It took nearly a decade to come to life and finally the Western Development Museum had the opportunity to present the Born with a Drum education exhibit.
"Welcome to the opening of Born with a Drum," announced WDM board chair Jack Hay Saturday at the museum.
The exhibition encompasses the education among First Nations and focuses on five objectives. The first is a general introduction of First Nations education, the second is traditional learning, third is the focus of treaty right to education, fourth is residential schooling and fifth is the future of First Nations education.
"Born with a Drum is a beautiful exhibit that recognizes the importance of education for First Nations. It examines experiences of the past, the present challenges and successes and it also looks to a promising and optimistic future," said MLA Herb Cox.
Dignitaries, including elder Don Pooyak, mayors Ian Hamilton and Derek Mahon, chief Velma Knight, Cox and Hay. The exhibit's curators spoke of the process and importance of including this display in the Winning the Prairie Gamble exhibit.
The exhibit is based on the design of a traditional teepee. The structure includes windows to look in to view the artifacts and multimedia presentations that reflect First Nations education over time. Artifacts include a drum, a replica of a treaty medal, dolls dressed in residential school uniforms, student items from the Saskatchewan Indian Industrial Technologies and the First Nations University of Canada and a sculpture entitled Pre-Mysteries carved in 2005 by Mervin Dieter.
"This exhibit represents a milestone in the completion of the Winning the Prairie Gamble exhibits at all four Western Development Museum sites," explained Hay.
The exhibit is now open to the public at the WDM.
