Daily Life

The students were largely free to draw what they wished in the art program and most of their artwork was created after school and on weekends. They divided their time outside of school between work and play. The drawings also showed leisure activities, such as hoop and stick games and hikes in the hills of the Nk'Mip Reserve.

The students also shared their knowledge of the animals that populated their environments. For example, images of horses and riders show an understanding of the everyday roles played by horses in the Okanagan - from the depiction of riders in traditional and/or historical buckskin and headdresses, to modern images of "Indian cowboys" herding horses and competing in rodeos. Many of the children had family members who were accomplished rodeo competitors and travelled regularly to competitions across BC and Washington state. Bronco Rider (1967-028-029) uses dramatic perspective to show a rider "bucked" by the horse.

Some drawings show special recreational activities. On Halloween, a pile of branches that the children had been gathering since late September was ignited in a bonfire. The children's initials appear beside their figures around the fire clockwise from left: Caroline Baptiste, Netty Kruger, Harry Baptiste, Raymond Baptiste, Bertha Baptiste, Irene Baptiste, Gertie Baptiste, Edith Kruger. Anthony Walsh appears nearby with the drum that was used in many of their drama productions.

A second image shows a game of tug-o-war, a traditional activity among the Okanagan people. The children participating in it are pictured in animal forms - a reflection of the traditional storytelling that became part of the children's schoolwork during Walsh's time there. Walsh encouraged students to tell stories that came from their lives at home. The exact same number and kinds of animals on each side indicates that each team likely had the same number of boys and girls on it.

Andrea Walsh describes the art as documents of two cultures
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Jane Stelkia and Andrea Walsh use archival photographs to locate the site of the Inkameep Day School and grounds
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Jane Stelkia speaks about Halloween activities at the Inkameep Day School
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Jane Stelkia speaks about daily activities at the Inkameep Day School
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