Aboriginal art  one of the displays at the College today – photos 250News

Prince George, B.C.-  With drums beating,   Aboriginal  culture was the focus at the College of New Caledonia today.

Drumming and songs at Cultural Day at CNC

Laurie Mercer, Manager of the Aboriginal resource  Centre at CNC  says the  day  is a chance for Aboriginal people from  surrounding areas to share their  knowledge  especially since some of the elders who hold that knowledge are getting on in age “It’s important for us to share that knowledge.  Most  times we like to share our knowledge orally, we don’t write  our traditions down,   we don’t write our songs down,  our herbal remedies and  some of the booths her, that’s what they’re  doing.”

Mercer says  since the Truth  and reconciliation committees recommendations were made, “This opens the door,  we can say, yes we have this knowledge,  this is what we do and  we’re pleased to share it with people.”

She says there is a bonus for students at  the College,  as  science and biology students can learn from the traditional medicine methods  but there are also elementary and high school students  who visited the  College today “They kind of get an immersion into the Aboriginal culture even  though it was  for four hours,  it still has an impact on them and for our  students from the Aboriginal Resource Centre,  I feel  this gives  them the boost they need to complete their courses.”   Final exams are  getting underway,  and  Mercer says Cultural Day can give a family connection  to those who are attending  college from  areas outside Prince George  and who may not have the support of  family that they would normally have.

Language booth

Booths  today included  one  on language,   where Mary Guchie,  at  age 96,  is the oldest member of the Lheidli T’enneh ,   She  was on  hand to  talk about the dialect.

Traditional story tellers,  medicine makers  and artists  galore  were more than willing to share  their stories and their knowledge.