A group of Stoney nation students took the “trip of a life-time” during recent youth exchange to Kahnawake, Que.
Earlier this year, 15 Mohawk students from Quebec flew out to the Morley reservation to learn about the Stoney culture and traditions as part of the eighth annual YMCA youth exchange. After the Mohawk students flew back, 15 students from the Morley and Ta-Otha community schools took their turn in the exchange and flew to Quebec.
Despite two students initial hesitations, both Alieka Kaquitts, 16, and Serenity Obey, 14, agreed they are glad they went.
“Words can’t even explain how fun it was,” Obey said.
“It was a memorable experience … no one wanted to leave.”
While in Quebec, Stoney students learned about the Mohawk culture and traditions by attending round dances and visiting attractions at the reservation and in Montreal. Each Stoney student was also matched with a Mohawk student who hosted their Alberta guests in their homes for the weeklong visit.
“It was a once in a lifetime experience,” Kaquitts said.
It was surreal, I couldn’t wrap my mind around that I was actually doing this.”
The girls laughed at the landscape differences, calling Quebec “flat” while joking about the “mountain” that was actually a hill, and discussed the physical differences between the tribes.
“The looked different, they were white with blonde hair and blue eyes,” Obey said.
“Not like us, we are brown everything,” Kaquitts said with a laugh.
The other cultural difference the girls noticed was the way traditional ceremonies were performed, with the women having more power during the ceremony, and the different traditional instruments, Stoney people have drums, while the Mohawk people have rattles, sticks and wood.
Organizer and teacher Gayle Davis said the evolution of the two groups of students was amazing. She noticed that when the students first met, there was a distinct divide of where the groups were from. When the exchange was over however, the students were so blended together it was hard to tell who was from where.
“This is more than just fun experience. It is a chance to learn about themselves, their communities and their country,” Davis said.
For one anonymous student it had a major impact, according to Davis.
“After the exchange one student realized life is still worth living and they wanted to stay strong for their family,” Davis said.
Both Kaquitts and Obey agreed they would encourage the younger grades to try it.
“You don’t just make friends, you make a new family while getting to experience a new culture … it gives you a different perspective in life,” Obey said.
The girls agreed the trip was beneficial in preparing them for post-secondary school and leaving the reservation, and now Kaquitts and Obey are looking into other travel opportunities through YMCA.
Kaquitts said she watched two of her older siblings go through the exchange before she did, and while they did not push her to go, she listened to how much fun they had and saw the change in them when they came back.
“If you have the opportunity, take it. Home will always be there,” Kaquitts said.
For more information on youth travel and exchanges go to ymcagta.org
