By: Ocean Sky Tom
Students at Baibombeh Anishinaabe School got their hands all bloody last Thursday October 4 .
For Grade 7 and 8 Ojibwe language and land –based classes they were invited to Shawendaasowin Prevention Services to learn how to harvest a deer.
Students took turns sawing, slicing, cutting, and washing the meat. Alongside this, they were listening to cultural teachings and documenting with microphones, cameras and video cameras with the Naotkamegwanning’s community journalism trainer Karli Zschogner.
Teddy Copenace, the elementary land-based coordinator, guided them through the process, explaining the sacredness of the deer.
“The main protocols that I did was that we put tobacco down before we started cutting this deer up,” he said speaking to interviewer West Ranville. “This is someone’s clan and on top of that, the Creator is the one who gave us that deer for us to survive.”
He describes how the hooves are used for pow wow regalia, use the he use the hide as a drum, for moccasins, and a jacket to keep as warm
He also explains that out of respect for the animal, the skull and antlers are left with an offering of tobacco.
Teacher Roland White says he was happy to students working with their hands.
“It’s part of our culture, it’s part of who who we are, to learn about animals,” he said.
Lester Kavanaugh, the Senior Prevention Worker at Shawendaasowin Prevention Services hosted the space. He says he got the deer after requesting community hunters to donate wild game.
“I am planning on doing is feeding the students at least once or twice a month hot lunch,” he said.
When interviewed, Sharia Yomi of Grade 12 said she would definitely do this again.
“It was a good experience,” she said. “So that our young know how to skin deer and know the teachings of our animals and spirits.”
Naotkamegwanning News 