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Artist Naomi Smith leads CWDHS and MVPS students through traditional medicine pouch workshop

April 5, 2017

FERGUS, Ontario – Students from Centre Wellinton DHS in Fergus and Montgomery Village PS in Orangeville have come together to create traditional medicine pouches.

CWDHS and MVPS students make medicine pouches 1

The collaborative workshop was an initiative of the CW Indigenous Club, after running two successful workshops with CW Life Skills students last year.

CWDHS and MVPS staff began discussing ideas for the workshop and decided to come together, involving school teaching staff and Educational Assistants from both schools.

The workshop was led by artist and educator Naomi Smith, of the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation.

Traditionally, the medicine pouch was used to carry items before the advent of pockets. It is a very personal and personalized item. During the workshop, each student designed something they felt said “This is me” and put that on the front of their pouch.

CWDHS and MVPS students make medicine pouches 2

Smith also brought fossils from the Cape Croker reserve, giving one to each student to put in their pouch.

Staff from both schools did an amazing job organizing the event and look forward to running additional workshops for Life Skills students in the future.

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