The Society for the Involvement of Good Neighbours (SIGN) in Yorkton is working to keep kids learning while schools are closed with online Indigenous storytelling and crafts.
Nicole Prince is a cultural awareness provider for SIGN and read the first story on Monday.
“We want to make sure to share stories from Indigenous people from all over Canada,” Prince said. “We really want to promote literacy and language. We can still feel embraced by our community and still reach out and start conversations about our roots and our culture and the things that make us who we are.”
The book Prince read is called The Sharing Circle by Theresa “Corky” Larsen-Jonasson.
“It discusses respect and patience and listening as you sit in a circle,” Prince said. “It’s a super cute little book. It gives us the opportunity to teach kids that when we ask for an elder’s guidance, we share tobacco or sweetgrass. Not all of our kids have that knowledge right now or parents aren’t really sure how to teach them. I have a little activity attached to make their own talking stick.”
New storytelling and craft videos will be posted on the Society for the Involvement of Good Neighbours website and Facebook page every Monday for approximately 8-12 weeks.
The videos are mainly for children in grades 1 to 5 but Prince plans on also reading some books for toddlers.
“We will see how it evolves,” Prince said. “I have some really great elders and knowledge keepers that I work with. A lot of them are very fluent in their language. I would love to see it grow into something where we can involve our elders in our community.”
The Society for the Involvement of Good Neighbours is a non-profit organization and has a cultural awareness program.
(PHOTO: Nicole Prince reading to her son for her first Indigenous storytelling video. Photo courtesy of the Society for the Involvement of Good Neighbours Facebook page.)