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'In Flanders Fields' to be read in Haida

For the first time, students at Queen Charlotte Secondary will be reading 'In Flanders Fields' in Haida during the Remembrance Day ceremony.Vice Principal, Deavlan Bradley says all students will be attending the assembly (held Thursday at 10:30 am), with two students reading the poem in Haida, followed by the standard English version. He says the ceremony will honour local and Haida veterans.The translation has been a work in progress over the last year with the help of Kathleen Hans, known to many as Golie, who has been working with students on the project. Mr. Bradley says the translation is not as straight-forward as one might think. He says while some words may translate to Haida, quite often the concepts don't translate in each language. While the Remembrance Day assembly is required by the province, Mr. Bradley says the school would hold the ceremony regardless. He says the message and purpose is to teach students about lessons learned in history. Also, with more than half the school's population being first nations, the incorporation of the Haida language keeps the ceremony relevant.The school will be closed for the holiday Friday November 11th.