Pikangikum First Nation celebrates its largest-ever graduating class — and it's a big deal

Under a large white tent shielding them from the 33 C sun, 41 people stood in line, perspiring in black caps and gowns as they anxiously awaited their turn to approach the stage.

For Pikangikum First Nation, this wasn't just another graduation: it was the largest grad class the Ojibway community of 4,000 in northwestern Ontario has ever seen.

Two men's fancy dancers led the graduates of Eenchokay Birchstick School across the field, where they met hundreds of friends, family members and children running around while carrying golden decorations that took hours to assemble.

Donning a light pink tie and red-and-cream Converses, Denzel Quill addressed his peers at the podium Tuesday.

He shared memories of persevering through COVID-19, taking trips to Winnipeg and Vancouver with his friends, hanging out at the community sandpit and watching the clouds roll through the starry sky.

He also spoke of those who weren't there to cross the stage with him.

"I was scared to be emotional on stage, but I wasn't in control. I just let it loose … 'cause I felt it was going to be more meaningful if I just let my emotions take over," Quill said.

The school serves more than 1,500 students from kindergarten through Grade 12. It was built in 2016 after the former school burned down in 2007. In the interim, students studied in portables.

Pikangikum First Nation's Chief Shirley Keeper touched on the hardships the community has faced, including fatal house fires, a lack of running water and a crisis of youth suicides, but said Tuesday's celebrations were about looking forward.

"This past year's been so difficult," she said. "When we go through hardships, it affects every one of us, and to see so many graduates this year, it gives us more hope."

Like mother, like daughter

For Geraldine and Lakota Peters, their emotions at the graduation ranged from nervousness crossing the stage, to panic when Lakota lost her high heel in the grass, to relief after shaking principal Cindy Spence's hand and realizing they were finally finished. 

Geraldine hadn't planned on graduating this year, let alone with her youngest daughter.

After she left school more than 20 years ago when she was offered a full-time job in social work, she struggled to find the time to get her high school diploma. But the more years that went by, the more she felt something was missing.

So she went back for the prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) program, where mature students return to get their diplomas. Of the school's 41 graduates, 21 were from the program.

"I encourage everybody to get their Grade 12, 'cause I'm over 40 now," Geraldine said.

Following in her mother's footsteps, Lakota plans to take social work in college. But before looking ahead too far, the pair's plan after the ceremony was to go home and enjoy their air conditioning after a long, sticky day.

"I'm just gonna sit back…" said Geraldine, sending them both into a burst of laughter.

A sleepless night worth the wait

While nerves struck many of his classmates, Jordin Turtle leapt onto the stage and ramped up the crowd when his name was called. Despite only running on an hour of sleep because of his excitement, his energy was unmatched.

Although he won the Chief's Award, which recognizes outstanding leadership and commitment to others, Turtle said he has no plans to take on that role when he's older.

"No, I'm irresponsible, man. There's no way I'm leading people," he said. "It might say leadership, but I feel like that's just like a fluke."

He has plans, however, to attend the Warrior Leadership Summit next week in Carlinville, Ill., a faith-based program for young Indigenous people. Well before that, though, he had plans to take a nap.

Queen's University partners with Pikangikum

Tuesday's ceremony also gave the graduates another opportunity: the chance to pursue post-secondary education at home.

Queen's University is delivering a Bachelor of Education program to Pikangikum students next spring as part of its community-based Indigenous Teacher Education Program. A memorandum of understanding between Pikangikum and the Kingston, Ont., university was signed after the graduation outside the school's teepee.

Keeper said the partnership will bring more opportunities to Pikangikum students, who can stay with their families and support systems in the community.

Pikangikum is known for its strong language retention — the first language taught is Ojibway.

When Keeper was in school, there was no native language teacher, but now that Pikangikum's own are being trained as teachers, she hopes that someday, Eenchokay Birchstick's entire staff will be fluent in both Ojibway and English.

Looking forward to the future

As Quill said in his valedictorian speech, graduation dawns a new beginning.  

"As we leave the safety and comfort of our high school, we face a new set of challenges. We must navigate the uncertainties of the future, make difficult decisions and carve out our own paths," he told his classmates.

His path is taking him more than 300 kilometres from home to Winnipeg, where he'll attend Red River College Polytechnic in the fall for professional photography.

"He's gonna really excel over there and have more opportunities to kind of branch out," said his dad, Darren Keno. "I'm excited for him."

Rather than imparting lengthy words of wisdom, Keeper chose instead to share a song with the graduating class that's about hope, faith and overcoming adversity.

"I wanted to sing from my heart 'cause I want to plant a song in their hearts — not to stop today, but to keep going, using the words in that song," she said. 

"Because there is hope, there is strength in that song, and hope and life — and that's who we are here in Pikangikum."