The 2014 SCA Winter Program presents: "An Anishnaabe Carol"
1/15/2015 1:00:00 PM - Tribal Observer

 By Matthew Wright

Christmas spirit and Anishnaabe pride filled the Entertainment Hall of the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort on Thursday Dec. 18. The Saginaw Chippewa Academy’s Winter Program featured students from pre-K through 6th grade.

The show was comprised of the classes singing in both the English and Anishnaabemowin languages. The main theme behind the production was “An Anishnaabe Carol”, the Anishnaabe version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”.

The show started with a video presentation from the students of the Sasiwaans Immersion School. The students gave several spirited renditions of songs in Anishnaabemowin.

Masters of Ceremony, Interim Education Director Melissa Montoya and SCA Principal Marcella Mosqueda welcomed everyone to the winter program.

“Welcome to our 2014 SCA/Sasiwaans Winter Program,” Montoya said. “They would not let us see what will happen here tonight...  They said to emcee, because it’s going to be awesome!”

Between songs, cultural teachings were narrated by Matthew J. Sprague.

The third grade class started a rendition of the song Jingle Bell Rock, before being interrupted by the stage going dark and the sound of a thunderstorm. The Spirit of the Anishnaabe Messenger joined the class on stage with an important cultural teaching before leading the students in an Anishnaabemowin song.

Montoya asked the audience if they read the accompanying subtitles during the Anishnaabe messengers teaching. 

“Very powerful, proud to be an Anishnaabe,” she said.   “That’s what your children are learning at SCA… their language and how to be proud of who they are.”

Three more Spirit Messengers joined the children on stage throughout the concert, the Spirits of Anishnaabe Past, Present and Future.