Elyse Cueto

Rebecca Thouin
Hanan Alwarraq
 Nicola Campbell
Interior Salish & Métis

Nicola Campbell’s aunts, uncles, parents

Finalist for the 2006and
Ruthgrandparents all went
Schwartz Children’s to
Book Award
Shi-shi-etko Finalist
residential school. As a child, she
Finalist
go. This story illustrates the
fordid
the 2006
for the and
strength
TD Canadian Children’s
not understand
2006resilience
Marilyn Baillie
why they
ofPicture
Literature
had toAward
BookPeoples
the First Award
of Canada. Co-Winner of the Anskohk Aboriginal Children’s Book of the Year Award
One, two, three, four mornings left until I go to school.
 Key Themes:
Nature

Wholeness

Community

“Each plant she came to,

she listened carefully to its
name”
Co-Winner of the Ânskohk Aboriginal Children’s Book of the
Year Award, 2006
Recognized by the community ✔️

Aboriginal worldview: relationship with and

responsibility to the land, non-linearity, all things are living
and spiritual
Culturally authentic ✔️

“My girl, we will not see each other until the wild roses
bloom in the spring…
I want you to remember the way of our people.
I want you to remember our songs and our dances. Our
laughter and our joy.
And I want you to remember our land”
Shi-shi-etko could not help herself.
She looked at everything.

Aboriginal values and beliefs:

Indigenous education, everything has life and
knowledge, family, storytelling, symbiotic
relationship with the land
Culturally authentic ✔️
This is a basket of Ojibwe Ceremonial Tobacco. Leaves
like this would have been placed in the soft pouch of
Shi-shi-etko and offered at the base of the Grandfather
tree.

Aboriginal traditions and customs:

naming traditions, tobacco offering to Grandfather tree

Culturally authentic ✔️

They visited a hemlock, a cedar,

even a pine, and each time she
places a sprig into her bag of
memories.
Limitations
One point of view (omniscient narrator)

Could be upsetting for those who understand the implications

That night when Shi-shi-etko crawled under

her patchwork quilt, she counted on her
fingers and said,
“One, only one more sleep.”
In the classroom
Grade 4 Social Studies
General Outcome
Students will demonstrate an
understanding and appreciation
of the role of stories, history
and culture in strengthening
communities and contributing to
identity and a sense of
belonging.
Students will...
4.2.1 appreciate how an
understanding of Alberta’s
history, peoples and stories
contributes to their own sense
of belonging and identity:
recognize the presence and
influence of diverse
Aboriginal peoples as inherent
to Alberta’s culture and
identity
 In the classroom
Family and Identity
● How do different family members influence one’s view of
life?
T-S: How would you feel if you had to be away from your family
in order to go to school?
School
● What do we know about Shi-shi-etko’s school?
T-S: Have you ever been nervous before the first day of school?
Indigenous Education
● In traditional, First Nations communities, how was
education integrated into daily life?
T-S: What are different ways that we learn?
Respect for the Environment
● In what ways can people show respect for the land?
Aboriginal Way of Life
● How would life be different if Shi-shi-etko did not go to
school?
T-S: What questions would you ask Shi-shi-etko?
Storytelling as History
● How are stories like memory bags?
● How is learning about the past like looking through a
memory bag?
● Why is remembering the past important for
understanding the present and future?
T-S: What would be in your bag of memories?
Cultures and Traditions
● Why are cultures and traditions important?
T-S: What are some of your family traditions?
 References
Cajete, G. (2000). Native science: Natural laws of interdependence. Santa Fe, NM: Clear Light.
City of Edmonton (2017). The mayor reads Shi-shi-etko. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5B3ReaLQeY
FNESC (2016) Authentic First Peoples Resources Guide. Retrieved from http://www.fnesc.ca/wp/wp-
content/uploads/2016/08/PUBLICATION-61460-FNESC- Authentic-Resources-Guide-2016-08-26.pdf
Hogue, M., M. (2016) Aboriginal ways of knowing and learning, 21st century learners, and STEM success. 22(1) In Education.
Exploring our Connective Educational Landscape. Retrieved from http://ineducation.ca/ineducation/article/view/263/857
Mihajov. Flamingos. https://pixabay.com/en/flamingos-swarm-birds-nature-1619415/ [digital image]
Strong Nations. Nicola I. Campbell. Retrieved from https://www.strongnations.com/gs/show.php?gs=3&gsd=992
Thouin, R., (2017, September 8). Fish Creek [digital image].
Thouin, R., (2017, September 10). Yellow Flower [digital image].
Thouin, R., (2017, September 10). Evening Light through Grass [digital image].
Thouin, R., (2017, September 24). Ceremonial Tobacco Offering [digital image].
Unknown. The Four Sacred Gifts. Retrieved from https://goo.gl/images/si3hqu [digital image]
Unknown. Forest Wander. Retrieved from https://upload.wikimediaorg/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Fall-forest-Dolly-sods_-
_West_Virginia_-_ForestWander.jpg [digital image]
Unknown. New Zealand. Retrieved from https://pxhere.com/en/photo/183216 [digital image]
Unknown. Nicola Valley. Retrieved from https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3955/15360525439_c1c3378de5_b.jpg [digital image]igital image]