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THENNAAGO/NAHANNI BUTTE
Self-esteem and confidence were two of the topics students and youth from Nahanni Butte explored during a two-day workshop.

Students and youth in Nahanni Butte spent two days in a workshop with Dakota House and Scott Ward. The participants included, back row, from left, Jasmine Yendo holding Drake Yendo-Matou, Jonathan Konisenta, Leanna Vital, Josh Bertrand, Destiny Ekotla, Sean Ekotla, Nathan Betsaka, Ruby Betsaka, and Jennifer Konisenta holding Ciara Konisenta. Front row, from left, Sara Gordon, Sydney Hope, Garey Ekotla and Dakota House. - photo courtesy of Sara Gordon

Dakota House and Scott Ward with the Going M.I.L.E.S. program spent from Jan. 28 to 29 in the community. House is a well-known aboriginal actor while Ward is an aboriginal hypnotist.

The pair started with a lot of trust-building exercises with the youth to get the children comfortable with themselves and each other, said Sara Gordon, a Beaver volunteer who is volunteering at Charles Yohin School.

The youth were also encouraged to participate in unity circles where they held hands and acknowledged the feelings of those around them.

It took awhile for the youths to warm up to the activities, said Gordon, particularly the older boys who were reluctant to hold hands.

"By the end of day two you could see them coming together and participating a lot more," she said.

House and Ward also taught the students breathing exercises, designed to help them calm and centre themselves, and led a session on grief, loss and suicide prevention.

After a brief display to the students on the afternoon of Jan. 28, Ward displayed his hypnosis talents during a comedy show that was open to the community that night. Approximately 60 people came out for the dinner and the show that followed.

Only the youth were willing to volunteer to be hypnotized, said Gordon.

"They knew what was coming," she said.

Ward hypnotized three youth so they did a dance from the popular Gangnam Style music video every time the song was played.

"There was lots of laughs over that," Gordon said.

'It was a break from the ordinary'

Another youth was hypnotized into believing he was singer Justin Bieber. Under hypnosis he got on his knees and sang a song to the girls using a plunger as a microphone. A dance party was held after the show for the youths.

At the end of the second day of the workshop Ward did a group hypnosis with the youths designed at teaching them to focus, concentrate and have more confidence. Self-esteem and confidence were two of the things the workshop aimed to build, Gordon said.

"I think they really enjoyed it," Gordon said about the youth's reaction to the workshop. "It was a break from the ordinary for them."

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