Demian Lawrenchuk is from Fox Lake Cree Nation in Manitoba. Lawrenchuk is in an apprenticeship program with community Elders, who are teaching him about the traditional use of land, plants, and animals. He volunteers his time at both Fox Lake School and the school in Gillam, Manitoba where he has led a Christmas break school program that focuses on land-based cultural activities. The activities included making and setting snares; catching animals (rabbits, martins, etc.); skinning, tanning, cooking, and making clothes out of them. The program offers students an opportunity to reconnect with the land and reinforce a sense of cultural and historical continuity with their ancestors. During the 2017-2018 school year, he has shown the grade 4-8 classes in Fox Lake how to garden vegetables, clean certain kinds of fish, plant medicine, skin a martin, and make a drum.
On-the-Land Learning with Demian Lawrenchuk, Fox Lake Cree Nation, MB
Demian Lawrenchuk has led a Christmas break school program that focuses on land-based cultural activities in Gillam, MB.