On Thursday, November 19, Two Samish elders, Rosie Cayou and Bill James spent the day with the 1st through 4th grade children at Salmonberry Elementary School. They taught lessons about Samish cultural traditions, songs, stories, rituals, language, clothing, and much more. With great sensitivity to the children’s young age, they helped the students to think about some of the difficult issues that can arise when two very different cultures encounter one another. They taught and embodied a spirit of forgiveness, of healing, and of mutual respect.
Rosie and Bill in the back center "Hysh'que."
Rosie Cayou is a direct descendent of Louis Cayou, who is widely recognized as the first Anglo homesteader on Orcas. Cayou settled in Deer Harbor is the1850’s and married a Samish woman. Rosie is now the cultural coordinator for the Samish Nation and she is very involved in education and outreach within the Anacortes School District. She is very interested in connecting with children in all the traditional homelands of her ancestors, including all of the San Juan Islands. Bill James is a master woodcarver in the Coast Salish tradition. He has carved traditional poles and canoes as well as smaller pieces.
Following a season-long study of the geology, ecology and natural history of the islands within the Salish Sea, the Salmonberry students are now embarking on a thematic unit of the First People’s cultures who inhabited these islands. This firsthand connection with the Samish elders, served as an important kick-off to these studies.
“As evidenced in this experience, Salmonberry strives to teach children to respect multiple sources of wisdom, and to look to build cultural bridges whenever possible,” said Paul Freedman, Salmonberry School’s Program Director and elementary teacher. “This was a deeply moving presentation, and the presenters touched on many ideas that have been important parts of Salmonberry’s identity over the years. They talked about the integration of art and academics, of heart, head and hands. They spoke of multiple ways of knowing, of the importance of oral traditions, and maintaining a sense of reverence for nature and humanity. Actually, a lot has been written regarding the alignment between traditional indigenous education and holistic education and these consistencies were quite obvious on Thursday.”
Salmonberry students shared a lunch of soup, salad and bread with the presenters, which the students had carefully prepared in advance. This offering of a meal added an important opportunity for more informal connections between the students and their esteemed guests. Over lunch the students showed Rosie a very old photograph of the Cayou family, which, among a wonderful collection of artifacts, Salmonberry had on loan from the Orcas Island Historical Museum. Rosie was quite moved by seeing the photo and will be receiving a copy for her own archives.
“First-hand experiential learning like this is part of what makes Salmonberry School unique, said Freedman. “We pursue a strong and rigorous academic program but we also take time for real live encounters. Learning is a living process at Salmonberry. We breathe it in; we taste it; we savor it. This kind of learning is personally relevant, meaningful and whole for the students. These are the kids of experiences, the students will remember for a long time, and that you just can’t get out of a textbook.”
The Salmonberry class plans to continue to study with Rosie and Bill and hope that their next visit will be on Fidalgo Island, later this winter.
To Rosie and Bill, for their great wisdom and boundless generosity, the students and faculty at Salmonberry School want to say a most sincere, “Hy’shqe.” Thank you. We will see you again in the near future.
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