ISKIGAMIZIGAN (SUGARBUSH) CAMP KIDS CONNECTION

By VIVIAN LaMOORE, INAAJIMOWIN EDITOR

Spring has historically played an important role in the lives of Mille Lacs Band communities. The opening of sugarbush camp in the early spring marks the beginning of a new season when larger family groups and community members gather together into larger groups for social events and a favorite, yet essential, harvest season of ziinzibaak-wadwaaboo — maple sap at the sugarbush camps.

Nay Ah Shing students have an opportunity each year to participate in sugarbush camp as part of their daily curriculum. This year was no exception other than the excessive amounts of snowcover. Sugarbush camp is all weather-related — conditions need to be just right in order for the sap to start running. This typically happens in late-March, onaabani-giizis (hardcrust on the snow moon) or early-April, iskigamiige-giizis (maple sugar moon).

Nay Ah Shing students were lead by Amanda Nickaboine-Meyer, NAS Ojibwe Language Program Director, and George Morrow, NAS Four-Seasons worker.

Morrow takes special care and a lot of extra hours to ensure the camp is set up for the student's safety and a productive harvest of sap. Throughout the student's time at sugarbush, he is constantly teaching and guiding the students with cultural values as well as techniques in sap collection while also integrating a positive fun experience.

"I think it's important for students to spend time out in the sugarbush because of the hands-on and interactive learning that occurs. Not only that but we are able to reinforce the Ojibwe language they are learning in the classroom," Nickaboine-Meyer said. "It is also our inherent right to hunt, fish, and gather."

Collecting the sap is not always an easy task, especially through deep snow. The students worked together to carry the heavy buckets full of sap and pour them into the large containers to be boiled down into syrup. It takes about 35 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of maple syrup.

"It was amazing to see the students' faces light up and and see them work together as a team to tap the trees and collect the sap during their time at the camp," Nickaboine-Meyer said.

For two weeks, students were bussed over to the camp with each grade-level from 1st to 12th grade having their own specific day and time to spend at camp. Not only did they collect and boil sap, but they also had time for snowshoeing fun and exploring the woods.

"To me, it’s very important to give the kids that connection to the outdoors and being out in the woods is a great way to do that," Marrow said. "It’s so important for the parents to see what we are doing because so many remember being outside in the woods doing stuff like sugarbush as kids. It’s such a big part of their identity and who they are."

Marrow said they will be sharing their bounty with the parents and community members at a pancake breakfast, and hopefully enough syrup will be produced to allow each child to take some home as well.

"We hope to expand student's experiences and invite parents and community members to participate next year," Nickaboine-Meyer said. "We have some exciting ideas!"