Students pose with Lionel Peyachew (far left) at the Allen Sapp Gallery holding their handmade drums. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Keeping tradition

Art exhibition helps bring tradition back to youth

Jun 5, 2019 | 10:18 AM

It originated with an exhibition through a national project with the Canada Council.

In a provincial project called Roadside Attractions, 16 venues across Saskatchewan selected an artist to work with one summer.

Leah Garven said she selected Lionel Peyachew for the Allen Sapp Gallery because of his public art instillation and connection to the community, having been raised on the Red Pheasant First Nation alongside Sapp himself.

They talked about a project to work on in the community and settled on the drum there to tie into his installation.

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“[Peyachew] felt that because Allen Sapp had preserved so much heritage for this area, and for the Cree people, and passed that information down to him, that he also wanted to pass down his teachings to the next generation,” Garven said.

Drums on display made by: (Left) Ryan King, North Battleford Comprehensive High School; (Right) Levi Kahpeaysewat, Sakewew High School. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Shyheim Night, one of the students who took part in the exhibition, said he was very pleased to have the opportunity to learn drum making and is proud of how his turned out.

“A couple of months ago, I made these drums with my heart and soul,” he said. “It was fun making these drums.”

Another student who made a drum is Carnon Moosomin. A Grade 10 student at Sakewew High School, Moosomin said he was excited to get involved when he first heard of the idea.

“My school said they were going to be making drums here, a couple months [ago] and I was looking forward to it,” he said. “I finally got the opportunity, so we came over here and made some drums for two days.”

Drums on display made by: (Left) Tade Night, Saskewew High School; (Right) Kyree Wuttunee, Clifford Wuttunee School (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Peyachew said the idea for the project came about as a way of helping instill confidence in the next generation of Indigenous youth.

“Traditional Indigenous art has been sort of lost in the times during the residential school era, and I think it’s about time we start rebuilding our confidence back in our students,” he said. “For our youth, to be able to start practicing their culture like singing and dancing and going through ceremonies, I think it’s very important to keep our culture alive in that way.”

The Unwrapped exhibition is currently on display at the Allen Sapp Gallery.

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1