While the winter is approaching, our team is thinking of students and teachers at a First Nation school in Northern Ontario. We recently assembled a care package including hats, gloves, mittens and neck warmers purchased from Walmart, Costco and handmade by local artists.
One of our graduate student research assistants at the TALLL Lab, Novera Roihan also crocheted three beautiful hats for teachers with whom she has worked with past two years at the First Nation school. In the making of the hats, Novera expressed her thoughts:
This winter I wanted to show my gratitude to the research participants who made it possible for me to gain insights into teaching at a remote Indigenous school. As a person who has a tremendous love for crafts, I thought it would be nice to create handmade hats for our teacher participants. Handcrafted crochet hats are a unique and heartfelt expression of appreciation, embodying the warmth and personal touch of a handmade gift. These hats not only offer comfort during the chilly Canadian winter months but also represent the meticulous effort and affection poured into their creation. In gifting these crochet hats to teachers who have dedicated their time to teaching at an Indigenous school, the gesture goes beyond the physical present; it is a tribute to their service and dedication. The investment of time in each stitch mirrors the teachers’ own investment in their Indigenous students, making the hats a symbol of mutual respect and gratitude. Furthermore, it is a symbol of appreciation that they took time from their busy lives to sit down and tell me their own personal stories teaching at an Indigenous school. It is hard to explain how much I appreciate their help and giving me their perspectives; therefore, I thought it would be a nice gesture to show my thankfulness.
