How a Sask. residential school survivor is teaching Indigenous culture to the next generation

Walking across the stage with a Masters of Indigenous Education diploma is not a place Jeff Cappo ever thought he’d be.

“I spent some time in residential school growing up. I spent quite a number of years there,” Cappo said.

“I wasn’t supposed to be where I am today.”

Originally from Muscowpetung First Nation, Cappo attended Gordon’s Indian Residential School for five years.

“My growing up was survival. Education was the furthest thing from my mind,” he said.

In 2014, that changed. He went to the University of Saskatchewan to complete the Indian Teacher Education program.

“I was happy with my undergrad,” he explained. “Then my wife said ‘there’s so much more to you, Jeff. You have so much to share.’”

With his family’s support, he went back to school at the age of 44. He graduated from the University of Regina’s Masters of Indigenous Education program this fall.

“To achieve my masters was something that was the furthest from my mind. I also didn’t think it was achievable,” Cappo said.

“Just walking across that stage and being able to get my masters is when it really hit.”

But for Cappo, the convocation ceremony was about so much more than just the diploma. He was proud to share his culture in two ways.

The first was his hair.

“I was asked ‘why are you wearing your braids at convocation?’ because when you think about it, that was one of the things they tried to take away from us was our cultural heritage and cutting our hair,”

Cappo also performed with The Lone Creek Singers, singing the honour song before the ceremony.

“When they asked me to sing for my convocation, that was another piece [residential schools] were trying to take away from us,” he said.

“I combined the two. Not so much to make a statement, but to inspire others.”

Cappo said it shows the University of Regina is taking reconciliation seriously.

“This song is traditionally used to honour warriors upon successful completion of a difficult mission,” Glenys Sylvestre, the executive director of university governance and secretary of the University of Regina who also emceed the ceremony, said at the podium.

“I want to acknowledge the many years that Jeff has honoured our graduates at these ceremonies and thank [him] for participating in this way.”

In many ways, receiving his masters degree is just the beginning for the next step of Cappo’s career.

As Indigenous Education Coordinator for Regina Public Schools, he plans to develop land-based learning curriculum to implement for students across the city

“Being able to see an Indigenous person with that educational background, and also with that cultural background, inspires them,” Cappo said.

Despite offers to teach across the country, Cappo said he plans to stay right here in Saskatchewan to be close to family and to continue passing knowledge on to future generations.