Daisy Slipperjack, a teacher at JC Yesno Education Centre in Eabametoong First Nation, talks about a summer camp for children, youth, and families who spend an entire week out on the land immersed in the Ojibwe language, learning life skills around camping, canoeing, fishing, basket-making, and more.
Together with Eabametoong First Nation’s Health and Social Services “Paddle for Wellness” program, teacher Daisy Slipperjack has organized a summer camp for children, youth, and families. The group paddles to an island away from the community and spends an entire week immersed in the language. Elders speak Ojibwe and the youth listen and learn skills for living on the land, including net-making, setting and checking nets, paddling, filleting fish, gathering birch bark and making baskets, cooking, chopping wood, and more. English is spoken sparingly, for example, to share safety instructions.
