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“My dad used to pick them in the past, and I used to help him,” said Elder Peter Weasel-Moccasin of the stone found around Alberta that inspired the Blackfoot name Iihtsipaatapi’op, the Source of Life, in for Lethbridge College.
The name means stone pipe, and Weasel-Moccasin said when he was asked to pick the name for the school in the Blackfoot language he wanted to choose an appropriate one for the community, the students and the staff of the college. He said people come from all over the world to be educated.
“We believe the pipe brings us peace. It brings us harmony. It brings us to be able to work together and to be able to function together. That’s what it was for.”
He said it will be one of the highlights of his life, as it is quite an honor to be asked. He said education is endless. It never ends.
“Everybody is here to learn something, and they leave with something good.”
Paula Burns, president and CEO of Lethbridge College, remarked about Weasel-Moccasin’s address and his telling about the making of a stone pipe and the patience needed.
“The steps that are part of that process that brings together people working together to bring peace. It does mean that was have a responsibility and accountability to education for the Blackfoot people, the Indigenous people, but to also to all people in terms of understanding the significance of being on Blackfoot territory….
“Our recognition of being on Blackfoot territory and really understanding what that meant is a big part of what we’ve been doing over the last number of years,” she continued.
During today's Indigenous celebration at Lethbridge College