UGDSB students learn about Indigenous culture at annual Turtle Island Heritage Festival
April 24, 2018
FERGUS, Ontario – At the start of the week, students from all areas of the Upper Grand District School Board came together at the Wellington County Museum and Archives in Fergus to learn about First Nation, Métis and Inuit culture.
The annual Turtle Island Heritage Festival celebrates Indigenous art, music, culture and voice. This year the festival was held April 23-26.
While visiting the festival, students got the chance to participate in many hands-on activities including dance workshops, drumming exercises, a slingshot activity, traditional finger weaving, and more.
Students listened to first-hand accounts of how climate change is affecting the arctic regions and what students and staff can do to help slow climate change.
Workshop speakers included Nija and Augiak Novalinga, an Inuit couple from Sanikiluaq on the Belcher Islands in Hudson Bay. They were at the festival to speak about climate change. Hosting the drum workshop was Jan Sherman. Sherman is Anishinaabe, mixed heritage.
Leslie McCue is Mississauga, Ojibway from Curve Lake First Nation, she was at the festival running a dance workshop. McCue is an arts administrator, artist, performer and educator who has spent years fighting for Indigenous rights by breaking stereotypes and raising cultural awareness.
The Grand River Métis Council and GRMC President Jennifer Parkinson were at the festival to host workshops on finger weaving and Métis games.
The festival is a unique learning opportunity for students to become educated on Indigenous storytelling and culture.
As part of the Turtle Island Heritage Festival, student art pieces will be displayed at the Wellington County Museum and Archives between April 25 and June 10. For more information about the Zoongeheshkwaad art show, please visit the board website.
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