6 Victoria schools come together to explore Indigenous culture
Play features mostly Indigenous students, but broader school community helped bring play to life
Six schools in the Victoria area are coming together for a celebration of Indigenous culture.
Students from Esquimalt High School, Spectrum Community School, Shoreline Middle School, Craigflower Elementary, Victoria High School and S.J. Willis Education Centre will perform a stage production called The Sacred Circle Wednesday at Esquimalt High.
"The First Nations students are coming forward to share their stories, their traditions, their ways of being, with the community," said Sarah Rhude, School District 61's Aboriginal art and culture facilitator, to All Points West host Robyn Burns.
"You'll also see different forms of regalia, artwork, that's been created throughout the district in different classes. And you'll see that through the set design, through the lighting."
Rhude says The Sacred Circle is based on a work by Chief Wedlidi Speck of 'Namgis First Nation.
She says the story is about bringing together different peoples into a shared community and draws upon traditions and stories from several Vancouver Island First Nations.
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'The courage of these students'
Most of Rhude's performers are First Nations students from the six schools, and for many, this is their first time acting on stage.
"I really want to highlight the courage of these students," she said. "I've watched these students who were scared to even get on stage wearing regalia and singing, really nervous, but excited to share what they have."
The broader student body played a part in the production as well.
Over the course of the school year, students learned about Indigenous culture by building traditional regalia like headbands and masks. Now, some of those items will be featured in The Sacred Circle.
"That's the spirit of the play: how do we collaborate with so many different people, remain who we are but still have the courage to be different?" Rhude said.
"It was really beautiful to work with all different levels of students on curriculum from an Indigenous perspective and weave it through."
The Sacred Circle will be performed on June 14 at 7 p.m. at the Esquimalt High School Theatre. The production is open to the public by donation.
With files from CBC Radio One's All Points West