Ahtahkakoop school opens

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More than a century ago, at treaty time in 1876, Plains Cree Chief Ahtahkakoop had a vision.

"Let us not think of ourselves, but of our children's children," said the powerful chief to his people.

With the buffalo gone, Ahtahkakoop saw education as the means of providing the children with the tools they would need in the white man's world. He saw to it the reserve was never without a place of learning. First, farming instruction was provided and soon there was a school. Later, there was a second, larger school

Today his visionary words are carved in he wall of a new kindergarten to Grade 12 school on the Ahtahkakoop Reserve, 100 kilometres northwest of Prince Albert, Sask.

"This is great. I am very proud of this school. I am very glad I can graduate here, in my community," said Grade 12 student Maria Ahenakew, at the official opening ceremony Sept. 15. Previously, students traveled 45 kilometres, round trip, to Canwood schools.

The older wing of the building houses the elementary school, including a kindergarten enrolment of 60 children. The new $6.3 million high school wing includes classrooms, a library, a computer lab, gymnasium and industrial workshop. The new facility has a student body of 385.

Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Ovide Mercredi joined Chief Barry Ahenekew, local officials, elders and Lt. Gov. Jack Wiebe for the celebration. Mercredi expanded on Ahtahkakoop's words by saying Indian children must learn two cultures in order to be as strong as two people. He challenged everyone at the school to see that students learned the two cultures to be strong and walk side-by-side with all other cultures.

The political leader also promised students at the opening of the new Ahtahkakoop School they could look forward to a future in a united Canada.

"See yourselves as strong human beings, not in a broken, but in a united Canada. Indian people will see that Canada is not dismembered by those seeking sovereignty. All (Canadian) youth will have a future in a country that is whole."

Elder Eli Bear told students to know who they are as Indians, saying those who do not understand themselves are those who often are in trouble with the law, drugs and alcohol.

The school building bears an unusual brick carving depicting a life-size mounted hunter shooting a running buffalo with bow and arrow. Willard Ahenakew, a descendent of Ahtahkakoop and noted Canadian artist, designed the scene for the front wall of the new high school. Angelo Belluz, of Canada Brick, in Mississauga, Ontario, created the mural, using Ahenakew's design.

Belluz carved and sculpted the mural in unfired brick and then tinted each brick before it was fired.

Ahtahkakoop was a famous buffalo hunter and he and his band supplied buffalo meat and pemmican to the Hudson Bay post of Fort Carlton, south of the present day reserve.