Meredith Kerr
Journal Staff
About 150 students from St. Paul schools participated in the ninth annual “Walk of Hope” to raise awareness about domestic violence. Students walked with signs from the high school, to St. Paul Elementary and Racette Junior High, before continuing to the Recreation Centre, gathering supporters along the way.
Rick Makokis is an elder from Saddle Lake Cree Nation and works with the Capella Centre as a family outreach worker. He spoke to the students about the weight of negative emotions with a very literal example to demonstrate – a backpack filled with rocks. Each rock had a word that Makokis felt was important to acknowledge and talk about as part of educating and making people aware of the impact of domestic violence.
“What that exercise is telling them, is that when you talk about the abuses you’ve faced, you are letting it go. So you’re getting less of that burden that’s been created, you’re unloading that burden of heaviness and letting it go,” said Makokis.
Executive Director for the Capella Centre Noreen Cotton said the exercise Makokis did with the children was very powerful.
“I was basically saying the same thing, but I think they heard Rick. They could visually see the rocks and it means something, and I think they’ll remember that. And the message is simple, reach out, speak out, don’t be afraid to talk about anything that’s bothering you, and violence is never OK,” said Cotton.
Cotton said the walk has been growing every year.
“We try to get different entertainment every year to have something the kids will remember as part of the message. It’s very important to our prevention work,” said Cotton.
This year’s entertainment was a special dance by 15-year old Raylene Cardinal-Quinney.
Makokis said the number of kids who joined the walk was promising.
“This is our future, and our future is beautiful. Especially to see so many children here understanding and saying no more to domestic violence and no more to family violence, and working together. It serves as a brighter future, and that’s what it’s all about,” said Makokis.
