First Nations Artifacts

I am visiting classrooms, sharing the amazing artifacts that my two wonderful uncle's Norman and Adam William lent me. I also grew up with these. My uncles know that I deeply care about all of the students and the importance of teaching them culture. My uncle's care about students they have never met. They both worked together to collect their artifacts for me so I can share them with the amazing students.

I have arrowheads and tools used for skinning animal hides; these were used 100s of years ago. I grew up knowing where to find this back home when I was a child. I have a 60-year-old lahal bone made by my late grandfather Jimmy William. It is made from a moose bone. My grandfather would boil the bones first before shaping them into lahal bones., It is rare that they are made this way now. Lahal is a traditional game.

I have bear teeth, that my uncle Norman found on his hike up the mountain. The bear teeth can be made into a nice necklace. I have chaps that were made by an elder years ago that were made using moose hide, this was gifted to my uncle Adam.

I have two very old animal fossils that my uncle Norman found by a glacier fed lake back home where I am from. These animal fossils are thousands of years old.

The students were very engaged while I gave a presentation on each of these artifacts. They had a lot of questions. I am very thankful that that they had a lot of questions to ask. This means they are enjoying every bit of First Nations culture that I teach and that makes me happy.

Indigenous Education Support Worker:

Geraldine William