Indigenous Learning & Culture

<p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Students travelled to Hat Creek Ranch, where they learned about the lifestyle of the Secwépemc people of the region. This included hunting and gathering food, preparing and storing food, and the use of pit houses and teepees for shelter. They also learned about the important role Indigenous people played in helping operate the ranch in the past.</span></p><table class="editor-table" style="width: 100%; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup><col style="width: 50%;"><col style="width: 50%;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/fbe664cd-133c-40f0-9e8b-4c0bd419da61?fingerprint=ppb20260623182758" alt="Hat Creek Ranch 1 todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/cddac3d3-6e5e-4c5c-ae7a-7df8847e12e3?fingerprint=ppb20260623182755" alt="Hat Creek Ranch 2 todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th></tr></tbody></table><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In recognition of National Indigenous Peoples Day, our school welcomed Mike James, a Knowledge Keeper of ancient Indigenous games. Students learned how to play several traditional games and explored the purposes behind them—whether spiritual, connected to reinforcing a value system, or used to settle disputes.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Students had the opportunity to try activities such as Indigenous basketball, Pahquin football, and Double Ball (Knobby). Students also learned about the equipment used for each game, the rules, and the traditional playing surfaces.</span></p><table class="editor-table" style="width: 100%; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup><col style="width: 50%;"><col style="width: 50%;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/aa0d0198-5fd7-487e-a7b1-2655581ab04a?fingerprint=ppb20260623181241" alt="Ancient Indigenous Games 2 todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/a196ef5e-82c3-4a5f-beeb-4d96ce2c6eca?fingerprint=ppb20260623181230" alt="Ancient Indigenous Games 1 todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th></tr></tbody></table><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A member from WLFN visited our school to teach and play Lahal with the students. Students learned to drum, rattle, and sing The Porcupine song and The Children’s song while playing Lahal.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/deeeab7e-3f4a-4db1-ad2c-ca76cf543dbb?fingerprint=ppb20260603210011" alt="Lahal Lesson todd routtu" width="594" height="446" style="width:594px;height:446px;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Students listened to Indigenous Storyteller Kenthen Thomas share a couple Secwépemc stories. After each story, students had a chance to think of the lessons and learnings contained in the story.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/1d1c9215-3f90-45ab-8e9c-63f58dd0f1a6?fingerprint=ppb20260519164554" alt="Kenthen Thomas Storytelling todd routtu" width="693" height="924" style="width:693px;height:924px;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Students made pitch medicine.&nbsp;Students engaged by collecting the fir pitch from trees on school property. Knowledge keeper Dancing Water Sandy, led the students through the process of mixing the pitch with other ingredients that she brought and heating it. While it was heating, students learned the healing properties of each ingredient. Students learned to recognize when the medicine was complete and strained it into jars to take home.</span></p><table class="editor-table" style="width: 100%; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup><col style="width: 50%;"><col style="width: 50%;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/a564492b-12d6-41d1-9397-b7cf5b4d3214?fingerprint=ppb20260423051159" alt="Pitch Medicine todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top; text-align: start; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245);"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/7d576bb1-2b0e-4bb1-9852-ab3e8f2966d2?fingerprint=ppb20260423051158" alt="Pitch Medicine 2 todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th></tr></tbody></table><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Students learned about dream catchers and their purpose in Indigenous culture. Students had the opportunity to make their own dream catcher. Sense of belonging was promoted with the older students helping the younger students make their dream catchers.</span></p><table class="editor-table"><colgroup><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/bfe63b31-e2d1-49e8-8709-74609ca1b87a?fingerprint=ppb20260318033710" alt="Dream catchers 1 todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/55a62d13-cdd2-4bab-925f-4b32fcbceae0?fingerprint=ppb20260318033707" alt="Dream catchers 2 todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th></tr></tbody></table><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Students learned about different Indigenous medicines and their purpose. Using the medicines, students made a tea for cough and colds and a tea for helping with sleep.</span></p><table class="editor-table"><colgroup><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/b4a76470-9dbf-4da2-9dc5-d17abebe39b7?fingerprint=ppb20260306040921" alt="Tea Making 1 todd routtu" width="379" height="506" style="width:379px;height:506px;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/389ac657-2c2a-4053-905a-d5dfd44d1165?fingerprint=ppb20260306040921" alt="Tea Making 1A todd routtu" width="386" height="515" style="width:386px;height:515px;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th></tr></tbody></table><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Lac La Hache Elementary was proud to attend the Thomas-Dueck Pow Wow. For some students, it was their first pow wow. While listening to the drumming and singing, students had the opportunity to see the different dances and the regalia for each dance. A highlight for many students was watching the hoop dancing and watching some students learn to hoop dance for the first time.</span></p><table class="editor-table"><colgroup><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/505cd863-22af-4ea9-8904-8f7925af7521?fingerprint=ppb20260204070337" alt="Thomas Dueck Pow wow 2 todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/0d09fd12-bbc2-453c-83b2-708121feef0d?fingerprint=ppb20260204070336" alt="Thomas Dueck Pow wow 1 todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th></tr></tbody></table><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Knowledge keepers came to our school to help grade 6/7 students make a rattle or a drum. Students learned about where materials for rattle and drum making traditionally came from and the process to make a rattle and drum.</span></p><table class="editor-table"><colgroup><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/1c85a658-1029-4c21-8c06-b7e1531b2c87?fingerprint=ppb20260204070104" alt="Drum Rattle Making 1 todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/62e9da32-437a-4fb0-b84b-537f8b90428e?fingerprint=ppb20260204070104" alt="Drum Rattle Making2 todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th></tr></tbody></table><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Students learned about and participated in the game of Lahal. Students quickly picked up on the hand gestures and strategies to collect the sticks from their opponents. Students tried drumming on their laps to distract the guesser.</span></p><table class="editor-table"><colgroup><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/3ac4bb6a-760f-4741-8733-cf4d04dbe056?fingerprint=ppb20260106225500" alt="Lahal 1 todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p></th><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/bdd74039-b137-4557-bcec-0cf40ddd0ef4?fingerprint=ppb20260106225502" alt="Lahal 2 todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p></th></tr></tbody></table><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Some students learned to make Bannock alongside Knowledge Keepers. The Bannock was shared with the school. Students learned about Bannock including how it was made in the past and its importance.</span></p><table class="editor-table"><colgroup><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/cea2ed08-1443-4859-a64a-3c601f320e39?fingerprint=ppb20251217040255" alt="Bannock making1 todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/3defd45d-1fa2-469a-826e-d2b9b29789f2?fingerprint=ppb20251217033929" alt="Bannock making 2 todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th></tr></tbody></table><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Mike Archie and Trish Meraw visited the school to share information about pow wows. Mike led the students in drumming and the school joined him in singing the honor song. The school learned about the different dances and the regalia worn at a pow wow.</span></p><table class="editor-table"><colgroup><col><col></colgroup><tbody><tr><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/d41f82e0-30bf-4655-9039-d078f29760ca?fingerprint=ppb20260310031533" alt="regalia todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th><th class="editor-tableCell editor-tableCellHeader" style="width: 350px; background-color: rgb(242, 243, 245); border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/45ba9e92-ec45-4d3e-891c-b6826f2b8b97?fingerprint=ppb20260310031533" alt="Drumming and singing the honor song todd routtu" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></th></tr></tbody></table><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Students learned about residential schools and the origins of Orange Shirt Day. Students folded orange paper into an orange shirt and wrote a commitment to reconciliation.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/8e7f8738-4953-4802-9592-781d3be8167c?fingerprint=ppb20251217034956" alt="Orange Shirt day paper shirts todd routtu" width="286" height="215" style="width:286px;height:215px;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Mike Archie lead the Lac La Hache staff in a local medicine walk. The teachings included how local plants were used for food, medicine, and teas. In this picture, staff learned how fir tree pitch was used as a salve and gum. The fir branches are used as a soft place to sit and used in the sweat lodge. Also fir cones were used as a way to keep warm and are burned to create smoke used to tan hides.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/9c7ef222-b19c-4e2c-9fc3-ae7cefa6f637?fingerprint=ppb20251217034854" alt="Medicine walk with Mike Archie todd routtu 1 " width="500" height="666" style="width:500px;height:666px;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Under the guidance of the Canim lake Elders, Lac La Hache students enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to play their drums that they had constructed earlier this year.</span></p><div data-lexical-layout-container="true" style="grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; display: grid;"><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/12c66f3a-9a4a-42f8-ba39-600de1530367?fingerprint=ppb20251217033726" alt="Indigenous Drum Playing" width="427" height="569" style="width:427px;height:569px;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p></div><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/3477ef6d-6856-40ac-b9d7-e9da7e5cc2c7?fingerprint=ppb20251217033901" alt="Indigenous Drum Playing" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p></div></div><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><br><br><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Every student now has an indigenous drum to call their own thanks to the guidance given to us by the&nbsp;Tsq̓éscen̓ First Nation&nbsp;elders.</span></p><div data-lexical-layout-container="true" style="grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; display: grid;"><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/5d6189a4-80c9-4b87-9e88-28a0ccd5f712?fingerprint=ppb20251217034103" alt="Drum Making" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></div><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/7a8b3a8b-14dd-45e7-bbd2-54c0aa9ab2bc?fingerprint=ppb20251217034541" alt="Drum Making" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></div></div><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Canim Lake Knowledge Keepers along with volunteer community members helped Lac La Hache students to either construct native drums or rattles. We were really pleased with how they turned out and we are looking forward to painting them and playing them soon.</span></p><div data-lexical-layout-container="true" style="grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; display: grid;"><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/df24add7-0fed-4852-b6f1-af5df659c1d2?fingerprint=ppb20251217040405" alt="Drum and Rattle Making" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></div><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/654aed57-7d5c-4592-a233-4303ca3e684a?fingerprint=ppb20251217034128" alt="Drum and Rattle Making" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p></div></div><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The students of Lac La Hache Elementary School participated in an Orange Shirt Day parade to help bring awareness to the the community of the upcoming Truth and Reconciliation day.&nbsp;</span></p><div data-lexical-layout-container="true" style="grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; display: grid;"><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/8bcf0540-fe4f-56c8-89d1-87b21b174a28?fingerprint=ppb20251217034956" alt="xvgav5lh.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p></div><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p></div></div><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Lac La Hache elementary school greatly appreciated the Canim Lake Knowledge Keepers getting our school year off to a great start through some indigenous cultural practices such as smudging and drumming.&nbsp;</span></p><div data-lexical-layout-container="true" style="grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; display: grid;"><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/4212c738-0a5b-5348-a956-29e97f6fe4d1?fingerprint=ppb20251217033943" alt="jay43719.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p></div><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p></div></div><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Lac La Hache students and staff were very appreciative and honoured to participate and enjoy the Canim Lake Pow Wow focused on educating the different types of indigenous dance</span></p><div data-lexical-layout-container="true" style="grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; display: grid;"><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/48ae8cac-baf9-5dd9-93f9-5c4b1dcfe2b2?fingerprint=ppb20251217034010" alt="upfk3xqt.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p></div><div class="editor-layoutItem"><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/8b06e3d1-a993-5a1e-b6c9-d4ad57676601?fingerprint=ppb20251217034631" alt="fjbhaqti.jpg" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit"></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p></div></div><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p>