Young and old connect
Children and elders celebrate National Child Day
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Thursday, November 24, 2016
INUVIK
Elder Donald Aviugana loved his visit to the Children First Centre on Nov. 18.
Children, parents and facilitators wound down National Child Day with some stories and slow dancing. From left to right are early childhood development practitioner Eric Roode, Olivia Pokiak, Lakisha Pokiak and Kendra Bulldog. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo
|
"When we were growing up, the young ones were always with the elders," he said during lunch with the children.
"They got to learn what the elders were doing."
He was with a group of elders visiting the centre as part of National Child Day celebrations, which extended to another session on Nov. 20.
"I really love to be with the kids," said Aviugana. "I'm more or less alone now."
He recalls listening to elders' old-time stories when he was a child.
"I didn't mind," he said. "I like hearing old-time stories now."
Patricia Davison, executive director of the Children First Society, said making those inter-generational connections is important.
"That's how we learn who we are and where we come from," she said.
"If children don't have that sense of belonging, they lose hope, and they become people that are just floating through society not knowing where they're from or where they're going. Those inter-generational programs really connect children to their roots, to the wisdom of elders."
To celebrate National Child Day, children made posters about their rights in accordance with the United Nations' convention of children's rights.
"I think it's really important that children know that they have rights and we respect those rights," said Davison.
Inuvik nurtures children well, she said, but its remoteness and economic situation can add some hardship.
"When we talk about the food bank being in trouble, that impacts the children; when we talk about families that are struggling with mental health issues, that impacts the children," said Davison. "Any of those community struggles we talk about, it really impacts the children, and the children are the ones who feel the brunt of it because they're so vulnerable."
The Children First Centre is an example of how important children are to the community, she said. It was built to provide programming for children in the community, and now the priority is to make sure people know it's available to them.
The centre offers a range of daily programs during the week, plus free Wednesday gym drop-ins for family fun and other activities. The centre is currently gearing up for the Christmas season, during which it will operate as normal except on statutory holidays.
There's always room for more children to take part, said Davison.
"It would be great to be filled to the brim but I think because we have such a wonderful, large space, that's not going to happen any time in the near future, but we're working toward that," she said.
