Division News Article

Métis dancers visit our schools

June 26th, 2019

Four of our schools were treated to some wonderful dancing this month:

  • The Kikino Northern Lights Dancers visited École Westlock Elementary School and Eleanor Hall School on June 11th.

Kikino is home to a number of exceptional musicians and performers that have truly made a mark in Métis history. This Settlement is home to the renowned Kikino Northern Lights Dancers, a youth dance group known locally and nationally for their astounding talent in traditional Métis dance. The dance group was started in 1978, by a group of Kikino Métis Elders who identified a need to teach their young people Métis traditional dance and music. By teaching the youth these traditions and others, Métis culture and values are maintained for future generations. Today, the Kikino Northern Lights Dancers are some of the finest Métis dancers and jiggers in Canada.
Source: http://www.learning-communities.ca/communities/kikino-metis-settlement

  • Busby and Dunstable School students enjoyed learning from the Edmonton Métis Dancers who performed at Dunstable School on June 19th.

Over the last thirty years [the Edmonton Métis Dancers] have gone through many transitions of dancers and the way we have operated within the Métis community and here at home in Edmonton. Over the years we have had over 125 dancers and musicians come through our organization in which many have been family members. We have also had the chance to visit and provide dance workshops for communities all across North America showing them our traditional values that were passed down by several generations of our elders and parents who wanted to ensure their cultural believes would remain strong long after they left this world. We were Métis dance ambassadors for the Métis Nation and for the city of Edmonton.
Source: http://metisdance.com/

What a great way to honor and celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day which was on June 21st.

See pictures and video from Dunstable School