Following a M茅tis jigging workshop, May 2, all of Jasper Elementary School鈥檚 students walked away with a basic understanding of the dance, as well as 10 鈥渇ancy steps.鈥�
Throughout the day, each class visited the gym to meet M茅tis artisan and educator Lisa Shepherd for a crash course in the traditional dance and for a quick introduction to M茅tis beadwork.
Shepherd, who now lives in British Columbia, is originally from Spruce Grove and has a connection to the park. Her first cousin (three generations removed) is Suzette Swift鈥斺�渢he first lady of Jasper.鈥�
Swift was a M茅tis woman who in the 1880s lived where the train station is today.
Shepherd feels a great connection to her M茅tis roots and has turned that connection into a career by giving workshops and selling handcrafted clothing embellished with traditional M茅tis beadwork.
鈥淚n all the beadwork we do there鈥檚 one wrong bead,鈥� she told the students last week, asking them to guess why. After a few guesses, she revealed that that one bead is a reminder that 鈥渨e all make mistakes, and we only grow and develop as human beings when we make mistakes.鈥�
That sentiment rang true during the dance portion of the workshop, as well, as the students jumped around and shuffled their feet, in an attempt to follow the irregular beat of the 鈥渃rooked鈥� fiddle music.
And as they fumbled their way through, Shepherd shouted, 鈥渢he good news is, there鈥檚 no wrong way to jig.鈥�
Nicole Veerman
[email protected]
