Vi Thunderchild stands beside a painting done by the students. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Preserving language

Prince Albert school Legacy project honours former mentor

Sep 25, 2025 | 3:00 PM

The experience of seeing and hearing over 150 young children singing in Cree left Vi Thunderchild feeling both proud and excited.

Thunderchild and members of her family were invited to John Diefenbaker School on Thursday for the official unveiling of a legacy project that has been years in the making. It was done to honour Vi’s late husband Victor, a teacher whose dream of a Cree language program at the school has since become both a reality and a success.

Looking at the various works done by the students to commemorate him, Vi told paNOW a lot of things come to mind.

“I guess never give up on your dreams…like this was Victor’s dream, this was my grandmother, my grandfather and all our ancestors’ [dream], like all the ones that were in residential school. This is really emotional because it took so long to come to fruition.”

Vi noted Saskatoon had their Cree programs already set up, and Victor wondered why Prince Albert didn’t have one. Vi was asked what she thought her late husband might say if he were there at the school.

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“Never give up…and he’d say thank you to everybody.”

Thursday’s unveiling ceremony was preceded by a school assembly and included multiple guest speakers.

Vi told the audience Victor, who is from Thunderchild First Nation, moved to Prince Albert in 1992 and their children attended John Diefenbaker school.

The Cree language program was officially launched in 2020 for the kindergarten class. It is now offered up to Grade 5, and thanks to funding from the school board, Cree language coaches are able to work in the classroom and mentor both teachers and students.

Vi noted the numerous people who have come together to make her husband’s dream come true.

“One person can make a difference, but you also need to have good friends to carry you through and this isn’t just Victor’s dream, this is probably all my ancestor’s dreams… every person who speaks Cree,” she said. “Thank you to the ones who are learning Cree, thank you to the administration for allowing this to happen and thank you so much for welcoming me to this event.”

Acknowledging the impact Victor had on the school, Principal Jenna Cross said while her former friend and colleague could not be there in person, his spirit lives on.

“Today marks the day, we give thanks. Today we’re going to put a stamp on John Diefenbaker to honour Victor forever and his contributions and pay tribute to what he has done for this school, for this community, for this city, for this province.”

(Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

Sharing a personal connection she had with Victor, Cross said in her early teaching days at Carlton Public High School she was in the science department and Thunderchild was in the social sciences department. 


“Teaching was challenging at the beginning when you first started out – you need a lot of support and Victor was one of those people who was always there. 
He stopped by every day, almost every day, I’m sure, after school, just to check in, say hello, and to make sure we were all okay. That was who Victor Thunderchild was. He was a mentor, and he became a very good friend to me.”

Orlanda Flett, one of the school’s Cree language support coaches, described Victor as a trailblazer in Cree language and cultural revitalization.

“I only had the privilege of knowing Victor for a short time but in that time, I came to understand his dreams and hopes for our Cree program,” she said, while wiping away tears.

Special guests admire the students’ art work. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

Elder Liz Setee delivered the opening prayer. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

Danielle Poulin, a land-based learning coach at the school, said Victor faced many struggles and fought through barriers to achieve where we are today.

“The pride he had in seeing his dream come to fruition. He gifted us with his eagle staff to help guide our path forward. He gifted us with an eagle feather, asking that it be hung by the doorway. With it, he prayed that each person who walked past it would feel the strength in the guidance of our ancestors.”

Flett stated paintings done by students will adorn the school’s hallways for many years to come, and encouraged the students who walk by them everyday to remember that it was not so long ago that Cree language and culture were not welcome in schools.

“Because of that, our people suffered, but now because of trailblazers like Victor Thunderchild, we are here today. His dream did not leave with him, and it survives in you,” she said. “When you speak your language, when you practice your culture, you give voice to our ancestors who couldn’t. You are our future knowledge –keepers, our future trailblazers.”

(Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

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