Regina school program uses First Nations drumming to connect kids with culture
Mother Teresa Middle School received $20K grant for drums, other resources
When you walk into a Buffalo Boys practice at Mother Teresa Middle School in Regina, the first thing you hear is the pounding of a drum.
You'd see students sitting in a circle, using the drumsticks in their hands to make the rhythmic sound.
The Buffalo Boys is a cultural music program at the school. The students in the program practise on the drums everyday, sometimes two to three times a day. They also get to perform at events in the community and local powwows.
It started seven years ago with only five students. Now there are more than 20 students, so many that the school decided it needed more drums to keep up with the growing demand. On top of that, the drums they had when the program started have got so much use that the strings on one of them broke recently.
The program's leaders applied for a MusiCounts grant on the recommendation of Rob Todd at Tribal Spirit, a shop the program ordered drums from in the past. Each fall, the MusiCounts Band Aid Program gives out $400,000 to $600,000 to under-resourced schools across Canada for musical education.
Each school that receives a grant will be given up to $20,000 in musical instruments, equipment and resources.
"I was able to give them a format as to how I used the drums as a musical teaching tool and it all just seemed to add up," said Evan Whitestar, the school's Indigenous advocate who also leads Buffalo Boys.
Whitestar lives in Regina, but is from Pasqua First Nation. He said he grew up being around the drum and learning the ceremonies that surround it. He knew the students at the school might not have access to these cultural teachings, so he started Buffalo Boys.
"Most of the times they get into the building here and they've never been around a drum. They haven't heard the Cree language. They haven't smudged. They haven't had this First Nations experience," he said.
"To me that's heartbreaking because I grew up like that. I grew up doing this, and to bring it into the hallways of an education institute is quite something."
The school got the grant and the instruments, equipment and resources started arriving in September. So far it has received 11 pre-made drums and kits to make 20 more hand drums and four big drums, with more still to come.
Whitestar said the new drums bring new energy and new life into the program.
Grade 8 student Trevon Ironchild, who is from Piapot First Nation but lives in Regina, wasn't interested in drumming until he came to Mother Teresa Middle School.
He said he originally only joined the program because his family told him too and he wanted to hang out with his cousins, who were also a part of the group.
Now, three years into the music program, he loves it. He said he and his friends can talk about drumming and singing without having to hide it.
Ironchild was eager for the new drums to come in.
"It means a lot to me because it opens up new opportunities for new singers and people to come around and have a chance to drum," he said. "We have new students who are in Grade 6, so it might intrigue them to start drumming."
Ironchild said the program is also a place he can ask about his culture. He said Mr. Whitestar and his teachings have given Ironchild something to take pride in.
"Mr. Whitestar has a lot of experience in drumming in and going around in communities and helping out. So he's like a role model to me and to a lot of students here, and he's like a father to us," Ironchild said. "In some ways, when we're at the drum, he protects us."
The group has performed for crowds of up to 20,000 people.
"It feels nerve-racking and good at the same time," Ironchild said.
"I know I am doing something good for the community."
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