Tessa

Tessa is a 10-year-old Métis girl from Hay Lakes, Alberta. She introduces us to her soccer team, the Assassins, and she demonstrates some parkour moves in the park. Tessa gives us a tour of her bedroom and shows us her awards, her artwork, the book she is writing and the crochet blanket that she made for her stuffed animals. She introduces us to her cat Cringer, and also to her best friends, Stacey and Sannah. The girls hang out at the park and go swimming together. Tessa teaches us all about smudging, something that she also teaches in special seminars to kids her own age. Smudging is important to many Métis people. Tessa tells us that it helps cleanse the body. At a seminar, Tessa explains what a talking stick is and shows the kids how to smudge. She also teaches them how to play traditional games like Ring and Pin and Double Ball. After each seminar, Tessa says thank-you to the participants. "Hey-Hey" is her special word and it means thank-you!