Naming the West : Stories Siksika Chief Nato-Sapi College

Siksika Elder Story 2:
Chief Nato-Sapi College

Now, if anybody ever asks you how many Old Sun schools were there on the reserve- four. Always remember that. Four. The first school of Old Sun was down the flats, down to the old Tobacco ceremony. That was the first school. It burnt down. Then they moved over here, down the flats. I don’t know how long that stood there. That burnt down. Then finally where the Indian days are, down here, that was the third one. It also burnt down. And finally the fourth one was over here. It’s not this school, it was a wooden one. It burnt down. Now when you go to Old Sun, look up at the front door. It says 1929. That’s when it opened. I met one old guy who told me, "I was here when they built this school. I had a horse," and don’t know if you people know what I’m talking about. It’s a schoop. One horse pulls, and it digs the ground. That’s what he said we did. He used bucking horses that were too wild and they took off with the buckets. So remember, four burnt down before this was built, at Old Sun School.