LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Two teachers are bringing culture into the daily lives of students at Bompas Elementary School and Thomas Simpson Secondary School.

Dene Zhatie language instructor Sharon Allen, left, and her class from Thomas Simpson School present to students at Bompas Elementary School. - photos courtesy of Sharon Allen

At Bompas school, Bernice Gargan instructs a culture class teaching language and tradition.

For Thomas Simpson school, Sharon Allen is also working to bring the benefits of culture to her students.

"Culture is lived. It is a living entity," Allen said. She saw first-hand through residential schooling how the Dene Zhatie language and Dene ways were lost.

"To bring that back, the schools and community feel it's a need."

The classes are a pilot project designed to put young people back in touch with their traditional roots. In Allen's class, language immersion means no English allowed.

Her students are already flourishing, she said. In the two months since the school year began, they have gone from beginner speakers to novices who can say a few phrases.

"It's exciting," she said.

Some of the activities Allen has done with her class include bringing them to the long-term care centre to speak the language with elders and to Bompas school to share their knowledge with the younger children.

This month, they will also be learning to dry meat.

"Language and culture are very critical because they go together. You can't have one without the other," Allen said.

"For me, culture is living. You live the Dene laws, you share what you have - which could be language, food, moose meat. I find a lot of that has kind of been lost over time."

Allen recalls spending an entire month drying fish with her godparents at Trout River until they had enough fish for the winter. Fish tails and heads would be saved so the dogs would have a meal as well.

Christmas feast

She recalls a Christmas feast at the community hall in Jean Marie River, where everyone brought food and shared and danced to the beat of a drum until the small hours of the morning.

"Those are the kind of things I remember. Culture needs to be taught at home," she said.

"When you think about Dene laws, it's really about being a good person - caring and respect. I teach my students to show respect by sharing with each other, sharing their knowledge and teaching, talking with elders, introducing themselves properly to elders. And caring is one of those things you just do for each other every day."

Another factor, she says, is self-respect and pride, which can be difficult to teach children who are struggling with identity.

"There are teachings that go with the traditional skills kids learn - patience from being with elders or learning to sew," she said.

On Nov. 13, young people will be participating in Bompas Elementary School's annual moose feast with children cooking the food themselves.

Other people will be bringing different dishes but Allen likes her meat the old-fashioned way - fried, with rolled oats.

"That's the best moose meat," she said.

"This feast is a really important part of the school year because we share and gather together."

The event begins at noon.

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