Sir John Franklin High School鈥檚 Indigenous honour ceremony for graduating students took on a new, outdoor format on June 12 to comply with social distancing requirements.
The 鈥渄rive-by鈥� event allowed families of the graduates to come and go when they wanted, pose for photos and feed a crackling fire with pouches of tobacco that each family received.
Twenty-five students were registered to attend.
Indigenous leaders and students also performed a drum ceremony by the fire.
鈥淲e鈥檝e done Indigenous honour ceremonies for years, but usually it鈥檚 done inside the gymnasium,鈥� said Principal Dean MacInnis. 鈥淭he parents like this because of the flexible structure. The focus is on the kids, not the event.鈥�
Channel Lafferty Piro said he was glad to be graduating.
鈥淚鈥檓 working at the Ford dealership now and I plan to work on my apprenticeship in auto mechanics,鈥� he said.
Deneze Nakehk鈥檕 came with a large group of family members to celebrate the graduation of his daughter Lucia.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy this is going on,鈥� Nakehk鈥檕 said. 鈥淭his whole education system wasn鈥檛 designed for Indigenous people so we have to carve our own niches so our young people thrive. It鈥檚 a nice opportunity to show their pride through their jewelry and clothes.鈥�
Damien and Shelby Lafond, who are brothers represented their Inuit heritage by wearing Inuit-style clothing at the honour ceremony.
鈥淭his is quite rewarding after a long year. I鈥檓 grateful we can have these opportunities now after three semesters of dealing with the pandemic,鈥� said Damien. 鈥淚鈥檓 Inuit, so a lot of this isn鈥檛 part of my tradition but I鈥檓 happy to be part of the community of Yellowknife and Canada.鈥�
Sir John鈥檚 regular graduation ceremony is scheduled for June 24.
