Stay aware, stay safe: Indigenous students in Thunder Bay, Ont. learn self-defence skills

Safety and self defence were the central topics covered at a series of special classes for teachers and Indigenous students at Thunder Bay's Catholic high schools.

Teachers and students from St. Patrick and St. Ignatius High Schools attended workshops with instructors at Safe International on how they can avoid and prevent violence while deescalating conflict.

At one of the sessions on Wednesday, Kevin Kakegamic, the Indigenous outreach coordinator with the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board, said the idea to host a self defence class for First Nations students came about in September, 2017.

"One of the initiatives that we wanted to come up with is self defence," Kakegamic said, "What I found really appealing about [the Safe International] program is the majority of the training that they offer for the youth is deescalating, self awareness and how to get out of a dangerous situation without using violence."

He said the primary goal in providing these classes to First Nations students was to run a course where they can learn how to increase their "self-esteem and self confidence."

Self defence starts with yourself

According to Safe International's self-defence instructor Richard Dimitri, one-in-four women will be assaulted during their lifetime, with the highest risk group being teenagers.

He said students between the ages of 12 and 15 are at the highest risk of being abducted, which is why he believes self defence classes should be taught to all high school students.

"This course is all about prevention [and] awareness ... so it's basic confrontation management skills," he said. "So we are teaching people how to survive in potentially ... violent and anti-social violent encounters."

Dimitri stressed the difference between self defence and martial arts, stating that during altercations, punching and kicking techniques aren't very effective.

"A lot of people confuse the two," Dimitri said. "It's like comparing badminton, tennis and ping-pong."

School board initiative

"This idea originally came with the intent of finding ways we could have a program that would offer self esteem and self confidence when they deal with racism or being wherever it is in the community," Kakegamic said.

Kakegamic, who also taught for 15 years at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, said he was on staff there during the tragic death of seven First Nation students in Thunder Bay and realized the importance of self awareness and community safety.

"I think that this is a program that could help them and equip them [with] whatever day-to-day environment they're in, even in public places," Kakegamic said, "I know that this training ... could carry them for the rest of their lives."

He said being able to teach the students that there are steps that can be taken before violence occurs will not only provide positive reinforcement but also show them that violence can be prevented.

"As we are learning in the training this week, we can see that this is an opportunity even to offer to other students as well," Kakegamic said. "We're happy that we included other teachers in our school board ... because now we are going to offer this program into regular classes."

Building confidence & awareness

Grade nine student Jenayah Fox was one of the students who participated in the self-defence training.

She said she always believed that self defence involved kicking, punching and fighting and it wasn't until Wednesday's course that she learned the difference.

"He's taught us to be aware," Fox said. "People mostly go after someone who is unaware of their surroundings." 

She said she learned that even the simple act of listening to music while having her hoodie over her head puts herself at risk when walking home.

On Wednesday, students practiced with punching pads, imagining themselves in dangerous situations and learning how to channel their confidence especially at times when fear can take over.

Fox said it was hard to imagine herself in a dangerous situation until the instructor explained that self-defence is not just about the individual involved.

"I always thought, yeah I gotta protect my family as well but I'm realizing that by protecting myself, it helps my family a whole lot more," Fox said. "The best way to stay out of it and keep yourself safe is to stay aware."