Aaron Watts of the Tseshaht First Nation, along with fellow First Nations representatives, gifted School District 70 (SD70) a celebration song on Tuesday night.
Watts and other First Nations members sang and drummed the song to SD70 staff, trustees, family and First Nations representatives during a Tuesday, Jan. 10 school board meeting at Alberni District Secondary School.
After the song, Tseshaht First Nation Chief Councillor Cynthia Dick thanked Watts, her uncle, for gifting it to SD70. She said the song is a step towards reconciliation.
“We have students in school who are struggling to walk in comfort between the traditional world and the contemporary world and this song is going to be a major step towards helping them to feel comfortable, feel secure, feel strong and feel proud,” said Dave Maher, ADSS vice principal.
Another step SD70 is taking towards inclusion is having the presence of Nuu-chah-nulth language throughout schools.
At ADSS, Nuu-chah-nulth words are posted beside the English words on offices, the library and classrooms around the school.
“That is a physical representation of Nuu-chah-nulth language and culture that we are going to be rolling out into all schools,” Maher said.
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