Area students immersed in Indigenous culture

As many as 700 students from across the Rainy River District took part in this year’s Fall Harvest.

The annual event is hosted by Seven Generations Education Institute.

Anishinaabe language educator Robert Horton says various stations immerse students in aspects of Indigenous culture.

“Fall harvest is an annual celebration and activity here at Seven Generations Education Institute,” explains Horton.

“It’s Dagwaagani-mawindoosijigewin. And what that means is using one’s life energy to gather and harvest that which is in the fall.”

Horton says the event focuses on understanding Treaty 3 and the rights it contains

“If you look right across each station, each station is connected in some way to our Treaty by bringing those rights to life. So there’s self-sufficiency, sustainability, but also the knowledge of our relationship that is entrenched and acknowledged in the Canadian Constitution,” says Horton.

Stations included wild rice making, hunting, fishing, drumming, language, and others, with elders heading up each station..

Members of the Metis community also hosted stations connected to their culture.

Horton also turns to his own students to help out.

“I teach in the Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) post-secondary language program. And my students are helping out, and they’re learning. So we are creating the next generation of educators and culture holders.”

Discussions about Treaty 3 and the residential school system were also held with the students.

Seven Generations Education Institute has staged the event for many years, inviting grade 5 and 10 classes to participate.

Horton says students leave with a better understanding of Indigenous culture.

“It’s just this amazing event, and you see all the smiles, all the laughter, and this is community.”