a few words of the language.

Lois Windego hosted a workshop where she spoke about the Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Centre where they deal with the arts, crafts, paintings and language of the First Nations people.

Windego explained the differences in the various forms of Nakawe dialects and how the ending of the word identifies to which group the individual belongs.

To include the participants in the workshop, Windego performed an exercise where students were to use the Nakawe language to manoeuvre their partner through a maze.

Karen Neapetung and Frances Scott hosted the crafting portion of the day, allowing visitors to make beaded bracelets and understand the significance of the colours found in Nakawe beadwork.

To conclude the morning segment, visitors were granted the opportunity to see those many colours in the regalia of Patrick Nippi as he performed a hoop dance.

Following lunch, students from the school demonstrated their talents in a performance that featured the Nakawe language in verse and song.

The annual festival, which played host to school groups from throughout the area, was deemed an overwhelming success by Albert Scott who showed optimism for the years to come.

"I got a lot of good comments from the people who came. This is our fourth year and it has never been this big before. The visiting schools have said they were impressed with what we had to offer and they'll be back next year."