We are very excited that parent volunteer John Paskimin has chosen to work with Lakedell School boys to start a drumming group.
Mr. Paskimin, who has two boys attending the school, comes from a drumming family. His family has always drummed and sang, and his sons spend time with him on the powwow trail.
“Now that my son Caden is older, he wanted me to come into the school and help the boys learn to sing and drum,” Mr. Paskimin shared. “I would have liked to have this in school when I was younger.”
Mr. Paskimin is drumming with two groups of boys two days a week. There are almost twenty boys involved, and they are working toward drumming at the school Christmas concert later in December.
“It is a good learning experience for the boys,” Mrs. Gloria Stoney, the school’s Indigenous Support Worker stated. “When I watch the boys practicing, they look so proud. It means a lot that many of the non-First Nations children also want to drum: this is for everyone.”
Lakedell School embraces the Cree culture. "Our students can smudge in the morning, if they wish, our library has many books containing Cree language and themes, and Mrs. Stoney shares stories and Cree language with the students and staff," Mr. Teplyske, Lakedell principal explained. "We are very excited that Mr. Paskimin has chosen to volunteer with our boys, and is sharing his experiences and talents with the drumming group."
“If they choose to sing and drum in the future, now they have a foundation of knowledge from John,” Mrs. Stoney said. “Drumming is an important part of our traditional culture.”
“In the future—twenty years from now—the boys will be able to say, ‘Remember when we drummed together. That was a good time,” Mr. Paskimin concluded.
Lakedell School Drumming
