Na'tsa'maht Indigenous Education
at École Royal Bay Secondary School
Royal Bay Secondary School would like to acknowledge the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish, specifically the Lək̓ʷəŋən speaking people, the Esquimalt Nation and Songhees Nation, on which Royal Bay School is built; and the Nations we work closely with Beecher Bay- Scia’new Nation, T’Sou-ke Nation, Nuu-chah-nulth Pacheedaht Nation and the Métis Nation of Greater Victoria. We recognize the territory and Nations. We thank them for sharing this beautiful land. As a school, we recognize the injustices faced by all Indigenous peoples, due to the ongoing impact of colonization. As an act of Reconciliation, we encourage all to learn about the true history of these territories, and to give back to the land and the original peoples.
Hych’ka – Coast Salish Kleco Kleco – Nuu-chah-nulth
Truth and Reconciliation Event September 29th, 2022 - Honoring Elder in Residence Brother Rick
Students, staff, SBO and community members got together in the theatre to celebrate and honor Brother Rick's contribution to School District 62.
Lahal "Bone Game" with Elder in Residence, Brother Rick
Students and staff got together in the turf gym to play "bone game" or Lahal with Brother Rick.
Drumming, Singing and Lahal with Brother Rick
Lindsay Lockhart's Social Justice 12 class (semester 1) and BCFP class (semester 2) participating in the traditional game of Lahal while singing and drumming.
Native Plant Garden Maintenance / Pit Fires & Learning on the Land
Students helping clean up the Native Plant Garden here at Royal Bay Secondary School while learning about the plants and animals living in this space.
Students learned about building fires and sustainable gardening practices. We discussed the importance of keeping the space clean and cleaning up after ourselves. We cleared out some of the weeds to make space for the plants growing. We talked about the creation of the learning area and how to put out a fire correctly.
Goldstream Salmon Run Field Trip
Students, staff, elders and role models came to Goldstream Provincial Park on November 2nd to see the salmon run. We participated in drumming, singing, cooking and food tasting. Brother Rick, Elder Henry and role model Alana Johnson joined us in this beautiful day of teachings.
Beading Poppies in Recognition of Indigenous Veterans
Students participated in the creation of beaded poppies in recognition of Aboriginal Veterans Day. We talked about the significance of the poppy and it's colors. We learned about some of the contributions and legacies left by Indigenous veterans.
Brother Rick, Jamin Zuroski and Bruce Comaniuk inspiring us to create beautiful Indigenous decorations for the RBSS "Spirit Tree"
This year, the Indigenous Education Department was asked to help create an inclusive spirit tree that would include Indigenous ornaments. Wooden, shell and miniature drums were created.
Beaded Lanyards
These are intended to be created with "good feelings, thoughts and positive intentions" which are then passed on to the recipient as a gift.
Learning How to Finger Knit
Lindsay Lockhart taught her students the art of finger knitting. This activity takes patience and time and connects us the the First Peoples Principles Ways of Knowing and Learning.
Students Creating Drums with Sandy & Charity Morris as well as Brother Rick
Today students learned important skills about drum making with role models and Elder in Residence Brother Rick. They learned about the intricacies of working with hide as well as being patient and putting only "good feelings" into their drum. We also learned about the importance of gifting the drum to someone and having good intentions.
Wampum Belt Appreciation
Wampum belts are traditionally made from shells and are an East Coast form of treaty. They were a way of recording important events and in a way represented the "promises" made between nations. For instance, the two row Wampum belt represented Indigenous Nations and European Settlers living side by side without interfering with one another's cultures.
Harvesting Stinging Nettle and Plant Walks
Students in Lindsay Lockhart's BC First Peoples Class participated in a guided plant walk with Brother Rick and Elder Henry. They learned about the importance of a variety of plants and their uses in food and medicine. Specifically, they harvested stinging nettle and learned about how to dry the leaves and use it for brewing a herbal tea.
Coast Salish Weave Gallery
Elder in Residence, Brother Rick, Jamin and Bruce supporting student learning and engagement during the Coast Salish Weave Art Gallery installation in the Learning Commons. The school district was gifted approximately 30 art prints to use for learning about Coast Salish art. We are lucky to have the opportunity to hold such a special gallery event here at Royal Bay.
2023 Indigenous Valedictorian: Tanisha Spiller
We are very proud to announce that Tanisha Spiller (Gitxsan) was selected to be this year's Indigenous Valedictorian for Royal Bay Secondary School. Tanisha has worked hard throughout her journey at Royal Bay to be a mentor and role model for other Indigenous youth. Tanisha is a proud activist for Indigenous rights and has used her voice to advocate for the Land Back movement and for environmental justice initiatives throughout Coast Salish territory. Tanisha regularly attends cultural events, including Gathering Our Voices, Hoobiyee, Moosehide Campaign, and Indigenous Day. Tanisha has been an active participant in many extra curriculars including Dance Academy, PACE Musical Theatre, and working in the Native Plant and Pollinator Garden. She is planning to continue dancing in her future career, while also pursuing a degree in Indigenous Studies.
Royal Bay Graduation
Tanisha Spiller presented her valedictorian speech at the Royal Bay Graduation and was surrounded by all of her supporters on this special occasion. Here she is pictured with Mitzi Dean, her mom and trustee Trudy Spiller, Brother Rick, and Chief Chipps.
Native Plants in the Garden
Students have been working hard planting, caring for, studying and harvesting the native plants in our school's Native Plant and Pollinator Garden. These are just a few of the many special plants that call this place their home. We raise our hands to Royal Bay's PAC and the Jane Goodall Institute for providing us with funds to purchase native plants for our garden!
Cedar Harvesting at Latoria Creek Park
Lindsay Lockhart, Brother Rick, and Elder Henry brought students to Latoria Creek Park to participate in cedar harvesting.
Indigenous Graduation Ceremony 2023
Students with Indigenous ancestry were honored at this beautiful event on May 24th, celebrating their accomplishments over the last 4 years of their educational journeys. Chief Chipps, Brother Rick, Bernice Millette, Elder Henry Chipps, Kookum Jo-Ina, Ren Louie, Traci Pateman and Elder Earl were in attendance. Metis students were sashed as they crossed the stage to receive their gift of a drum.
Westshore RCMP Bannock Making
Students were invited to experience bannock making with some of our local Indigenous RCMP officers. It was a lovely event held outdoors. Students discussed opportunities in the work force and enjoyed snacking on their homemade Bannock.
Camp Thunderbird Grade 12 Learning on the Land
Grade 12 students experienced a day on the land in celebration of their upcoming graduation. Activities included kayaking, canoeing, drumming/singing, beading, medicine pouch making, archery, paddle boarding, and rock climbing.
Red Dress. MMIW Ceremony
Ms. Lisa Burrows - teacher and craftivist along with her students worked to create a beautiful quilt in honor of Red Dress Day. Elders, students, and staff drummed and sang the Woman's Warrior Song with Alana Johnson. Elder Shirley Alphonse did a water blessing. Chief Chipps, Elder in Residence Brother Rick, Bernice Millette, Elder Henry Chipps, Traci Pateman, Elder Early, Jon Carr, Marlys Denny, and Lorraine Velie were in attendance. A big thank you to Katie Gaetz - curriculum coordinator - for taking photos during the event.
Moose hide Campaign March to End Violence Against Women
Staff and students headed over to the legislature to participate in the Moose Hide Campaign March. They joined community members in the protest in the fight for justice.
UVIC First Peoples House Field Trip
Students went on a field trip to the First Peoples House at UVIC. We listened to students discuss their amazing experiences at UVIC and the amount of support they receive through programming at the school. The First Peoples House is a place where students are all welcome to come for all kinds of support.
Drum Painting with Lindsay Lockhart's Class
Not only did students have the opportunity to create drums this year, but they also painted their drums with elaborate and beautiful designs.
Storytelling with Celestine Aleck