ᓵᑭᐸᑳᐃᐧᐲᓯᒼ sâkipakâwipîsim is the leaf budding moon.

ᓂᐢᑭᐲᓯᒼ niskipîsim Goose Moon is March. Month the geese return.

ᐊᔩᑭᐃᐧᐲᓯᒼ ayîkiwipîsim Frog Moon is April. The frogs awaken and begin to sing.

Uncas Elementary enjoyed a family night Wednesday April 17th. They enjoyed painting with Métis knowledge holder and artist-in-residence Connie Kulhavy. Soup and bannock were served while families learned about Métis culture, and how to paint a birch bark scene. Over one hundred families registered for this wonderful evening.

"Students always create such beautiful pieces and love to express themselves." -Connie Kulhavy

Oral Traditions and Land as a Text: May 29, 2024

Elk Island Public School teachers are invited to join Taryn, Kristen and Natalie to learn about Oral Traditions and Land as Text

Employee target audience: Gr 4-6 Teachers

Where do stories exist outside of a printed text? We’ll explore the roles attentiveness and observation versus comprehension and listening have in engaging with story. We will spend the day outside connecting to place and each other. You will leave with ideas ready to use in your classroom right away!

Online Language Classes continue every Thursday until June 13th! The classes will start at 6pm-7:30pm. Knowledge Holder Sky Blue Morin offers Elk Island students and families the opportunity to walk through the basics of learning our Michif Language! Follow along, take notes, practice and speak!

https://forms.office.com/r/bkRa8PVjbZ

EIPS Teacher Anna Fiddler-Berteig is one of the creative people creating the show which will debut on APTN. "Michif Makers," a new web series coming to audiences this spring, say their work aims to teach young children about Métis culture and language by following the adventures of two puppets.

Prairie to Woodlands Language Resources

Check out this online course to learn and practice Michif. Also includes a dictionary and historical connections.

https://michif.org/online-course/

On March 22, the entire section of the river flowing in Alberta was designated under the Canadian Heritage River System. Heritage places reflect Alberta's diverse history.

The North Saskatchewan River is a traditional gathering place, travel route, and home to Indigenous peoples including the nêhiyawak (Cree), Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Ktunaxa, Métis, Nakota Sioux, Iroquois, Dene, Ojibwe, Saulteaux, Anishinaabe, Inuit, and Assiniboine.

The river is known as kisiskâciwani-sîpiy, meaning “swift-flowing river” in nêhiyawêwin (Cree), and Omaka-ty, meaning “the big river” in Niitsitapi (Blackfoot). This designation provides an opportunity to foster support for wider use of Indigenous languages and cultural connections to this important waterway.

For centuries, the river was a transportation and trade route, first for Indigenous peoples, then settlers and explorers coming from the east to the Rocky Mountains. kisiskâciwani-sîpiy played a pivotal role in the fur trade, early scientific expeditions, human settlement patterns and agriculture.

Alex Janvier was born in 1935 and is of Dene sųłı̨né́ and Saulteaux descent. At the age eight, he was sent to the Blue Quills Indian Residential School near St. Paul, Alberta. Janvier speaks of having a creative instinct from as far back as he can remember, and says he was given the tools to create his first paintings at the residential school. Unlike many Aboriginal artists of his time, he received formal training and graduated with honours from Calgary’s Alberta College of Art in 1960. Immediately after graduation, he took up a post at the University of Alberta.

Read more below!

Study Help for Métis students Rupertsland Institute has secured access to Alberta ExamBank for K-12 Métis students to test their understanding through online practice. Métis students can sign up for the RECC Room to find the login for their MNA Region. Questions? Contact education@rupertsland.org.

Is your child in Grade 12 and looking to move on to post-secondary education? There are a variety of scholarships, bursaries and grants available to First Nations, Métis and Inuit students to attend trade school, college or university.

Indigenous youth are invited to apply to be an Ambassador of Hope. Applications are due May 20th, 2024. Find out more below!

May 5th- Red Dress Day

May 6th- Elk Island Red Dress Day

May 10th- Bear Witness Day

May 15th- Elk Island Moose Hide Campaign Day

May 16th- National Moose Hide Campaign Day

May 28th- Fort Family Gathering

May 31st- School Lead Teacher Day