 | Home page |  | Text size |  | E-mail this page |
U of A, Dechinta elope Courses at bush school accredited through University of Alberta
Daniel Campbell
Northern News Services
Published Tuesday, July 2, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
NWT's "bush university” has been offering University of Alberta accredited courses for three years, but on Thursday the two schools' partnership was finally formalized.
Erin Freeland Ballantyne, director at Dechinta, smiles as she hands Brendan Hokowhitu, dean of Native Studies at the University of Alberta, a gift to commemorate the partnership between the two schools. - Daniel Campbell/NNSL photo
|
"We've been common-law for a while now and now we're making it official," Erin Freeland Ballantyne joked. She's the founder of the school and currently sits on the board of directors.
Ballantyne presented University of Alberta representative Brendan Hokowhitu with a gift followed by an embrace on the rooftop of the Doug Bryan Building in Old Town. Afterwards they proceeded with a more "colonial" symbol of alliance, the signing of a memorandum of understanding.
Hokowhitu, dean of Native Studies at U of A, said the relationship between the schools is important.
"Only certain forms of knowledge can be taught in the classroom. I'm really stoked to be part of it."
Hokowhitu will get his first chance to experience the school when he heads up to Dechinta's Blachford Lake Lodge in November to teach for a week.
"It'll be an experience, never having taught out of the classroom," he said.
The lodge is accessible only by snowmobile or floatplane, a 20-minute flight east of Yellowknife.
Hokowhitu is excited he'll be able to bring his family along with him, something the school encourages.
Melaw Nakehk'o, a student on the original pilot program at Dechinta and a sitting board member for the school, brought her two children to the remote lodge in 2010 while she studied.
"They checked nets, checked snares, went on trails, they did everything the students did," Nakehk'o explained.
Nakehk'o said she wouldn't have been able to continue her education at Dechinta if they didn't allow families to attend as well. As a single mother with two children in Yellowknife, she was unable to attend university down south.
Academic professors and elders teach side-by-side
The partnership with the Edmonton university will give the school access to academic teaching, but it will also focus on traditional Northern learning. Ballantyne said Dechinta recognizes elders and Northern leaders as professors.
"I'm proud we have a space of higher learning on the land," Ballantyne said. "The people that hold wisdom here are recognized as professors."
For the University of Alberta, Hokowhitu said the deal fulfils its Northern strategy, allowing them access to Dechinta and ensuring it stays at the forefront of Northern research.
Eugene Boulanger, director of strategic partnerships and planning at Dechinta, said they are working on getting fully accredited courses with McGill University in Montreal as well.
| 
