A new school will be opening in September that will serve students from Gitwangak, Gitsegukla, and Gitanyow. It’s called Gitxsan west, and CFTK News got a sneak peek into the project’s progress.
Although the construction is about 6 months behind schedule, the design promises to be worth the wait. Sandra Larin, Elected chief of Gitwangak, says it was all about incorporating culture into every aspect of the design.
“You’re going to feel a sense of belonging when you walk through the front doors and you see the gathering circle, and you see the language and you hear the language. And our foods are more prevalent and our, the conversations are centered around our culture.”
The design process was collaborative and inclusive, with participation from community members, including educators, chiefs, and elders. The striking architecture was done by McFarland Marceau Architects, whom Larin said she worked closely with throughout the process.
“We wanted students to have gathering spaces. We wanted them to feel their identity in every room that they went to. We wanted them to know that they’re on their territory. So using cedar and incorporating that, the architects have beautifully weaved culture into the full design of the building.”
In the works this week was a cultural art piece for the Entry Gathering Circle, designed by Arlene Ness, who explained the piece;
“I have, around them, all the clans that are represented here. Which is the wolf, frog, eagle, and the Gisk’aast – fireweed clans. So, that encompasses the whole design. And in the center, you’ll see the three communities coming together like a vortex. And I use that imagery, because vortexes create a lot of energy and are very impactful for the environment. Such as tornadoes, and whirlpools, and whatnot. So I imagine the energies of, three communities coming together, and creating this space, and housing this environment for the children. For future generations.”
Hereditary Chief of Gitsegukla Gary Hill was on the planning committee for the school and was assisting with the painting process.
“This, it’s very important for our kids to attend here. I think they’re going to love it. They are going to love it. They’re probably going to, some of the students will probably skip a grade, just to stay here.”
School is slated to start in September.