Elders and youth have come together to learn thanks to the Ma-Mow-We-Tak friendship centre and Wapanohk Community School.
Shyanna Lynxleg, program director for the friendship centre, says it all started with the elder program. “The Ma-Mow-We-Tak Friendship Centre has an elders program that is for seniors 55 and up. What it does is gives them the space and opportunity to get together have conversations and interact with one another. Just have some time to get out of their homes and do some activities.”
The program sees the participants do different traditional and non-traditional things. Recently the elders sold moccasins, gauntlets and other items and with the money raised, they used it for a new project. “What the elders did with some of the money from the program, they got together and decided they wanted to knit mittens, scarves, and hats and donate them to the Wapanohk School,” Lynxleg explained.
Every Tuesday and Friday, five students from Wapanohk School meet with the elders to help knit and to learn from them. One student, Shanelle Bloomfield, says the program is going well. “It’s a good way to learn how to knit, crochet, or just learn how to do something you didn’t know how to before.”
Marcy Cooper, a Wapanohk teacher, was one of the founders of this partnership. Cooper says it’s about starting a fellowship together. “It’s to connect with their culture and a lot of the kids, they go to the Ma-Mow-We-Tak Friendship Centre after school, they know the centre with all the programs there. The elders program was just another avenue we wanted them to get involved with.”
On Jan. 27 the two groups met and the cold-weather items were donated.
Elder Catherine Mercer says it was great watching the students get involved. “I’m very honoured to be part of something that contributes to the younger generation. It’s our skills being passed on to the current generation, and it’s honouring to be part of the growth. I’m happy to see the kids engaged, very pleased to see them participate, and have them want to learn.”
Mercer hopes more elders can become involved in the program. “I’ve been spreading the word around for the elders to be with us. It is a social assembly where we exchange stories, and share with each other and teach together.”
Lynxleg says there are currently 106 elders living in Thompson. The hope is for the different schools in Thompson and the Ma-Mow-We-Tak Friendship Centre to come up with different programs for the male elders and younger male generation to get involved with.
As for the current elders taking part, Lynxleg says she’s proud of them. “All day they sit in there and just knit. So much love has gone into these items. I’m really pleased they insisted on donating these, and showing the youth that they care. They’re showing young people how to be kind and how to share.“
Bloomfield says she has learned a lot from the time she’s spent with the elders, and will continue with her knitting. “I’ve learned how to interact with people other than using newer technology and how to knit or do things they used to do when they were young.”
Since the winter wear is now finished, five new students will start the two-day-a-week program, and the elders will be teaching them how to make star blankets. Cooper says she picks students based on their classroom performance. “As a teacher I look at their academics and if the student gets their work done, and it’s kind of a reward system if you will. It’s an incentive going to the Ma-Mow-We-Tak and working with the elders. It’s something that the kids want to do, and work towards.”
This program is teaching the students new skills, Cooper explained, but it’s also helping the other students at the school, too. “It’s different and it’s not a classroom learning system, so they like it. They really enjoy working with the older people. When they get there they’re very respectful, which then they bring that behaviour back to the other students at school.”
