Lutsel K'e decks the hall for Christmas
Concert brings community together for music and a feast
Sarah Ladik
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 22, 2014
LUTSEL K'E/SNOWDRIFT
About 100 people turned out for last week's annual Christmas concert in Lutsel K'e Dec. 16, where children from the local school performed holiday songs and poetry.
"The holidays are a time to reflect on how far we've come this year," said Lutsel K'e Dene School principal Devin Roberts.
"We've done a lot this year at our school. The community has been fantastic, and it's been great for the staff and the students to interact with people outside the school."
Parents and children started to trickle in at around 6 p.m., the latter all decked out in their festive finest. Boys in miniature suits bounced on benches while girls in gowns took the opportunity to spin and watch their full skirts twirl around them.
The youngest class of students in kindergarten and Grade 1 performed Let It Go from the Disney movie Frozen, with students belting out the high notes and stomping around the front of the hall to emphasize how much they didn't care about what people were going to say, to much applause from the audience.
Other performances included a reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and a skit in which students stuffed food in each other's faces. As a special treat, students also performed several songs in Chipewyan, led by aboriginal language instructor Elizabeth Catholique.
"This is always a great event," she told News/North. "The kids look forward to it and the community always comes out to see them."
For Tu Nedhe MLA Tom Beaulieu, who flew in for the evening, the performances brought back fond memories of his own time growing up in Fort Resolution.
"When I was a young child, the only thing I remember, or the only thing that is that vivid in my mind, is all the concerts we put on for the parents," he said. "I think it's something all the kids look forward to and remember."
Adult participants included Chief Felix Lockhart, who took the opportunity to warn against the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse, saying such behaviour makes it impossible for children to enjoy the holidays, let alone go back to school in the new year ready to learn.
Elder George Marlowe, who started the evening's festivities off with a prayer, said the focus of the holidays must be on the youngest members of the community.
"I say a prayer for strength, to live a good life," he said.
"I see my grandkids here, and I want them to be here next year. I am old, I don't know if I'll be here next year, but I want them all to be here."
