Celebrating Indigenous Games and Student Leadership at South Nelson Elementary

Over the past two weeks, our Grade 4 and 5 students at South Nelson Elementary have been learning and leading traditional Indigenous games and games that celebrate Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing.

Our senior Indigenous students selected three special games to focus on and teach to their younger peers:

Tatanka Tatanka - Tatanka, the leader of the buffalo, is a game traditionally played by women and young children, mimicking their fathers and grandfathers on the buffalo hunt. It helped teach how to guide buffalo into the compound during a hunt.

Line Tag - A fast-paced, fun game that builds fundamental movement skills like running, chasing, and balancing.

Creeping Coyotes - A quiet, mindful game that encourages players to move with awareness and focus.

After learning the stories and significance behind each game, our Grade 4 and 5 students shared their knowledge with children in Grades 1 through 4. They introduced each game by telling its story, clearly explained the rules, and guided their younger peers with patience and enthusiasm.

It was truly inspiring to see our students step confidently into leadership roles, supporting one another and building community through play.

Well done to everyone who took part - you made your school proud!

These activities were inspired by resources from HIGH FIVE and the School Physical Activity and Literacy Project.