Signal Hill Elementary "Healing Through Harvest" Garden

Signal Hill Elementary “Healing Through Harvest” Garden

 November 20, 2020

 

This wonderful garden has been created as part of a wider ‘seed to table’ educational journey which aims to deeply engage our whole school community, with reconciliation at its heart.

 

School Goal

If we intentionally design personally relevant and rigorous projects that include cultural identity and self-awareness then students will feel safe enough to learn and collaborate 

 

WOW!!! Thank you all for the amazing team effort, support, collaboration and working in the moment to pull of the 1st Pit Cook at Signal Hill Elementary! It was a SUCCESS!

 

Things that truly worked:

 

- Students LOVED this project!

- Our students became amazing leaders in so many different ways

- ALL the students participated in one way or another

- The two schools collaborated and the students are mixed by the end of day!

- Students helped each other learn about this process and had great conversations around why we were doing it and where we were getting the food

- Students gained greater appreciation for our land, local farmers and culture

- Adults loved the process, and we just went with the flow, made changes as we learnt things

- Student and Adults learn by doing, and it was a true experiment yesterday that worked because everyone was passionate about the project

 

Things we will do differently next time ( Spring Cook):

 

- Have the wood organized ( We have a few students that want to chop up and bring the wood)

- We will start the pit earlier ( like 6am), as we will be doing meat and vegetables

- We will have a schedule out on large whiteboard by the pit, so people can view and we can visually see what steps are needed next

- We will have 'different' schedule showings to explain to people what is happening -We will have large poster explaining the steps, so viewers can understand

- We will make it a community event and have a picnic after the food is served buffet style

- We will have drumming and cultural activities that go with this amazing event

- We will have all the equipment in place and labelled

- We will raise funds to contribute to any cost that the event inquires

- We will being getting a pig to cook, along with vegetables and fruit

- We will have larger cones around the area, just so its visual the 'zone' of safety

 

On Tuesday we will do a reflection with the students and compile their feedback, thoughts and suggestions. Together we will plan the next event with them. We love to have your thoughts and feedback as well.

 

Mr. Williamson class is doing a video which we will send to you all next week and to our sponsors in saying thanks. The students have created thank you cards that will go out to all that helped and donated to this event.

 

We are very grateful, as it was a lot of FUN!! It was an amazing learning journey, and even more remarkable to see the communities being blended!

 

 

How will we use this garden?

 

SHE will use this garden to engage our students in cross cultural learning experiences within food gathering, food growing, food preparation, and the use of food in ceremony, celebration and community. This project is rooted in addressing reconciliation through education and celebration of indigenous practices. The process is rooted in our ongoing learning of the Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being, the Lil’wat Principles of Learning, and the 4 Blankets of; self, family, community, and land culture.

 

How will this address reconciliation?

 

By learning the traditions and crafts there comes greater respect for the culture. In practicing the activity we make a connection to the people. Using the Lil’wat principles we encourage students to consider “Á7xe7ul”; valuing our own expertise and considering how it helps the entire community beyond ourselves. The use of food deepens our connection to the land. It brings together all the diverse people in the school body and community, in a shared appreciation of our differences and our strengths. It helps build positive thoughts on self-identity, individual and shared experiences in our cultures, and narratives from people within our community.

Symbolic use of colour:   Please take a moment to rest at one of our picnic tables. These have been painted in the medicine wheel colours of yellow, red, white and black. They are intended to open up discussions about spirit, emotions, mind and body and help to facilitate a healing ethos.

More about our food journey:   Through the use of these garden beds SHE students can experience the process of food production from seedlings to germination, sapling, establishment, and finally harvest.

The project aims to respond to the 2017 Nukw7antwal Regional Gathering report which recommends guiding reconciliation through cross-cultural celebrations and gatherings, food celebrations and youth engagement.