February 29, 2024
BIIGTIGONG NISHNAABEG — Biigtigong Nishnaabeg recently celebrated the opening of its new Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Endzhi-gkinoohmaading elementary school with a march from the old to the new school on Feb. 12.
“The students were led to the new school with a march led with the big Grandfather Drum with our singers,” says Lisa Michano-Courchene, education director at Biigtigong Nishnaabeg. “They followed the drum and the project team over to their new school. On both sides of the road, the community watched them and were basically giving out cheers. [It was] very emotional and they were full of excitement to see the kids marching down the road to their new school.”
Michano-Courchene says the new school was smudged by seven Grandmothers before the students explored their new classrooms and the rest of the school along with their teachers, adding that their parents joined them at lunch.