The Keeping Tobacco Sacred Project

Michel Blades (Ranch Learning Centre, Lamont, Alberta) Finalist in the 2021 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching For more information about the award visit  CanadasHistory.ca/TeachingAward [https://www.canadashistory.ca/Teachin...] The  Keeping Tobacco Sacred project, started by Michel Blades at the Ranch  Learning Centre in Lamont, Alberta, is a reconnection to land, culture,  language, and identity for youth growing up in government care. Inspired  by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, this  project is ultimately a grassroots answer to the assimilation of  Indigenous people that resulted from the Residential School System and  the legacy of their children. The process of learning to grow, cure, and  prepare tobacco from seed to offering provides students with a daily  connection to caring for oneself as well as the life of another.  Additionally, in acknowledging the length of time it takes to grow  medicines, it reinforces the importance of positively connecting the  mind, body, and spirit to protocols, language, teachings, ceremony, and  elder prayers. 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Topics 00:22 Can you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit more about your classroom or where you teach? 00:36 Challenges in Traditional Schools for Boys in Government Care 01:41 Creating a Tailored Classroom Environment 03:59 Growing Tobacco Project: Inspiration and Benefits 06:25 Integration into Science and Cultural Implications 11:40 Beyond the Classroom: Culture and Personal Growth 17:18 Hands-On Learning and Emotional Support 21:29 Innovative Methods and Understanding Colonization