by Carol Busby, Manager, EWPC

In November, I was very fortunate to play host to two young ladies for take your daughter to work week. Although they were not my daughters, we welcomed them to Eastern Woodland with open arms. Madelyn Bernard is the daughter of Tim Bernard and Priscilla Martin of Millbrook, she currently attends CEC along with Icycis Toney daughter of the late Ivy Toney from Sipekne’katik First Nation.

When they first arrived they were introduced to the staff and what we do here at EWPC/MMNN. After a tour of the building and some explaining about what certain machines do I had come up with a plan for them to do a certain activity. I asked bother of them if they would be interested in writing a story for the newspaper and they both agreed. The topic was “what does culture mean to you?”. I gave them some general questions to try and answer but really I wanted to try and think of things that they did that were culturally related. Icysis is a Pow Wow dancer and has done it for years so I told her to focus on that and what it meant to her. Madelyn who is a bit more shyer like to bead and her dad is the Senior Director for Culture and History so I told her to try and think of things you may have done with him and their family. The following is what they wrote about:

My name is Icysis Toney I am 14 years old. In my mind culture is what we do as a community, as a family and together as one. Aboriginal Culture consists of many things like beading, powwows, sweats, singing and d ...