Report on summer trip to English River
First Nation reserve
at Beauval in northern Saskatchewan
Click this link - Deneh Sowah Report (1.8mb PDF)
Friends - I want to share with you an interesting journey of discovery I had
this past July - traveling with Laurie Edwards to visit the English River
First Nation Dene reserve in Beauval, northern Saskatchewan. This is the
community of Simon Paul Dene, one of our artists at 6 St. Joseph House.
Laurie Edwards teaches "breathlines" - a contemplative healing art practice
based on practices developed at the Butterfly Peace Garden for
war-traumatized children in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka.
"The Deneh Sowah report will give you a sense of the beauty that this practice
offers as a medium of creative expression. Simon Paul, in his youth,
attended a residential school in Beauval - it is a small town north of
Prince Albert., The school building there has since been demolished because
of its painful memories to the First Nations people. Simon's brother Marius
still lives in Beauval - he & his wife Candyce have founded the Homefront
School, an alternative school for native youth who do not fit into the
regular schools system - some of these students are gifted and others are
slow learners.
Laurie Edwards spent a month this past summer introducing the breathlines
practice - www.breathlines.org
The Homefront School has
now decided to make 'breathlines' part of their regular curriculum. Have a
look at this wonderful report.
This report has been prepared by Laurie Edwards. The breathlines practice is also evident in the beautiful paintings on
the second floor studio at 6 St. Joseph House. If you are interested come to one of his classes.
It is our intention to follow up on this "Deneh Sowah" initiative by looking
for ways to support Simon, Marius, Candyce, and their community in their
effort to expand the scope of the Homefront School to serve to a broader
northern constituency. They have a dream to see 'breathlines' as a key part
of a northern facility that celebrates living expression and takes
'breathlines' to the larger Dene community.
David Walsh
Director
Seeds of Hope Charitable Organization
David Walsh
email: dwalsh@web.ca
ph: 416-361-1124