Manitoba First Nation wants used fiddles to help keep students on right path

Ferdinand Ayo has only had his new job for three weeks, but he's already working hard to make big changes. And he needs your help.

The new principal of Donald Ahmo School on the O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation, adjacent to Crane River, Man., wants to start a fiddle program at the school.

When he arrived in the community on Sept.19he was surprised by the lack of extra-curricular activities for the 112 kids in the kindergarten-to-Grade 8 school.

Not much to do

"I came from the north and we had resources for the kids," said Ayo.

His last job was as a special education co-ordinator in Gods Lake Narrows, a fly in community in northern Manitoba located about 550 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.

"It's road accessible and there's not much for them to do," Ayo said.

Ayo began searching forvolunteers to help run extracurricular activities at the school. Ed Desjarlais, an educational assistant at the school, heard the call and offered to teach fiddle lessons.

Now, they need fiddles.

Fiddle music important tradition

"I'm the only fiddler in the community," said Desjarlais, who taught himself to play on his grandfather's instrument.

Fiddle music has a long tradition in the community, but Desjarlais said it hasn't been successfully passed down to younger generations.

In order to revive the tradition,Ayo and Desjarlais are calling on the public to donate any used and unwanted fiddles to the school.

O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First NationChief Stephanie Blackbird saidthe fiddle program is exactly the kind of thing the young people need in her community.

"There's a need because there's an increase in our high school drop out rate," Blackbird,who was elected in May2016, told CBC News. "There's no other activities for them."

Instilling pride

Blackbird and Ayo say there have been break-ins and vandalism at the school recently. Both see increased extra-curricular activities as a way to counteract that behaviour.

"We're trying to address that and make it so they're proud of their schooland it becomes home to themnot something they want to hurt or take away from," said Blackbird.

"I'm not defending the kids, but what are they going to do after school?" said Ayo. "We need to come up with some activities."

Blackbird thinks the fiddle program could work.

"We're investing in them, giving them something to believe into take pride in the fact that they're learning a musical instrument," said Blackbird. "I think is a good deterrent to keep them on the right track and value education."

Used fiddles for students atDonaldAhmoSchool inO-Chi-Chak-Ko-SipiFirst Nation may be dropped off atCBC Manitoba headquarters at541 Portage Ave.before Oct.17. Used guitars also welcome.