Basket making workshop, a step towards the future
The Wabanaki Student Centre was packed with students from St. Thomas University who registered for a basket making workshop.
Leanne Hudson, the St. Thomas University Students’ Union Indigenous representative, organized the workshop with fourth-year STU student Justice Gruben.
“I’m hoping that students are taking away a bigger message of integrating Indigenous knowledge and history and their teachings into our everyday lives,” Hudson said.
The Mi’kmaq student from Acadia First Nation said she wanted to bring more events to campus where students could participate for free or at a low cost.
Hudson and Grueben approached Experiential Learning and received funding through FutureReady Wabanaki’s culture and language fund.
Some of the money went towards hiring Victor Bear, a Maliseet basket maker, to teach the workshop alongside Gruben, whom he trained to teach the art of basket making over the summer.
Bear’s father taught him how to make ash wood baskets 70 years ago, when Bear was six. Now, he wants to pass on his knowledge to the younger generation.
“We’re losing everything that we have. Our language, our culture and that’s why I like teaching my own people,” Bear said.
“As long as I can teach one kid how to make baskets out of 21, then I have accomplished what I wanted.”
The workshop had 20 spots open for registration, but had almost 25 attendees.
Hudson said a student reached out to her and asked to join the workshop, so she made room. Three students came without registering and, lucky for them, Bear had just enough kits.
Gruben spoke to students who said they felt like the workshop helped them de-stress. He said some Indigenous practices and traditions can help combat some mental health problems students may face, such as stress and anxiety, since students can do something other than schoolwork.
He also said it was important for STU to hold the hands-on Indigenous workshops.
“Not only are they providing space for our traditions, but they’re also prioritizing these knowledge systems in academia and compensating our elders who hold that knowledge,” he said.
Jessica Paul, a STU alumna from St. Mary’s First Nation and the Indigenous experiential learning coordinator, said she wants more of these workshops to come to campus.
She hopes that by bringing her own culture to STU, she can help students find their way.
“I’m hoping to help students find themselves and through this, they can become a whole person and use education and their culture to help them grow and find their place in the world.”
