I'm a teacher at Prince Charles Elementary School in Edmonton, which offers a program called Awasis that emphasizes aboriginal education such as knowledge and appreciation of native cultures and traditions, as well as Cree-language instruction. So I teach a unique group of kids.

One of my students asked me if we could sing it. We were on an Edmonton fieldtrip, riding on the bus. We were on our way to a National Aboriginal Day performance downtown. I said I didn’t think we were ready. It took me a long time to learn the song. Listening, listening. It’s a very long and complex song. But I said okay, we can try. I started playing my drum at the back of the bus.

My students began to sing. Even some who I thought didn't know it yet. And I realized they'd internalized it. They picked it up like nothing. The song, the American Indian Movement honour song, originated in the United States but was adopted into Canada as an anthem song. It symbolizes aboriginal rights and equality, fighting for rights. I've never seen the song sung by children. It was one of the first, few honour songs I'd learned in my life, but it's a very special song. Aboriginal singers and dancers all over North America are very familiar with it. I felt like I was a part of the larger aboriginal community when I learned it.

I remember some eyes were looking at me and some at each other and some outside as they sang it. I could tell by the way they were looking and singing that they were either lost in thought or in concentration. We had a little community in that moment where we were all sharing the same song, in the same voice and you could almost hear the people of the past that fought so hard for us. They had fought so hard for rights. Here's a little group of 35 people, and they know it better than any song we've sung together. I was in awe at that moment. I was very proud.

Photo Credit: Darren Greenwood (top).