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News from the Seneca Arts & Learning Center

Submitted by Angelina Nolder, SALC

On Friday, August 27th, the Seneca Arts and Learning Center held their inaugural Ahsoh Ogwë’jö’ (We Are Still Here) walk, to support the Every Child Matters crusade. The children and staff, all wearing orange, walked together around the SALC building, while listening to Yöëdza’ge:kha:’ Ha’degaëno:geh (Mother Earth Songs). Everyone was encouraged to walk around three times – to honor the children who never made it home from the boarding schools; for all the children that are here today thriving and strong; and for all the children that will come in the future. At the end of our walk, all the children placed their hand painted orange rocks in to our SALC Living Rock Garden, located in the front vestibule. And SALC would like to take this opportunity to invite the community to contribute small painted rocks to our “Living Rock Garden”, any day after 5:30 p.m., in the designated container by the front door.

Also, Becky Bowen (Archives Department) read “When We Were Alone” (By David A. Robertson & Julie Flett) via webcast, to our After-school students. The book was a gentle read about what life was like while at a Residential Boarding School, from a grandmothers point of view, to her granddaughter. Becky also shared with us her family’s history at the Boarding Schools, as well as the close proximity of Boarding Schools, to our community. The children found it to be very informative and enlightening. Nya:wëh Becky!

So proud are we at SALC, because we are Indigenous. We are resilient. We are still here. Nya:wëh.