Buffy Sainte-Marie

'That's like seeing the queen' my Dad said when I came home from the closing plenary at the STLHE (Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education) conference. Buffy was a passionate speaker, advocating for more aborignal content in the education system, sharing childhood stories, and her pride about being a woman. The room full of university and college educators sat quietly and listened to her speak. She smiled and posed on the speaker's stand as she described projects on her Cradleboard website. Part way through her speech she read a poem called 'War Racket.' She emphasized the need to instill pride in aboriginal students, and at the same time she encouraged everyone to ask questions like 'what really happened?' when you look at the arrival of the Europeans and wars. She ended by saying we should leave our guilt and bitterness to dry out, and then use it like buffalo chips for fuel and fertilizer. She seemed to be a very approachable person and someone who likes to smile.

Party Game Ideas
My sister was planning games for her friend's stagette and tried to use some ideas from the TV show 'Minute to Win It' . The games we tried Saturday morning in the living room were:
A bit dicey, Face the cookie, Bobblehead, How's it Hangin, Junk in the Trunk, MegaBubble, and Chopstack.

The Art of Fruit

I have come to the conclusion that Canadians lack knowledge in the world of fruit. I am told of wondrous fruit from other parts of the world that come in shapes, colours, and textures that I find hard to imagine. In addition to this, our fruit presentation is quite functional and may take away some of the delight of this colourful food. My boyfriend's fruit art is like the presentation of the feast in the film, Le Festin de Babette - sometimes we don't understand it. At my cousins' going away party this fall he decided to sculpt the watermelon into the shape of the African continent and a plane, at my friend's house in Regina the strawberries became like rose petals on the plate, and then today for his English class the pieces came together like a piece of contemporary art. Finally best of all, was the sweet taste of the fruit to say that summer is on the way.

New Blog

About a week ago I started a new blog for my class at the Language Centre. I am not sure if the students actually check it, but this term I am trying to use more new technology for my class. I just wrote a short entry on 'how to' celebrate Canada Day.

Here's the link: http://blogs.usask.ca/Katies.class/

Bonne fête du Canada!

Birthday Dancing

Yesterday I had a wonderful birthday potluck picnic at the Jazz Festival. There was a feast of food, a crowd of people, and some fun Swing dancing that you can watch in this video.

Summer has finally arrived in Saskatoon.

Saskatoon Craftivism

Seeing the colourful knitted headbands and wristbands on this sculpture in Kiwanis Park last week makes me want to learn how to knit.

Party Piñata

A little yellow wild boar piñata is sitting in my living awaiting my friend Dominique's birthday party on Sunday. Adventures of imaginary wild boars have drifted through my travels and I was quite fascinated to see a poster of wildschwein when last I saw my friend. It's a little strange, but I know she will like it.