On September 13, 2018 our education class took part in Treaty 4 Gathering at Fort Qu’Apelle for the morning and participated in Treaty 4 day activities. We started the morning by walking up the hill that overlooked the grounds of Treaty 4, and let me tell you that was quite the hike! I have never been so exhausted in my entire life! The view was absolutely stunning though and worth every ache and cramp in my legs! Once we descended the hill, it was time to attend the ceremonial flag raising, which was a unique experience. We then walked around and picked out which activities we wanted to partake in. There were 21 teepees set up with various activities inside. Unfortunately, we were unable to attend them all, but we thoroughly enjoyed the ones we did partake in! Some of the activities we participated in were rock painting, beaded key chain making, roasting bannock over the fire and then spreading it with jam (which was a first for me, as I’ve never had bannock before). Some of the other activities that were available were buffalo hide tanning, bannock and rabbit soup making, traditional stories with elders and making dream catchers just to name a few. At lunch time we had the opportunity to support the food vendors. I choose to indulge in a bannock bacon cheeseburger with fries and I must say, it was worth every calorie! While we were eating, we were able to watch some of the powwow dancers perform. It’s always magical watching them dance. It was then time for us to leave and head to our next adventure. This was my first-time experiencing Treaty 4 and it is something I definitely plan to attend again.
After we left Treaty 4 we headed to the town of Lebret where we spent some time touring the town and learning about the history there. We took some time to view and learn about the Eagle statue and the Treaty Four Memorial Cenotaph. While both were erected in honor of Treaty 4, the Eagle Statue represents the perspectives and beliefs of the Indigenous people, whereas the Cenotaph is a representation of Western Perspective.
We then headed to the cemetery where we learned about the statue of Father Joseph Hogenard and the Road Allowance People. I took some time to take some photographs in the cemetery and of the church. For some reason, I was drawn to this place.
We then headed over to the site of the Residential school. I can’t fully put into words how being there felt, but I feel that these photos will speak what I cannot.
As a class we were asked to find a quiet spot to sit down and reflect individually on our experience of the day. For me, my reflection was to walk around and take photos of things around the school site that spoke to me. But as I was walking around I also asked the group if I could take their photos individually of them in their reflective spots. For me it was a way to beautifully capture the spirit of respect and honoring that happened that day. One day when we look back at this day, it will be a nice reminder of the spots where we took the time to reflect on the day.
CHELSEY DRIEDGER 