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12 Tuesday June 23 2015 Fort Smith youth get sens By MEAGAN WOHLBERG When Pauline Gordon was a young girl in school in the Beaufort Delta very little that was familiar to her about her region and cul- ture was taught in the classroom. We didnt see ourselves in the curricu- lum she said. There was always Sir Alex- ander Mackenzie with his two native guides. It didnt indicate who the two native guides were but in some instances they were the rea- son the explorers lived. So I didnt see myself reflected in any of those things. Thats why for the last seven years the for- mer teacher has been working to help close the divide between culture and classroom in Fort Smith with her partner Mike Beaver by host- ingweek-longculturalcampseveryJuneforthe youth of Joseph B. Tyrrell elementary school. Youth from kindergarten to Grade 6 spent their days over at the Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre last week rotating from station to station to learn about the regions land and traditions. The stations included archery bannock making duck plucking wood cutting beaver skinning traditional plants and medicines storytelling and a tour of the museum. Each year Gordon said the cultural activi- ties depend on what and who is available. Typ- ically they have more fish and are able to cut andhangfilletstodrybutthisyeartheyhadan abundance of beaver and so were able to learn about the animal and its habitat how to skin it and scrape its pelt and how to cook the meat. I thought over the course of my career that it was important to try and get that cul- tural slant that was missing Gordon said. I think its very important for our kids in order for them to feel a sense of self and see them- selves in the body of the education system that they learn about who their grandfathers and grandmothers were and how they lived. Ashlynn Daniels tries her hand at archery also learning the Cree words for rabbit wpos and duck ssp. Don Desjarlais shows a curious and enthusiastic group of stu Culture camp coordinator Paulin her puppy Cujo outside the teep hosting storytelling and drum ci Kai Bennett leads a drum circle for his peers in the teepee during storytelling time meant to pass on the oral tradition to the students. Pre-schooler Ralston Rutherford-Simon front and Jacob Steed get a lesson in plants and traditional medicines from Raymond Beaver taking a moment to smell some wild mint. EDUCATION CULTURE CAMP