Tsuut'ina First Nation students spread holiday cheer with feast for elders
Annual tradition is about more than just good eats
As elders watch from beautifully decorated tables, students sing Christmas carols in their native tongue on stage at the 20th annual Elders Christmas Feast at Tsuut'ina High School.
The celebration saw school staff and students serve the seniors a full turkey dinner, complete with dessert and Christmas gifts.
Owen Meguinis volunteered to set up decorations and help serve the meal and the Grade 9 student said he was happy to help.
"I think it's exciting because you get to meet a lot of new elders," he said.
Owen's cousin, Aiden Meguinis, another student at Tsuut'ina High, also pitched in and said the event shows respect for the elders.
The student also helped out to prepare the event and served his fellow students and elders.
"It's pretty cool and fun," Meguinis said.
Jeff Horvath is the principal of the school and helped serve food at the feast.
Horvath said the event is the highlight of the year for staff and students and a great opportunity to honour the nation's elders, something he said is a tradition in and of itself.
"The tradition of honouring our elders runs deep in many First Nation communities."
Horvath adds that Christmas is the perfect time of year to bring together elders, students and community members.
Dolly Runner is a nation elder who has been attending the event since it started.
The 83-year-old said she always looks forward to the celebration because of the entertainment provided by students.
Runner said on top of the singing, food, and gifts, just having time to visit with fellow elders makes the event even more enjoyable.
"It's so wonderful to have something like this", she said.
Runner said she is looking forward to next year's event.
Nation band councillor and elder Andy Onespot also attended the event.
Onespot said the event shows the respect elders have among young people.
"This is an honouring for the elders … they've been doing this for a lot of year now — they work very hard to put this function together just for the elders," Onespot said.
Over 200 students, teachers, elders and community members attended the banquet, which is about more than food, it is about a community coming together to celebrate its traditions and culture.
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