Students merge science and tradition at fair
- NC Raine | March 27, 2017
First Nations students across Saskatchewan were invited to show off their knowledge and innovation in the field of science at the 9th Annual Saskatchewan First Nation Science Fair. Hosted by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), a total of 128 young scientists from grades 6 to 12 gathered in Saskatoon at Prairieland Park on March 10th.
“It is vital for our youth to compete their education in the area of science and technologies. Education is the key to building healthier people and communities,” said FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron.
“This is an opportunity for our First Nations kids to experience the thrill of discovery. These projects help develop skills they're going to use for the rest of their lives,” said Chief Cameron.
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The science fair offered healthy competition to the participants representing their First Nation schools across Saskatchewan. The top four student projects will compete in a Canada wide science fair.
“We're looking for creativity. But also a mix of Western-world concepts with traditional knowledge in the context of Indigenous teachings and culture,” says FSIN Intergovernmental Affairs Lawyer Mary Culbertson, who also acted as a judge for the student science fair.
Culbertson says that when she was a student, traditional teachings were not thought of in a scientific frame of reference, and hopes that this generation can learn about and embrace the science in their culture and teachings.
“That wasn't a concept that was generally accepted. But now we have a lot of youngsters here that are learning the science in the traditional teachings. So I like to look for the projects that have some Indigenous knowledge in their content,” says Culbertson.
Projects at the fair ranged from oil spill cleaning methods, saving buffalo, safe drinking water, mental health, nutrition in processed foods versus traditional foods, and sacred medicines among many others.
Kahley Iron, a grade 8 student at Waterhen Lake First Nation, studied the impact that different medications have on one's immune system and liver over time. The very innovative young student soaked chicken livers in different medicinal solutions for up to ten days and compared the results.
“I've found that Advil is the worst to take because it destroys most of your liver cells, tears them up, and eats them,” said Iron. She says most people don't realize how medications sometimes do long-term harm to their body, and hopes to raise awareness to this risk.
“People used to use dry root (for pain relief), they had healthier immune systems and barely got sick. But now people are using these kinds of medications, their livers are becoming more harmed,” she says.
Another young student, grade 8 Lee-Ann Ketchemonia from Keeseekoose First Nation, was centre of perhaps the science fair's most popular booth, in which she examined the traditional science of making maple sugar.
“My family has been doing this for a long time. So I wanted to do (this project) because I wanted to teach other people this traditional method,” said Ketchemonia.
FSIN hopes these young ambassadors of science continue to use science as a way to connect with traditional Indigenous knowledge.
“Math and science are often neglected subjects and fewer First Nations students are going into the sciences,” says Patrick Wilson, math and science teacher at Ocean Man First Nation.
“So anything like this that promotes science and gets the younger generations excited is important.”