With the skies slate gray, and a chill in the air, the students of White Bear Education Complex (WBEC) filed out into the morning breeze to take part in the annual flag-raising ceremony.
The annual event, which has been held since the school was founded, marks a special point in the school year, according to WBEC principal Murray Bird.
"It is to show that we are members of a sovereign nation, that we have been here for years," Bird said. "It is to honour the different aspects of our lives, and to honour the students themselves."
Three flags are used as part of the flag-raising ceremony, the WBEC flag, the Treaty Four flag, and the flag of White Bear First Nations.
"The Treaty Four flag is raised because we are part of the Treaty Four group," Bird said. "The White Bear flag is raised because it is the nation in which we live and are a part of."
"The White Bear school flag is raised to honour the efforts of the students, and to remind them about the importance of their education, of respect and honour in their daily lives."
The flags were cleansed first with a smudge before being brought out for the raising.
"We have singers who sing two songs during the ceremony, the flag-raising song and the victory song," Bird said. "The victory song is included because we want the students to feel empowered, to lead them onwards to be victorious in their education and their lives."
Once the flags are raised at the masts in front of the school, they remain there for the remainder of the school year.
"Once they're up, we don't take them down," Bird said. "But we will lower them to half-mast as it might be needed to show respect."
Attending the ceremony in the honoured roles of Elder were Maria Joyea and Marion Littlechief.
Saying a brief prayer to begin the ceremony, Joyea stood aside when she was finished for the flags to be raised.
There were three singers present, Fred Holy Bull, Brent McArthur, and Terran McArthur. The three struck up a beat and raised a keening song as the three flags were raised.
Working the flagpole were Joe Lonechild, grade nine student Nakota Akachuk, as well as principal Bird.
As the students and staff stood by, the three flags slowly made their way up the poles to their highest points. A light breeze took the three and whipped them out for all to see.
"It is all about honour and respect of the people of the school, the people of this nation," Bird said. "It gives us an opportunity to bring the children out and show them something about honour and respect first hand."
After the singers had finished the victory song, the students were asked to circle the flagpoles on their way back to their classes as a way of showing a final honour to the flags.
"I hope you all have a good year this year," Bird said to the students at the end of the ceremony. "Attendance, accountability, honour, respect. These are all things that I hope that you will find for yourselves this year."
