The Kyha Wiget Education brought a new project to the attention of the council at Tuesday’s (Sept.10) meeting.
The Banner project allows students from different schools in the Bulkley Valley to paint on the banners where they will be hung in Witset. Linda Stringfellow, who works for ICOUNT HighSchool in Witset is asking Council to allow half of the banners made to be hung along Highway 16.
The project’s theme is “What the Elders Told us”. It will have elders or storytellers in the community to share stories with students.
The schools participating in the project is Witset elementary, Heartwood Homeschool Program, Icount, Witset Adult Education Program, Smithers Secondary, and Bulkley Valley Christian School.
Councillor Gladys Atrill said she loves this kind of a project.
“It’s coming from the community, people want to display the art of youth so, the concept is lovely and it’s quite gratifying to have a group come who are actually planning to do all of the work and are just looking for a place to hang the art,” she said.
Springfellow got the idea over 30 years ago when she was in Nanaimo, B.C.
According to Springfellow one of the main ideas behind this project is for non-indigenous youth to come to Witset and become familiar with the We’suwet’en culture.
Atrill also said the project sounds like a very cool project.
“There’s always a million details but those can be down the road but off the top, the thought of being able to display local art in our community is very attractive,” she said,
The creation of the banners will begin this fall and by the January the project organizers are hoping to have the banners done.