They were told to embrace their ancient culture and honour their drums and then they beat those drums, rocking the halls of Riverside secondary school in Port Coquitlam with the force of thunder.
Inspired by speeches from local First Nations representatives and their teachers, the students then walked and drummed out of the school to the cafeteria to take part in an all-night drum session. The event was organized by aboriginal leadership students and their teachers to raise funds for the Aboriginal Pay it Forward fund for sports equipment for rural aboriginal communities.
The aboriginal drum program is new this year in School District 43 and this is the first 24-hour drum session for SD43's aboriginal program.
Students from several school districts participated in the event, including Delta, Langley and Maple Ridge.
Riverside teacher Alia Chua organized the event and led the drummers, along withRob Cowie, an aboriginal resource teacher, Ed Hall, a band councillor from the Kwikwetlem Nation, and Carman McKay from the Sto:lo Nation who is a cultural worker.
