Warrior People song by Rob Quist and Sign language video by Mariah Gladstone

Warrior People by Rob Quist
She could see him even now as home he rode
His horses working hard to bear this heavy load
As they crossed the streaming water
Snowbird knew her own grandfather
When he gave the secret sign that was their code
His many years had etched fine lines across his face
Yet he moved with great fluidity and grace
A hunter home with meat and glory
First their dinner, then a story
Snowbird welcomed him back home with her embrace
(Chorus)
Every morning he would rise before the sun
To give respect, before a new day had begun
To the Sun and Earth Mother
Just as he had shown to others
Long had his Warrior People run
(End of Chorus)
From the Saskatchewan to the Yellowstone, our home
Down the Old North Trail to Mexico, we’d roam
Though misty mountains, prairie sunny
Life was good for the Pikuni
Though now, Blackfeet and Blood is how we’re known
One day, you’ll have a daughter of your own
Please remember all my stories when you’ve grown
Tell her of the bear and eagle
And about the Warrior People
And her great grandfather whose spirit has flown
(Chorus)
And every morning, rise before the sun
To give respect before a new day has begun
To the Sun and Earth Mother
Just as we must show to others
Long may our Warrior People Run

Birds Like People

Birds Like People by Halladay Quist
Come gather round hear what I say
I’ll share a story from back in the day
Just a little something my elder taught me
About the difference between you and me
Take a look around and what do you see
Different kinds of birds flying through the trees
Some eating seeds and some like bugs
Some flying low or high up above
Some like to squeak and some like to chirp
Some like to whooo and some like to slurp
Some living in a nest, some in a hole
Some stay home, others flying to the poles
Birds are like people each have their own way
Of living a life in the world today
If we learn from each other we’ll find a way
Birds are like People
Each have their own way
Birds are like People, People like Birds
Look at the people of this land
Different kind of man their own kind of brands
They speak their own language they live their own lives
They eat all kinds of food they have their own tribes
Like the Blackfeet, the Sioux, the Crow, the Cheyenne,
the Nez Perce, the Umatilla, and Yakima Clans
From the hills of the plains all the way to the coast,
Let’s raise a glass and give them a toast!
Birds are like people each have their own way
Of living a life in the world today
If we learn from each other we’ll find a way
Birds are like People
Each have their own way
Birds are like People, People like Birds
Birds are like people each have their own way
Of living a life in the world today
If we learn from each other we’ll find a way
Birds are like People
Each have their own way
Birds are like People, People like Birds

5 positive benefits of individual sports

Oftentimes, when sports parents, coaches and league administrators talk about “youth sports” they are referring to team sports like baseball, football, soccer, basketball, lacrosse and so forth. Obviously one of the biggest benefits of being involved in a team sport is that a youth athlete learns how to be part of a team. They learn when to lead and when to follow, how to work well with others and function as a group. Some sports parents and coaches might argue that those benefits are lost if a child gets involved in individual sports (karate, tennis, golf, swimming, etc). But if your child is more interested in an individual sport than a team sport, don’t despair!

Here are 5 positive benefits of individual sports:

1. Youth athletes in individual sports learn to be self reliant. Their success is entirely dependent on their own efforts. If they want to win, they can’t count on someone else carrying them through the competition. If they lose a match, individual sport athletes can’t blame anyone else for their failure. This teaches them to be responsible for their own action and decisions.

2. Individual sports can teach players how to be comfortable in the spotlight. All eyes are on them during play and they can’t hide out in a crowded field. Being comfortable performing solo in front of a crowd can come in hand for school and work presentations later in life.

3. Even individual sports have “teams.” For instance, each member of a gymnastics squad competes as an individual, but their individual scores feed into the overall score for the whole team. Their efforts still affect the success of their team, even if they are competing on their own.

4. Individual sports teach players how to motivate themselves. There is no team pressuring them to improve, the drive has to come from within. This kind of intrinsic motivation is oftentimes much more powerful than external motivation.

5. Individual sports allow athletes to compete at their own pace. For instance, if your 12 year old decides they want to start playing football, they’ll be competing against other 12-14 year olds, some who have been playing football since they were 6. However, if your 12 year old decides they want to start karate, they’ll be practicing/competing with people of a similar skill level. There isn’t as much pressure to “catch up” with the other players.

The Battleship Mikasa Homeschool Virtual Field Trip

This 15,000-ton beast was the flagship of Admiral Togo. To best illustrate you the rich history of this sleeping battleship we had teamed up with our Tokyo colleague: Tadamasa Miyanaga, our Military Advisor for Japan.

Japan won the Japanese-Sino War (1895-1895), but had to accept humiliation in returning the Liaodong Peninsula ceded from the Qing Dynasty due to the Tripartite (Russia, France and Germany) Intervention and was thus later exposed to blatant Russian military threat. Therefore, Japan endeavored to strengthen its national defense under dire fiscal constraints and decided to promote 6-6 Fleet Build-Up Plan of building 6 Battle Ships and 6 Armoured cruisers.HIJMS MIKASA was the 6th Battle Ship ordered to built in England and in March 1902 MIKASA was commissioned at Vickers Shipbuilding, Immediately after her transfer to Yokosuka, Japan, In December 1903 when the relationship between Japan and Russia exacerbated, the Combined Fleet was organized and HIJMS MIKASA was designated the Flagship.This photo shows the launching of HIJMS MIKASA at Vickers Ship yard.

For more information check out: http://www.kinenkan-mikasa.or.jp/en/build_of_mikasa.html