High Prairie Elementary School celebrated upcoming National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21 with several cultural activities June 13. Activities are part of the First Nations, Metis and Inuit (FNMI) education program under Alberta Education. All students participated in a variety of outdoor activities and lessons on tipis, powwow dancing, Inuit games, drumming, jigging, round dancing and potato dancing.
Students learn about the Inuit hoop and stick game. Left-right, are Grade 3 students Skylar Willier and Harmony Stewart.Students learn about the Metis sash. Left-right, are Clancy Neufeld, Grade 2, instructor Connie Sabo and Arras Marshall, Grade 2.Students have fun inside a tipi. In front left-right, are Adrian Patenaude, Grade 2, Scarlet Palisoc, Grade 2, Brianny Bain, Grade 2, and Emily Gaschnitz, Grade 2. Behind are instructors Allan Koski, left, and Ann Koski.Students learn about powwow dancing. Left-right, are Kaiton Auger, Grade 1, Eliyanah Lamason, Grade 1, instructor Darlene Walker, Kaylee Ehrler, Grade 1, and Jase Stewart- Yellowknee, Grade 1.Young students eat delicious bannock. Left-right, are Jace Ehrler, Grade 1, Gemma Peters, kindergarten, and Mila Gaudette, Grade 1.Students get a lesson in drumming. Left-right, are Abdullah Muhammad, kindergarten, drummer Keith Laboucan, Ashton Mackenzie, kindergarten, Eliyanah Lamason, Grade 1, and Kaia Payne, kindergarten.Grade 1 student Jackson Yardley, right, gets a kick out of the Inuit kick at Indigenous Day at HPE on June 13. Instructing is Carrie McGillivray.