13.2°C Not observed 
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Sechelt First Nation carver Tony Paul and John Louis, a Musqueam First Nation carver who now lives in Sechelt, carved two plaques to commemorate a naming potlatch held for a Francophone school in Vancouver last week.
Sechelt First Nation grandmother Grace Paul beaded 39 eagle feathers, one for each Franco-phone school in B.C., in honour of the signing of the Conseil scolaire francophone's new Aboriginal education enhancement agreement for 2009 to 2014.
Paul's piece featured motifs eagle moon and wolf. The plaque was a gift of appreciation for the Musqueam First Nation commissioned by the Conseil scolaire francophone (School District No. 93), the school district for all Francophone programmes in B.C., including École du Pacifique and the Francophone Programme at Chatelech Secondary in Sechelt. A group of Francophone Aboriginal students, parents and staff from Sechelt travelled to the potlatch at École secondaire Jules-Verne in Vancouver at which Larry Grant, Musqueam elder, conducted a naming ceremony to give a new name to the school. Twenty Musqueam dancers and drummers performed in the lively ceremony.
During the potlatch, Roger Lagassé, district principal for Aboriginal education for SD93, warmly acknowledged the artistic work of Grace Paul, who had spent many many hours and days beading each feather with its own colourful design. The feathers will be used for teaching activities and talking circles in an effort to develop more Aboriginal understanding and skills for all students both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal alike.
"We are most grateful to Tony Paul and John Louis for the carvings and to Grace Paul for the beautiful glass-beaded eagle feathers," Lagassé said. "Everyone who saw them thought the carvings made awesome gifts to thank the Musqueam First Nation for their generous gift of name for the district's newest school and also to commemorate the event in the school's main foyer. The beaded feathers have great communicative power and will help give wings to our new AEEA. It was so amazing to find such magnificent artists right here in Sechelt."
— Submitted
yes,I would like to say it is great that some of our people from our band is getting recognization for their work. Being the sister of tony paul,I am proud for his work as well as for John Louis and Grace Paul, a job well done I'm PROUD of them.
Posted on March 4, 2010 @ 2:13 pm PST | Report post to Editor | 3393227