Over the past five plus years, schools in Chinook’s Edge School Division have been including
Indigenous protocols at graduation events as a part of the division’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, and to ensuring Indigenous students feel welcome, safe and celebrated in their heritage and culture.
Indigenous graduates and their families are asked if they would like to receive the Métis sash or a medicine bundle at graduation, and to be honoured in this way.
The Métis sash is a symbol of accomplishment and achievement and is presented to Métis
students with pride, and positive energy for their journey ahead.
The medicine pouch represents wisdom, and a connection to the creator. It is filled with a shite stone to give Indigenous students the feeling of connection and being grounded. It also contains sweet grass, a medicine in Indigenous cultures that represents kindness, strength and resilience. It is given to remind students to encourage them to love themselves and others, to move through life with kindness, and to remind them that they are strong and resilient.
An Indigenous Elder smudges the sashes, the medicine pouches, and their contents prior to
schools receiving them, with the intent of having students blessed with good thoughts, words
and wishes as they begin their journey into adulthood and the next stage of their life. The Elder asks the creator to keep graduates grounded, safe and loved.
Leah Sorensen, a Métis graduate from Didsbury High School, said, “not being close to my
culture, wearing the Métis sash felt good. It felt more embracing of my culture. It made me want to get to know more.” Sorensen said projects in school helped her learn more about her
heritage. “I think it’s important to include this in graduations so you can learn to embrace where you come from.”
Sorensen’s Mom works as a Métis advisor at a post-secondary institution. She said her Mom
“was happy that our school lets us embrace who we are.”
Mya Badger is a member of the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, and is a Didsbury High School
graduate. “I felt really proud to wear the medicine pouch at graduation,” said Badger. “I felt
recognized that the school did that, and explained it to everyone. It was another outlet to be
heard.”
Badger said her family was surprised to see this was a part of the ceremony, as well as the land acknowledgement, because it hadn’t been included in graduation ceremonies in previous generations. “We weren’t encouraged to be proud of our background. But to have it be a part of graduation ceremonies, having a chance to celebrate the new beginning in my life by including my culture was important.”
In addition to a medicine pouch, Seleah Organ, an École Olds High School graduate received
an eagle feather, presented by her mother, during her graduation ceremony.
“I was honored to accept it. The symbol of the eagle feather reminds me of the responsibility I have to share my knowledge with my family and community,” said Organ.
Organ said she appreciates that the school was open to providing her family with the
opportunity to practice their traditions. “I felt a sense of pride to have my Mom do this in front of my school and local community. This opportunity to acknowledge Indigenous peoples inside our school by presenting traditional elements from our culture meant a great deal to me. This shows how we embrace everyone for who they are, and how each person is valued for their uniqueness.”
Meaghan Reist, Principal of École Olds High School said, “Every graduation brings a special memory for students, but ensuring our Indigenous students are recognized with sashes and medicine pouches not only positively impacts the student's graduation experience, it also models for all those in attendance what small steps in reconciliation look like, and what it means to celebrate all aspects of a student's educational experience.”
Story Submitted by: Laurette Woodward, Chinook's Edge School Division
