The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

TB NATIONAL INDIGENOUS HISTORY M SHARING INDIGENOUS CULTURE A LABOUR OF LOVE SHERRY HAAIMA sherry.haaima@ metroland.com In celebration of Nation- al Indigenous History Month, Metroland intro- duces readers to 30 Indige- nous people who are mak- ing a difference. rowing up, Nancy Ward's Indigenous roots weren't a big part of her life. “For the longest time, unless you were status, you never really admitted to it,” said Ward. Now, her Huron and Al- gonquin roots area ‘part or of her every day — fro! tohome life and oronvttng in between. Ward is the program manager for the BIAK (Bon- nechere Inddewiziwin Abi- nddjinjish Kikinamag: gan) Mobile EarlyON program, which offers free Indi nous programs for families and children throughout Renfrew County. "We always knew we were Indigenous, but we really didn't know much bout it,” said Ward. "I joined the Bonnechere Al- gonquin First Nation in 2006 and started my jour- ney. It was what I felt wasin heart." A member of the Kichi Sibi women drumming group, Ward said recon- necting to her roots has been very rewarding. She's pleased and proud of the continued success of the BIAK EarlyON pro- tators to share their cul- with a host of others. eewAlgonquins lost a lot of our culture and we're try- ing to bring that back. Lan- guage and traditions have Derek Dunn/ Metroland Nancy Ward is the program manager for the BIAK Mobile EarlyON program, which offers free Indigenous programs for families and children throughout Renfrew County. Here, she drums at Waba Cottage Museum and Gardens on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in 2022 under the watchful eyes of Stella and big sister Sofia Montagano. been lost," said Ward. She's quick to praise and credit the program's early childhood educator, Jessi- ca Levesque, of the Algon- quins of Pikwakanagan. The program opened in 2017 and was at first sta- tioned in Pembroke. “We weren't getting very many people coming in at first. Then we decided in 208 to become mobile and been very successft aS said. “We do Indie nous 8 teachings and min; rything is ‘vase on the ‘Seven Grandfathers Teachings." And while EarlyON pro- grams are traditionally geared toward ages up to six, the Indigenous and mo- bile nature of the program means things can be more family -oriented. rx turn down older ‘kids ” they can all pass on the knowledge to their siblings and friends," said Ward. Although she is 68, she has no desire to quit work- ing any time soon, if ever. What keeps her so ‘dedicat. ed? “I just love what I do. It's just seeing how those chil- dren accept what we are teaching them. They just love the drumming," she said. More than once, she has seen a child having a melt- down or otherwise dis- tracted and “as soon as we start imming and sing- ing, te child stops and par- ticipates.” What's the best advice Ward has ever received: “Probably ‘family frst and that came from my fa- ther. He was a very family- oriented man; my mom was too," said Ward. And that translates to her involvement in Indige- nous activities. “As far as the Bonnech- ere Algonquin First Na- n, they are my family toot " she aid. She's. pleased to report that the BIAK program is widely well-received. "Since we started to go out doing Indigenous teach- ing and ing, fi one end of Renfrew County to the other, it's getting very popular now. People are re- ally embracing it and they want to learn about our cul- ture," said Ward. Ifnon-Indigenous Cana- dians learn one thing about Indigenous month, what doe: think that should be? The family focus again, she “Eadigenous people are very family oriented — families and children are the most important. We talk about the next seven generations. We want Mother Earth to stay pure so that children in seven generations can be as hap- py as we are now." [fm] SCAN THIS CODE Aieeq fOr more Truth through Storytelling Get a at=ymr.e) a :4 WY719 0m (eeXe | 1] ©) ole) a from A to Zed Craig, Cogeco Tech. (C; CoGeCO » Colelan (exero] ero) alal=reidlelal £202 ‘62 eunf ‘Aepsuny | Jeneeg e11AeO | SL wo9"uo}|BYyepIsUt