Pen pal program bridges cultural gap

From Brantford Expositor June 18th, 2010

Hailey Hunt of Caledonia and her new friend, Jaycee Hill, who lives on Six Nations, don't talk about land disputes.When they became pen pals a year ago, they wrote about things important to all six-year-olds: their favourite colours, what they want to be when they grow up."I also told her what I believe in," Jaycee, a senior kindergarten student at Oliver M. Smith Kawennio School in Ohsweken, said in a tiny voice.

What's that?, she's asked. "Love."

Suzie Miller, a teacher at Emily C. General School in Ohsweken, is a Six Nations band member who lives in Caledonia. Back in 2006, when the Grand River land dispute started getting widespread media attention, she worried about how it was affecting kids in the two communities.

As protesters from Six Nations began a demonstration to raise awareness about First Nation land claims and took control of a parcel of land in Caledonia, Miller started a small pen pal program between students.

"I was concerned about what the children were learning and thinking," said Miller. "Children hear things but they can't get their head around it. They are naturally loving.

"Somehow I wanted to reinforce that you have to give everyone a chance no matter who they know or what they look like."

Miller began by matching her Grade 3-4 class with students at a school in Caledonia. The children exchanged letters several times, with the exercise culminating in a face-to-face meeting at the end of the school year.

Four years later, that simple assignment has turned into a major undertaking. Almost 600 students, in senior kindergarten to Grade 7 from 10 schools in Six Nations, Caledonia, Cayuga and Dunnville met, for the first time this week, their letter-writing friends at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena, near Hagersville.

"I was so excited to come here," said Samantha Porter, a Grade 4 student at Jamieson Elementary School in Ohsweken. "I got all dressed up."

Samantha and her two pen pals, Jillian Meadows and Maddy Postma from J.L. Mitchener School in Cayuga danced, made beaded necklaces, played lacrosse, and learned to play native drums and rattles at activity stations set up at the arena.

They later shared a traditional Six Nations lunch of dried corn soup and scones.

"We take turns hosting the pen pal gathering," said Miller. "When they're here, we take the opportunity to share some information about our culture."

Christine Goulding, a Grade 1 teacher at St. Patrick's School in Caledonia, called the pen pal program a positive experience.

"There was nothing political in any of the letters. There is an innocence about it, about accepting people for who they are."

The pen pal program now has an organizing committee and the end-of-the-year celebration requires the work of more than 50 volunteers and funding from several community sponsors. Each of the children received a "friendship" T-shirt and certificate.

Miller said the program is making connections between young neighbours who often didn't meet until they came together at high school.

"One child at a time, they are changing the conversation and forging friendships."

mruby@theexpositor.com