Hoop Dancer teaches students about First Nation’s culture

“I am here to teach kids about First Nation’s culture.”

These were the words spoken by Teddy Anderson, a hoop dancer, who began Ecole Mother Teresa’s aboriginal day with a traditional performance on Tuesday, June 13.

The dance, which features Anderson combining and recombining brightly covered hoops into balls, is a metaphor for the world where each hoop like each individual has its own beauty –but realizes a greater beauty when brought together as one.

The gift of the hoop dance was passed down to Anderson right here in Sylvan Lake.

“I started at a camp where a Hoop Dance performer performed,” he said. “It turns out he knew my family very, very well – so he made an exception and gifted me this dance.”

The students at Mother Teresa were enthralled with Anderson’s gift and also learned valuable lessons of not only First Nation’s culture, but also of self respect and dignity.

“The Medicine Ball ties it all together,” he said. “Its all about teaching people our value and how that value relates to other people.

He added the dance teaches and represents the importance of living a noble life and what it means to be honourable and respectful.

“Realize how you are part of a bigger world and how you have a special ability to contribute if you actually figure out what makes you special; what makes you unique and what you are passionate about.

Anderson sees the invaluable importance of having an extensive aboriginal education in our school systems.

“Right now is a beautiful time to do it because we are at a crossroads,” he said. “Aboriginal communities have realized that the larger society, the government and the church has began acknowledging their mistakes.

“There is a lot of issues and political stuff but when it comes to the heart of it, I think First Nation’s communities are more ready to accept and be part of society.”

He added that instilling aboriginal culture now is vital because “that way we can grow together as a society.

If you would like to know more about Anderson, you can go to his website teddyanderson.com, which has information on his children’s book – which teaches young people about “being one human family.”

“Politics is a bad example of feuding in our society,” he said. “We need something else where we live as a community. “Every action we have has a ripple effect.”