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Am Bratach No. 208
Litir bhon ’a
Cheathramh Aig àm na Nollaig seo chaidh bha mi ann an Ontario, Canada, agus fhuair mi cothrom tadhal air sgoil Mnjikaning Kendaasawin a chaidh a chur air chois leis an treubh Ojibwe. ’S e sgoil sònraichte a th’ ann, on a chaidh curriculum a dhealbhadh a bheireadh a-steach mòran dhen dualchas aca fhèin. Abair ceum mòr a th’ ann, air sàillibh eachdraidh dòrainneach is cruaidh cas a bh’ ann nuair a bh’ aca ri dèiligeadh ris an Riaghaltas. Last month I was in Ontario, Canada, and I had the opportunity to visit the Mnjikaning Kendaasawin school, which was set up by the local Ojibwe tribe. It is an extraordinary school because the curriculum is designed to incorporate many of their own values. It is a wonderful step when one thinks of their sad history and difficulties when dealing with government authorities. Leis cho faisg air an Nollaig a bha e nuair a thadhail mi orra, bha tuilleadh sa chòrr a’ dol air adhart, agus mar sin cha d’ fhuair mi cothrom a bhith ann fada. Chaidh mi ann ge-tà, nuair a bha Cruinneachadh Spioraideach ann, agus fhuair mi sealladh goirid air an t-seòrsa sgoil a bh’ ann. B’ e taisbeanadh deireadh teirm a bh’ anns a’ chruinneachadh seo, far an d’ fhuair na sgoilearan duaisean is teisteanasan a rèir mar a rinn iad tron teirm. It was quite near Christmas when I visited them, and because there was a lot going on I didn’t get the chance to visit as long as I would’ve liked. I visited however, when they held their Spirit Assembly, which gave me some idea of what the school was about. The Spirit Assembly was a sort of end of term assembly when the students received prizes and certificates for their achievements during the term. Bha e follaiseach aithneachadh mar a chaidh an dualchas aca fhighe a-steach dha beatha làitheil na sgoil. Bha gu leòr ann a bha stèidhichte air Cearcall a’ Bheatha, no Medicine Wheel. Tha an ìomhaigh seo, cearcall le ceithir dathan air, buidhe, ruadh, dubh, is geal, a’ riochdachadh na creideimh aca agus a tha a’ toirt ìomhaigh fiosaigeach dha na dòighean smaoineachaidh aca. It was easy to see how their culture was woven into the daily life of the school. In particular there was a lot drawn from the Medicine Wheel. The Medicine Wheel, or Circle of Life, is a symbol representing their belief system. There are four colours, yellow, red, black, and white, which gives a physical representation of their way of looking at things. Mar eisimpleir, dh’fhaodadh na ceithir dathan a bhith a’ riochdachadh nan ceithir ràithean, ceithir ìrean ann am beatha, no nan ceithir gnè dhe mac an duine. ’S cinnteach gu bheil barrachd na sin ann, dhan fheadhainn a tha nas eòlaiche na mise. A rèir gach dath, no pàirt dhen chearcall, tha na Seachd Seanairean, sin ri ràdh seachd cinn-teagaisg a th’ aca mar cairt iùil air beatha. ’S iad, urram, calmachd, ònarachd, irioslachd, an fhìrinn, gliocas, agus gràdh. For example, the four colours can represent the four seasons, four stages in life, or the fours races of people. There is certainly far more than that as well to those knowledgeable in such things. According to each colour, or part of the circle, there are the Seven Grandfathers, which are qualities they value. They are respect, bravery, honour, humility, truth, wisdom and love. A’ dol air ais dha na thachair san sgoil, bha na sgoilearan air an roinn ann an ceithir sgioban, le fear dhe na dathan air gach sgioba. Bho na duaisean a fhuair iad, bha e a’ coimhead col’ach gu robh pròiseachtan aca air na Seachd Seanairean agus mar a chaidh na Seachd Seanairean fhighe a-steach dha gnothaichean bho là gu là. B’ fheàrr leam gu robh cothrom a bharrachd ann bruidhinn ris na tidsearan, ach uair eile, ’s docha. To return to the school, the children were divided into teams according to each colour. It was apparent from their awards that they had projects based upon the Seven Grandfather Teachings, and also that the Seven Grandfathers were woven into their day to day school life. I would have liked to have had more time to speak to speak to the teachers about such things, but that will have to wait to another time. A thaobh cànan, bha an suidheachadh doirbh. Fhuair an sgoil cead an cànan aca fhèin a thairgsinn an àite Fraingis, mar is àbhaist ann an Ontario (Sgoiltean Fraingis dhan darna taobh), ach chan eil sin a’ tighinn gu barrachd na dìreach fichead mionaid gach là. Airson fileantaich a dhèanamh, tha tòrr a bharrachd na sin a dhìth. Aig an aon àm ge-tà, feumar aithneachadh gur e ceum air adhart a tha sònraichte math nuair a smaoinichear air an eachdraidh brùideil a th’ aca ann am foghlam. Their language situation was a difficult one. The school was given permission by the authorities to offer their own language in the curriculum in place of French, but this only amounted to twenty minutes each day. Fluency requires much more than that. However, the significance of such a step should not be under-rated given their brutal experiences with education in the recent past. Tha mi a’ tuigsinn cuideachd, gu robh sgaradh sa choimhearsnachd nuair a thoisich an sgoil. Bha cuid dhe na duine aca fhèin gun mhisneachd gu leòr, agus iad a’ smaointinn nach eil dad a dh’ fheum san dualchas aca fhèin. Mar sin, tha cuid dhen chloinn a’ dol gu sgoil eile le curriculum àbhaisteach. Mar a chanadh tidsear na pìob’ agam, “’S ann mar sin a tha gnothaichean a’ dol.”, sa Ghàidhealtachd agus air crìochan nan Tùsanach! I understand
also, that the community is divided over the school. A few of
their people lack confidence in their own culture, and so a number
of children are put to another school with the usual curriculum.
As my piping teacher would say, “That’s how things
go.”, both in the Highlands and on First Nation reserves. |