Maskwacis Cultural College was the scene of a number of activities on Friday, Jan. 24 as Maskwacis Cree First Nations marked a day of literacy while kids enjoyed the visit by the Classroom on Wheels (C.O.W) bus to the reserve.
Among several activities were displays of various science and social projects as well as presentations by a range of speakers.
Keynote speaker was Ozlem Cankaya, representing a non-profit group focusing on children’s literacy and learning skills.
In her carefully followed presentation, Cankaya stressed the need for parents to read to their children not only to enhance their ability to comprehend, but also to use reading as a means of communication and a tool to develop their cognitive skills.
She also explained that emergent literacy skills in the children until the age of six had a very strong connection with both the language and the cultural environment in which a child was raised.
Samson Cree elder Jerry Saddleback also made a presentation during the session focusing on the belief system of the First Nations and how colonization had destroyed some of the cultural and religious practices that had been part of their life for centuries.