Popular Aboriginal parenting program expands

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A new location has meant added strength for the KiseWaToTaToWin Aboriginal Parent Program now that it is more closely allied with seven other child and parent organizations.

The organization, which promotes pre-European contact parenting methods for Aboriginal parents, held a grand opening celebration for its new location on June 17. It joins the other organizations in forming a kind of one-stop shopping center for parents.

"There's a lot of networking going on here," said KiseWaToTaToWin executive director Terry Chapman. "We've grown to be a team."

Chapman's organization holds parenting workshops throughout Saskatchewan to train parents and educators about the traditional ways of parenting before Europeans came to the Prairies.

Concepts like the circle of life, the importance of kinship, storytelling and song are just some of the traditional parenting method and tools discussed in the course.

Eileen Buffalo, president of the group's board of directors, said the course is general enough to apply all across Saskatchewan.

"It's designed very basic because there's different tribes and they can have their own Elder," she said.

The idea for the program originated with five different nations that realized to keep their culture alive, they had to work to reach the young people who will be raising the next generations, she said.

The knowledge passed along in the program comes from Elders from five First Nations to meet the needs of First Nations and Metis families.

Originally funded in part by Health Canada, the non-profit group now relies solely on its workshop fees to finance its operation. Chapman said the workshops have proven to be extremely popular wherever they are held.

"All I know is when we get our evaluations back the evaluations are phenomenal. They say everyone should take his workshop," Chapman said. "And they really appreciate having an Elder there and the ability to get some of their culture back."

Elder Edward Baldhead, of the One Arrow First Nation, said he found his experience at one of the workshops to be very interesting.

"The Aboriginal people are very strong in our way of living," he said. "As an Elder today, I am very happy to give some of my thoughts to the children. It's quite interesting. We learned quite a bit - even me as an Elder."

Baldhead feels this type of program is a good complement to the existing European-based model of education.

The program has been in operation since 1992 and started with the development of a manual and handbook for facilitators and parents. Chapman used the grand opening to unveil an updated version of the manual.

"It's a lot more user-friendly," Chapman said. "It's much more professional looking. We've polished up some of the ideas in it, too, so it's easier to follow."

During the ceremony, young artists Mitchell Poundmaker, 17, and Calvin Frenchman, 14, both of Saskatoon, were honored for their contribution to the new manual.

"The neat part of this is we decided we wanted youth to participate by doing the pictures for the manual," Chapman said. "We saw a lot of potential in these kids to further their gift."

The two young people were awarded scholarships to be used toward art classes and supplies.

Anyone interested in the KiseWaToTaToWin Aboriginal Parent Program can find out more by calling 665-3337.