We Are All Together One

“From the realms of the human world, the sky dwellers, the water beings, forest creatures and all other forms of life, the beautiful Mother Earth gives birth to, nurtures and sustains all life. Mother Earth provides us with our food and clean water sources. She bestows us with materials for our homes, clothes and tools. She provides all life with raw materials for our industry, ingenuity and progress. She is the basis of who we are as “real human beings” that include our languages, our cultures, our knowledge and wisdom to know how to conduct ourselves in a good way. If we listen from the place of connection to the Spirit That Lives in All Things, Mother Earth teaches what we need to know to take care of her and all her children. All are provided by our mother, the Earth.”

-Assembly of First Nations

The Surrey Schools Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreement aims to:

• Increase positive identity and sense of belonging for all Aboriginal learners;
• Increase knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal history, traditions, and cultures for all learners; and
• Increase achievement for all Aboriginal learners.

Through varied cultural activities such as the drumming circles facilitated by Robin Red Hawk Genthon, students in Surrey have the opportunity to gain new understandings of the First Peoples Principles of Learning.  Red Hawk’s drumming circles reinforce key cultural identity and environmental stewardship themes:

• As humans we are all one family;
• The generations to follow depend on what we do today;
• Economics should not come before people and life; and
• Sharing culture promotes understanding and caring between people.

As Red Hawk shares through song, “In the Spirit in the Sun, we are all together one!”