YORKTON — Students at Columbia School are stepping out of the classroom and onto the land this spring as part of a vibrant three-month Indigenous initiative designed to bridge cultural gaps and promote youth wellness.
The program, which blends traditional teachings with hands-on experience, aims to provide all students — particularly those in the urban environment — with a direct connection to Indigenous heritage and the natural world.
The initiative kicked off last month with Saskatoon’s Jasmyn Albert leading "Teepee Teachings." Students worked together to raise a teepee while learning the deep significance behind each pole and the Seven Grandfather Teachings.
The momentum continued on April 29 with land-based learning focused on traditional harvesting. Meagon Anishinabie, a hide tanner from Sandy Lake First Nation, and her husband, Garrick Schmidt, transformed the school grounds into an interactive camp. Beside the warmth of a campfire, students practiced fleshing an elk hide using traditional tools fashioned from moose and elk leg bones.
"The goal is to get the kids outside, working with different animals and being exposed to our traditional way of life," Anishinabie explained. "It’s about making sure we use our animals in a good way — they are more than just meat. We are continuing their life further, having appreciation for them and showing the kids what our ancestors did."
While Anishinabie worked with the hides, Schmidt taught students the art of smoking moose meat. Schmidt is already a familiar face to the youth, having brought his dog sled team to the school playground for rides the previous month.
Bridging the gap
For Tashena Asham, an Indigenous Community Worker for Good Spirit School Division (GSSD) at Columbia School, the program is about more than just skills — it’s about identity. With roughly 50 per cent of the school’s population self-identifying as Indigenous, Asham noted that many students face significant life challenges, including involvement with the child welfare system or living in emergency receiving homes.
"We really wanted to create an environment where they can connect with their culture and bridge that gap, promoting youth wellness," said Asham. "We wanted something very hands-on and interactive, especially for our older students."
Taryn Abraham, another Indigenous Community Worker, added that the urban setting often creates a barrier to these experiences.
"A lot of the kids from the YTC [Yorkton Tribal Council] area live urbanely and don’t get a lot of chance to experience land-based teachings," she said.
A diverse community response
Though rooted in Indigenous tradition, the initiative has seen enthusiastic participation from the entire student body.
"It’s also nice to see the non-Indigenous students are very much engaged," Asham noted, adding that the school's drum group also reflects this diversity.
The three-month journey will culminate next month with a youth feast. Students will transition from the land to the community circle, learning the specific protocols and traditions involved in serving and hosting a ceremonial meal.
The initiative was made possible through the support of school administration and several community partners, including the Yorkton Indigenous Friendship Centre, SIGA, Legacy Co-op, and the GSSD Community Health Initiative.
