(Mohawks)
and the Dutch traders in the early seventeenth century. The
Two-Row Wampum (Kaswentha) shows two vessels travelling
independently
but sharing the same river.KIDS FROM KA-NA-TA Millennium Program
This year, KIDS FROM KA-NA-T A is excited to continue our new version of the program in celebration of the millennium. With support funding from Schoolnet and in consultation with Aboriginal leaders and educators we have focused the project on key issues of significance to Indigenous people around the world, and particularly in Canada.
These are issues such as Land, Language, History, and the project introduces students to these topics with interesting and challenging exercises. For example, can you speak a sentence in the language of your ancestors? If you can, your heritage is that much more secure, but many can not. The program will provide an opportunity for all students to make a small connection with their heritage language and to share that with other participants.
In doing so, students may understand why this exercise is particularly important to Aboriginal students who have nowhere to go back to for their cultural roots except here in Turtle Island, their country of origin. Here, in Canada, colonization has often left very little to go back to.
KIDS FROM KA-NA-TA seeks to develop supportive and respectful cross-cultural relationships between Native and non-Native communities through a process of historical education, an evaluation of current realities and visions of how to improve relationships in the future.
To represent the ideal relationship between cultures, the project
borrows
a symbol used between the Kanien'kehaka (Mohawks)
and the Dutch traders in the early seventeenth century. The
Two-Row Wampum (Kaswentha) shows two vessels travelling
independently
but sharing the same river.
Each vessel was treated with respect and friendship and was forbidden to interfere with the freedom of the other.
There is an exciting opportunity for some KA-NA-TA schools to participate in a new Canada-wide Exchange Program sponsored by the Youth Exchanges Canada program of the federal Department of Canadian Heritage. This means that the whole class will be able to VISIT with their KA-NA-TA partner class, in their community, - the travel is paid for by the program! This will be a life-changing experience for students, and something they (and you) will never forget. If you would like to consider participating in this exchange opportunity with your class, please check the box in the application form. We will follow up with more details of the program once we receive your application.
This year, in a new arrangement with First Nations SchoolNet, federally funded First Nations schools may be eligible for support funding of $300. This funding comes through the First Nations Regional Management Organizations (RMOs), who are funded through the First Nations SchoolNet branch of Industry Canada
The program is available throughout the school year but interested
teachers
should complete the electronic
application
form as soon as possible.
