Sudbury school choir will sing O Canada in Ojibwe

This weekend, a choir from St. David Elementary School in Sudbury will be singing the national anthem in Ojibwe at the Sudbury Wolves and Sudbury Five games.

The students have been practising in preparation and have also been treated to some basketball skills training by the Sudbury Five.

“The students are really excited. It really motivates them (to try) something new and they are trying hard when it comes to the language as well because it is a very different language than English,” said Dina Bowles, an Indigenous support worker at St. David School.

The students, who are in Grades 4-6, said they are excited to sing the National anthem in Ojibwe at Sudbury Arena this weekend for two big games.

“It’s a very big event and I am very nervous,” said Teresa Carmichael, a Grade 6 student.

The students have been learning the language in class and singing Ojibwe songs is part of that.

“I feel good about it because most of my family is full native,” said Daxton Wabano, a Grade 4 student.

This weekend, a choir from St. David Elementary School in Sudbury will be singing the national anthem in Ojibwe at the Sudbury Wolves and Sudbury Five games. (Alana Everson/CTV News)

The Sudbury Five stopped by for a surprise visit at the school and hit the basketball court with the students to teach them some skills.

“It’s so important to us to weave ourselves into the fabric of the community and that starts at the young children level and they love doing it,” said team owner Dario Zulich.

“It gets the players to be engaged with our community and, of course, the community engaged with the team and the sport.”

The teams gifted the entire school tickets to the Sudbury Wolves and Sudbury Five games this weekend.

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