Haven't blogged in a long while.

so I have been working at Metlakatla High School for this school year teaching Mique'l Askren's Curriculum for Ts'msyen Studies. What a learning experience it has been for me. Not only have I learned a lot by teaching this class but I also added in some more facts that aren't in the books as well. I been pretty busy since October of 2008 when we started the casting for Adaawx: True Tellings of the Ts'msyen , a four act play based on 4 stories told by the Ts'msyen. What an experiance that was as I had asked for 3 other story tellers to read the stories and recorded one on my own as well. Also had to write 4 songs just for this play , one song I had already written and the kids wanted to use it so I granted them permission to use that song as well. I had also with the help of my great friend Gibau'm Laxha ( wolf of the sky aka David Robert Boxley) and we sang the song for my Aunt and dear friend who got me involed in teaching at the Elementary level Wilma Baines-Chahim Sadly in March she passed away from cancer I was glad to work along side and honored that she would ask me to come work along side her. The song I wrote to sing to her is a womans honoring song it says Walk Softly great woman , Bless you and may your name always be good. Walk Softly great woman you walk the path of your grandmothers, all this was translated to Sm'algyax by Davey. We had sung the song for her when she came up in Feburary to watch the play while it was presented to the Elementary School Children. I had also traveled back to WAshington DC in November a small band of 5 of us traveled to Washingto DC to dance for the National Guard, that was a great experiance and on our way back to Alaska we also stopped in Washington State to dance in Buckley Wa to dance at two schools there and were very well Recieved. We had my Aunt meet us in Washington DC for that performance at the National Guard and in Washington State we had called on a good friend Robert Walker to come perform with us at the school. Chaperoned what started out as just Pep Band so I can play drums and bass guitar with some other bands who didn't have seasoned drummers with them and ended up chaperoning Pep Band , Pep Club and Cheer Team guys , what a great bunch of teens I didn't have a problem with them although some circumstances that happened on a school trip just prior to the big regional trip had brought down some stronger rules in which the kids couldn't be without a chaperone. Got home from the trip and it was a whole lot of fun traveling with chaperones who were sick , tired and didn't have great communication with each other and ended up not too happy campers by the time we all got back to Met. Things went well and I was asked to Chaperone kids up to Sitka for the Music Festival that was going on I agreed and ended up in Sitka via ferry with 10 kids and 2 chaperones total traveling. When one of the percussionist opted to take out her braces than go on the band trip I was asked to fill in her parts on the song so I played with the band and loved reading music again for the first time really in 19 years. I got to see my Uncle and aunt while up there they are always great to see when I am in Sitka also got to see one of my cousins up there as well. I had gotten home from Music Fest on Monday at noon and went home crashed went to work the next day and left on Wednesday afternoon for a Language Teachers workshop, we had finished early and I opted to check out and go home since class was out early. I had gotten home and crashed pretty much all Saturday and most of Sunday. Went to work on Monday and I got a hug from one of the girls in my class cause she missed me and said I wasn't allowed to leave anymore this year. I hope I have done a good job in being tossed into the fire at the high school and taught the kids something about our culture. Until I have more to write about I shall see you again N'dm algyik niidz'n ( Until we meet again)