FORT RUPERT—War canoe rides, carving, cedar weaving, storytelling and fire-making were just a few of the many activities available to hundreds of North Island schoolchildren Friday as the Kwakiutl First Nation hosted students and other visitors for National Aboriginal Day.
After a welcoming ceremony featuring traditional singing and dancing in the Big House, students dispersed to a multitude of activity and demonstration stations in locations ranging from U'gwamalis Hall to the Youth Centre to the nearby beach.
In addition to a wide range of traditional demonstrations, the day included visits by Tundra the Wolf, the Literacy Bus and Mother Goose, and the staff of the Quatse Salmon Stewardship Centre.
The day wrapped up with lunch that included options of Indian tacos and fried bread, followed by a fried break contest and traditional foods taste testing.