Cultural Week (aka Bannock Appreciation Week)

Hello from Webequie!We've just wrapped up our first official week of teaching here at Simon Jacob Memorial Education Centre (SJMEC). This week's focus was on leadership and communication, with a side of hockey and arts&crafts every 3:30-4:30pm. Rather than lecture on and on about what makes a great leader or the best ways to communicate, we decided to engage our students with activities that fostered communication and provided them with leadership opportunities.It's hard to believe we've already finished our first week of lessons, when only a week prior, we were fully immersed in the incredible culture Webeqiue has to offer.Below are a few of our favourite highlights from Cultural Week:On the Monday after our arrival, the older grades invited us out to a camp site along the winter road for a cook out.  As we explored the surrounding area with the grade 5/6 boys, Amy unknowingly enlisted herself into an intense game of Man Hunt, which involved much running, screaming and diving head first into wooded areas and snow banks. Back at the camp site, we roasted hot dogs and observed the elders as they taught us how to construct slingshots. Kersh was able to construct a pretty impressive slingshot from simply a branch, piece of leather and some rubber gloves.Tuesday was the day we first tasted bannock. Described by some (aka Kersh) as this "satisfying dollop of fried dough that smells heavenly and melts in your mouth,"  bannock has certainly changed our lives for the better. We especially enjoy our bannock loaded with raisins and topped with peanut butter or strawberry jam. In the afternoon, after emerging from our bannock induced coma, we headed out to the camp site for lessons on how to set up rabbit snares and how to fashion up some bow and arrows! Wednesday's Cultural Week activity involved a few ladies from the community coming up and teaching us the art of beading. They brought with them some very intricate pieces to showcase. Amy tried her hands at beading an earring (update: the earring has finally been completed...only took a few days)Thursday was all about goose preparation. We headed out to the camp site again with the older grades and plucked some feathers!The much anticipated school picnic was on Friday. All the grades, along with several community members, gathered at the camp site to feast on delicious goose meat, goose porridge and of course, bannock!We're so grateful for the opportunity to experience Cultural Week right after we arrived. It not only gave us insight into the rich culture here in Webequie, but also the chance to really bond with the kids before we stepped foot into their classrooms. Next week is all about physical health, so we're busy planning lessons, activities and of course, boys and girls nights! Until next time,Amy & Kersh