Pictou Landing First Nation recently celebrated the long-delayed grand blessing of its new school. The First Nation’s school serves children from kindergarten to grade eight and follows a curriculum that is centred around traditional Mi’kmaq knowledge and the Mi’kmaq language. At the blessing, students sang, read poems, and made speeches expressing their enthusiasm for the school. Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre also brought an artifact display to the school, announcing that it will be housed there so that students and community members can learn more about objects such as arrowheads and knives. “Our school was a labour of love, and it’s really grown to be a focal point of the community. It provides a safe space to learn and allows our children to learn and speak our language,” said Chief Tamara Young. The grand blessing was originally scheduled for 2020, but was delayed by the pandemic.
