SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The opportunity to share a Christmas dinner with his daughter and surrounded by the community is a cherished gift for proud father and residential school survivor Felix Lockhart.

Holly Cleary, left, Cheryl Cleary, Brooke Yendo, 7, Destiny Football, 5, Christiana Football, 7, Hawa Dumbuya, Jolene Donovan, Shannti Madsen, 5, and Winnie Lennie, 5, sit around the table during Mildred Hall school's annual Christmas feast earlier this month. More than 500 people attended the event, including teachers, students, elders and family. - Candace Thomson/NNSL photo

Lockhart was one of more than 500 people invited to Mildred Hall School for the students' annual Christmas feast earlier this month. He said the effort of the staff to bring everything together for the event offers something special for the community.

"I think they're incorporating the culture and what's happening in the communities into the school. It's very healthy and it's meaningful," he said.

"It's important to carry on the tradition and instill that in spirit. There are a lot of people who are having a hard time at this time of year, people in hospitals, in jail, having a hard time and being sick. I think it's important to take the time to help them and get the community together."

It's also good for the children, he said. Teaching them the old stories of what it was like for the Dene this time of year, as well as customs, such as not standing behind or beside an elder who's eating and not walking behind them, or taking off hats while eating is valuable, he added.

"I think the elders respect that, being in a community where they can come to a feast because it's a big component in our lives," he said.

Lockhart said the merriment and camaraderie of the community feast does not resemble his experience of school as a child

"Being a residential school survivor, we never got to invite our families at Christmas dinner. We'd have the same food, but in those days, I couldn't go home, so I stayed at that school," he said, his voice breaking. "We were just so separated from everything at that institution."

The feast happens every year and all students get involved. Teachers and staff cook the meals with groceries purchased through the school's budget. Families can bring in items for a potluck as well, but all items have to be peanut-free because of allergies at the school.

The students help as well, with all classes co-operating on decorations and the Grade 7 and 8 students setting up tables and trays to make sure everyone has a place to sit and gets fed.

"It's a school-wide effort," said Katey Simmons, program support worker and co-ordinator of the feast.

"Mildred Hall is known for being a family school, and we love putting this on so the kids can eat with their families."

The food got a thumbs up from Hawa Dumbuya, whose daughters - Destiny, 5, and Christiana, 7 - are students at Mildred Hall.

"I think it's nice to get everyone together, and the food was really good," she said.

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