Staff, students, parents, community members and invited guests spent a time of Remembrance at the Kikino School on November 10.
The school held its Remembrance assembly, highlighted with student artwork, posters, poems and wreaths in the school gym. Because students are not in school on November 11 for Remembrance Day, schools across the region were holding their own school-based events through the week.
Much of the Kikino School's Remembrance program centred on the important Indigenous contributions that have been made during times of conflict, peacekeeping and re-building.
Lavon Fleming, a former soldier in the Canadian Armed Forces and a Beaver Lake Cree Nation member, was a guest at the school's event.
Recognizing the sacrifices of all men and women in service, she said many Indigenous peoples joining military service — from as far back as World War One — have benefited from many aspects of their traditional upbringing.
"Using their knowledge that they gained from their traditional ways of life, Indigenous soldiers became highly valued and respected for professionalism and resiliency," Fleming said in her presentation.
Indigenous recognition
Since 1994, Canada has specifically recognized the role of Indigenous people in the military. Across Canada, November 8 is recognized as National Indigenous Veterans Day.
Along with the activities in the school, the Kikino community also has a war memorial outside the settlement offices that recognizes the sacrifices of Indigenous military members from the area.
