Traditional Dance & Drumming

The File Hills First Nations brought their traditional dancing and drumming to the BICC this weekend with the encouragement of Calvin, one of the BICC nurses. The BICC is located in a geographical area of Canada that includes many First Nations communities, and thus a number of their residents are residents of the BICC.

Traditional dancers and drummers and singers livened up the facility on Saturday afternoon with Calvin as MC introducing his community's culture through music and dance. Calvin's five year old grandson drummed along with the adult drummers and Isabel says: "I wonder they don't break the drums, they play so hard." Mum was touched to have one of the dancers recognize her as an old neighbour and come to speak with her.

We are grateful for the creative work of the BICC Recreation Department who provides such a variety of entertainment and opportunities to learn.

Stay tuned for Robbie Burns Day next!

Catching January's Sunny Rays

As meteorologists have predicted, the Canadian prairies are experiencing up-and-down temperatures this winter. Snowfall is down; temperatures are record-breaking (warm) and then occasionally dip down to normal (well below 0 Celsius for a day or two). On January 9th, Isabel sat outside in her warm wool Robertson tartan cape for 15 minutes breathing in fresh air and soaking up the sun. Yesterday was cold and so windy that her Christmas wreath wired to the bird feeder outside her window blew off. Mum's room faces north and she does not see sunrises or sunsets but the lovely windows facing east in the public halls of the BICC enable her to catch some sun inside, too. Days are lengthening. Isabel remarked that it is in the next few days that Bert (Dad) used to remark that the days are lengthening and the eastern sky light and pink as he headed out to feed the cows. The deep, dark cold of the early weeks of January are quickly passing.