'This builds a bridge between us': Education agreement signifies next step in Kamsack reconciliation

Indigenous language return to Kamsack school WATCH: Indigenous languages classes are returning to Kamsack school but some leaders say there’s more to reconciliation. Brady Lang reports.

Kamsack, Sask. — Division within the halls of Kamsack Comprehensive Institute (KCI) has gone on for decades, but a historic agreement signed Tuesday hopes to create a better understanding for all.

An Education Service Agreement Signing was held at the school, with leadership from Cote First Nation and the Good Spirit School Division in attendance.

The agreement sets up a plan to integrate more cultural material within the curriculum, along with the return of Indigenous language classes to the school — something missing for the past “few decades,” according to Good Spirit School Division.

Another plus to the agreement is that it also brings in a framework to allow both the on-reserve Cote School and KCI to collaborate and share ideas to enhance the curriculum, according to Chief George Cote.

“We will be giving our traditional language and our cultural ways, mixed with the western ways so we can get a better understanding of one another,” he said.

“This builds a bridge between us … we can strengthen the relationships between one another.”

The agreement means a lot for another member of Cote leadership. Robert Severight is a graduate of KCI, and a current Headman on Cote. His portfolio is focused on education, and he said issues within division and racism were there when he was in school.

“Over the years, people have really opened their eyes and really come to an understanding that we all need to work together, for the same goal and the same purpose — and that’s education. It shouldn’t matter if we’re from the reserve, or we’re from town, what colour our skins is, what colour our eyes are … Everybody says education is our buffalo now, for our young people to make it in this world,” Severight said.

“I’m glad that things have gotten a lot better at the school here, since when I went to school here. Back then, it was pretty tough. It was pretty rough.”

Mark Lucas has been the principal at KCI for the past two school years. He said in his experience, he’s made a lot of friends through work at the school, but he acknowledged that division does exist within the halls.

He had a unique outlook on not just the agreement signed Tuesday, but the education system as a whole — and its part in reconciliation.

“Education created a big mess, so as educators, we have a big responsibility to fix and climb out of that mess that was created,” Lucas said.