Graduates far from home ‘grateful' for honour at school powwow
After being displaced for more than two weeks, Jonah Wavey found some hope in a Winnipeg graduation ceremony — and he's holding onto it until he can celebrate with his classmates back home.
The Grade 12 Tataskweyak Cree Nation student was among several wildfire evacuees honoured Monday during a special celebration of Indigenous graduates at the University of Winnipeg's Duckworth Centre.
The event, typically part of the Winnipeg School Division's annual outdoor powwow that draws more than 10,000 Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, was postponed last week due to poor air quality from wildfires in northern Manitoba.
Ruth Bonneville / Free Press
Jonah Wavey, a grade 12 graduate from Tataskweyak Cree Nation, with his mom, Abbie Garson-Wavey, at the special graduation ceremony held by Winnipeg School Division in partnership with Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, for graduates from northern Manitoba communities evacuated due to wildfires.
'I'm grateful that they are doing this for us,' Wavey said, adding that he hasn't been in class since the wildfires around Tataskewyak forced 2,400 residents from their homes. 'I'm glad that I am part of this.'
Wavey's mother, Abbie Garson-Wavey, a band councillor in Tataskewyak, said she was thrilled to get the invite.
'I totally appreciated it,' she said. 'We have (four) of our graduates (in Winnipeg), but unfortunately, a lot of them are separated because of the evacuation. '(My son) is so excited. We're so proud of him and all of the work he's done.'
Garson-Wavey said the evacuation has taken a toll on the entire community, especially youth.
'I know the displacement has caused us all to split up into different communities, different cities,' she said. 'There's been a lot of mental health issues because of the separation and the displacement. We've been just trying to remind them, to ground them, that we're there for them and we support them.'
Monday's smaller indoor event drew dozens of people and featured a grand entry, honour song, a prayer and teaching from divisional Kookum Marsha Missyabit, and a friendship dance that brought nearly everyone to the gymnasium floor, hand in hand and smiling.
WSD partnered with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to invite graduates affected by the wildfires.
'We express heartfelt gratitude to Winnipeg School Division for their generous and compassionate gesture in extending an invitation to Grade 12 graduates who have been evacuated from their home communities due to the wildfires,' said Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Acting Grand Chief Gordon Bluesky in a release. 'This meaningful act ensures that these students are recognized and celebrated for their achievements despite the challenges they have faced. It is a powerful example of community solidarity and support for First Nations youth during a time of uncertainty.'
Rob Riel, assistant superintendent of Indigenous education, said the division wanted to show they care during this difficult time.
'We've also opened the door for them, if they're still in Winnipeg, to walk the stage at any of our graduations next week,' Riel said. 'Every school said they would welcome it.
'It's an important time that you have to acknowledge, so we just want to ensure they got that experience.'
For Keanu Kirkness, another Grade 12 student from Tataskweyak, the ceremony marked a special milestone.
'It's a great achievement, a bookmark in my life, and getting to do it with the people with me here,' he said, alongside his parents and cousins. 'It means a lot.'
Kirkness and his family have been staying with his aunt in Winnipeg since being evacuated.
'It's been all right, having fun walking around (the city),' he said. 'But I miss (home) and being in class, it's my last year.'
Winnipeg Jets Game Days
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.
He hopes the wildfires don't take away the chance to celebrate graduation back home.
'The photos, the people you're graduating with, you can always come back and look at them,' he said.
Matt Henderson, superintendent of schools and CEO of the Winnipeg School Division, said the ceremony was a small but meaningful gesture.
'This was a way to honour WSD grads, and at the same time, give students an opportunity that may not get to walk across their stage, and a show of solidarity,' Henderson said. 'Kids are kids, and they want to be with each other, and that was the least we could do as a school division.'
scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca
Scott BilleckReporter
Scott Billeck is a general assignment reporter for the Free Press. A Creative Communications graduate from Red River College, Scott has more than a decade's worth of experience covering hockey, football and global pandemics. He joined the Free Press in 2024. Read more about Scott.
Every piece of reporting Scott produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
6 hours ago
- CTV News
National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration sees large youth turnout
WATCH: Although the official day is on Saturday, there were multiple events on Friday to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day. Damian Smith has more. While National Indigenous Peoples Day is on Saturday, several events were held in Regina on Friday for residents to celebrate the heritage, cultures, and achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people. A big theme of this year's gathering was the education of youth and children, and for them to see Indigenous culture at an early age before learning in later grade school years. 'It's such an important day to be celebrating,' Minister of Parks, Culture, and Sport Alana Ross said. 'Having the children here from the schools, the interaction, giving them the opportunity to learn about art history and the importance of it and the interactive games, that they have was just amazing.' For Mother Teresa Middle School, educators who are Indigenous know that days like Friday are needed for representation and inclusion. 'Our students can see themselves in me,' said Evan Whitestar, who is an Indigenous advocate at the school. 'So, it makes it easier for them to come to the school and work. Education has had a tough history in Canada and that's a good way to mend the bridge and have some representation in the hallway.' The Buffalo Boys from Mother Theresa Middle School, along with youth dancers, performed a powwow dance at the event. For the second stop of the day, children spent some time at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, practicing the culture by taking part in making friendship bracelets, bison hunting and atlatl throwing. 'The younger we can learn it and the more we can expose our children to that, the better we will be as a culture and as a society,' Ross said. 'It's just wonderful to see the teachers who have taken the time, because it's a lot of work to bring your students here.' To many attending, Friday's edition of National Indigenous Peoples Day felt like the largest gathering that they had ever been a part of in Regina's history. There are a few more events planned elsewhere in the province on Saturday.
CTV News
7 hours ago
- CTV News
London celebration of Solidarity Day
A celebration of Solidarity Day was held on The Green in Wortley Village. Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual A celebration of Solidarity Day was held on The Green in Wortley Village. Today's event included a sunrise ceremony, grand entry, traditional food, dance and crafts. This all precedes National Indigenous People's Day tomorrow. Organizers say its about allowing First Nation communities and allies to celebrate together. Ira Timothy, Solidarity Day planning committee member said it allows people to share from each community and nation. 'It shows that we're all related. We're all together underneath a great tree of peace,' said Timothy.
CTV News
8 hours ago
- CTV News
Construction begins on important centre in the Sault
Groundbreaking ceremony took place Friday in the Sault at the site that will eventually be used to educate visitors on the history of residential schools.
