On January 10th, Biidaaban Kinoomaagegamik carried out the time-immemorial tradition of Nimkodaading. As a welcome to the new year, new season, and a fresh new start to the second school term, students from every grade, teachers, educators, custodians, cooks, and administrators – the entire school! – lined the hallways of Biidaaban. They spanned all the way from the Primary to the Senior wing! Why were they lining the hallways? They lined the hallways to greet one another with a bump of hands or a warm hug, to welcome and wish one another 'Mino Nimkodaading' as they entered a new season and a new year together. This Nimkodaading greeting was the first to ring throughout the halls of the new Biidaaban, bringing light and love to its inhabitants.
Teachers assembled their students by grade, starting with the youngest from Early Learning. Each child stood shoulder to shoulder beside the next, creating a string of children up one side of the school and back down the other. The line rose in age and grade, until all were assembled up to Grade 8. Staff were sprinkled in between and, on each end, wherever one found a place. Even the photographer was absorbed into the celebration, offering 'Mino Nimkodaading' greetings to all the children as they came by, having just received information about the expression by Anishinaabemowin Language Teacher Carol Bob.
Principal Becky Toulouse started the traditional greeting ceremony with the Early Learning students. She weaved her way through the hallway, working up through the grades, ensuring she bumped the hand or gave a hug to everyone she met. Following behind her was the first Early Learner in the lineup, making their way in the same fashion, greeting each student with “Mino Nimkodaading!” or “Happy New Year!”, and a smile, hug, or tap to make a connection with that person. Then the next in line followed that child, and so on down the line it continued until every person had taken the opportunity to personally greet all who were present. At some points, the hallway had four lines of staff and students intermingling and extending greetings. Smiles were seen on every person's face, and the spirit of community, love, acceptance, happiness, and, most importantly, re-connecting with one another following Winter Solstice circulated throughout the school. It was joyful.
After that, students returned to class, and Principal Becky delivered fresh oranges, apples, and a small bag of wrapped candies to each student. This is a customary offering that stems from tradition. 'Sometimes people lived very far from each other, and the journey was long and cold,' Carol said, while sharing the history of Nimkodaading, following the school celebration. It is tradition during Nimkodaading to visit from one family to the next, house to house, to wish them well for the new season. Each family offers the travellers food to nourish them in the cold weather and on their journey to reach the community members. 'Years ago,' Carol said, 'it was common to offer peanuts in the shell or colourful ribbon candies, mandarins, apples, or homemade biscuits. If the family was serving a meal, it was customary to be invited to join them at their table'. Every house would have visitors. 'Tea or coffee to help keep visitors warm between their travel to the next home was also customary because homes were spread far apart in those days,' Carol added. "Nimkodaading is meant to be a celebration of a new beginning after Winter Solstice, to bring back unity,” or as she rephrased "more endearingly, togetherness.”
