A Tsuu T'ina encampment at the base Mount Royal Hill looking down on Calgary 1890

Yesterday 411 and the Because I am a Girl team visted the Tsuu T’ina Nation just outside of Calgary. We had a great presentation with the female students at the Tsuu T’ina Jr & Sr High School. We talked about a number of topics  body image,  peer pressure among teenage girls and violence against women – many of which hit close to home for the girls at the school.

Before going to the school we  read up on the history of the Tsuu T’ina (which means “a great number of people”) and learned that they are among the first inhabitants of what is now Calgary and have their own language (Dene). They also have their own strong culture and heritage some of which we were able to check out at the school.

Our friend Lydia came with us to volunteer for the afternoon. Lydia has just arrived to Canada three weeks ago from Ethiopia. She was shocked by the standard of living on the reserve – since this wasn’t the picture of Canada she had learned about. But she thought it was great to see the girls getting excited and motivated to affect change in their community and school.

One of the things we discussed in the program was the importance of girls getting an education in relation to the stories of girls in Haiti and South Sudan. However education and staying in school is also important for the girls at Tsuu T’ina too.  61% of the young people living on reserves in Alberta have less then a high school education. I also learned that only 1% of aboriginal women in Canada have a masters degree. For girls they are facing many complex issues growing up on a reserve plus being girls. So congratulations to the girls we met who are staying in school and making a difference for themselves.  Here are some pictures from our visit and a great poem called “I Am” which was hung up in the school.

I Am An Aboriginal Girl Poem

Masia, Nana and our friend and volunteer Lydia

Masia and Nana before the show

Can you spot Masia and Nana in this picture with the Tsuu T'ina Girls