KCDSB Students Enjoy 14th Annual Fall Harvest

KCDSB Students Enjoy 14th Annual Fall Harvest
Posted on 10/15/2021
This is the image for the news article titled KCDSB Students Enjoy 14th Annual Fall HarvestA St. Louis student stirs the wild rice while an Elder looks on.

Students from three Kenora Catholic schools traveled to Wauzhushk Onigum Nation this past week as the community welcomed them for the 14th Annual Fall Harvest.

The Fall Harvest sees students travel between different stations set up on Pow wow Island that explore the traditional way of harvesting food during the fall months.

“It’s a learning experience, the Elders are passing down their knowledge,” said Elder Terry Skead. “There are a lot of questions and answers, so the elders are like their traditional teachers, we’re intertwining the cultures.”

Students learn how to fry Bannock as well as roast Bannock on a stick over a fire. They also learn how to filet a fish, harvest a deer as well as cook and then prepare wild rice.

“The first one we did was the deer and I thought I couldn’t do it. But it was actually pretty wonderful to see that even the head goes back into the wild to share with the animals who are having a hard time. The meat will be shared with all of the people here, just that one deer they’ll share it all over,” said Grade 5 student at St. Louis Living Arts School, Leah Hamilton.

Grade 5 students from St. Louis Living Arts School and École Ste-Marguerite Bourgeoys traveled to Pow wow Island on Tuesday with students from Pope John Paul II School traveling to Wauzhushk Onigum on Wednesday.

Shelly Tom is the FNMI Coordinator for the school board. She spoke about how she’s seen the event grow over the last 14 years.
“People are starting to recognize the leaders that are hosting the centres, calling them by their first name even and the students are starting to recognize where they are in the community.”

Tom explained why she thinks it’s important to continue the tradition of the Fall harvest.

“I think it’s really good so that we show mutual respect of going on their land and experiencing things on their land. We are very fortunate to be able to come out here. We’re welcomed by the community and they include us in the events that are going on,” she said.

While things did look a little different this year with COVID restrictions in place, students were excited for the opportunity to take learning outside and into nature.
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