Calgary youth gathered in Kananaskis for a three-day land-based workshop hosted by the Telus Spark Science Centre, a workshop that saw youth go through the process of crafting your own bow and arrows “Bow making is a holistic process in a sense that when you’re on the land, you’re connected to the land as well. And part of that process is connecting with the type of wood that you take when you’re making a bow and arrow,” said Indigenous elder Alice Kaquitts. “You’re not only connected physically, but you’re also connected emotionally, spiritually and mentally. In that process, you are also connected to your ancestors as well.” The “Humility Science: Bow Making” workshop brought in a mix of Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth, all of whom were happy to have the opportunity to engage with the land and get hands-on with the bow and arrow making process. “You’re using all your senses, you’re learning by doing it, and that’s really how we learn the best: when we’re in the situation, when we’re not just listening to the elders, but listening to the land and using all of our senses,” said the Science Centre’s director/special adviser of Indigenous Science, Dr. Kori Czuy. “We’ve been going into the forest and picking out some types of wood that would be crucial towards our bow and arrows. I like just adventuring through the forest, picking them out,” said 11-year-old Kross Chapman. The youth learned through the guidance of Indigenous elders Tom Snow and Alice Kaquitts, and say they learned a lot more beyond the act of bow and arrow making. “They have a lot to say and we have a lot to learn. Over time my mother’s told me stories as well. We’ve lost so much, so much culture over all these years, so it’s nice for us, the younger generation, to actually get to experience this and maybe even continue forward with it,” said 16-year-old Shiloh Anderson. “We listened to the elders, I love that. And praying? That’s a part of me,” added 14-year-old Jeremy Scalplock. “We’re here to share this knowledge that has been passed down to us, because we come from an oral culture which is thousands and thousands of years old, and we still have those practices,” Kaquitts said. The youth add it was also a really fun three days, saying it certainly beats learning from a textbook, and being able to actually build your own bow and arrow and explore nature to get your materials was quite enjoyable, on top of education. “It’s very nice to be on the land interacting, you know, actually being able to be out here. There’s all this space, there’s all this nature, I love the animals,” Anderson said. “They’re learning a lot of things, a lot of scientific concepts, from aerodynamics to biology to humility, and just learning from the land and all the science that the land can show us,” Czuy said. Czuy adds the Science Centre will be holding an Indigenous Science night on Oct. 16, so for anyone interested in learning more about Indigenous history and culture she says that will be an excellent opportunity.
