Over the course of the Wapekeka Week of Wonder, youth participants were provided with DSLR cameras and play-based training in photography, and participated in reflective discussions about their photos. A total of 8 youth attended sessions throughout the week. 2 youth completed the final project, which asked participants to take photos to represent: community, family, strength and a dream for the future.

The following photographs were captured by Kyson Joseph (age 11) and Timothy Joseph (age 12) in Wapekeka First Nation, Ontario.

Asked to take a photo of his favourite place in the community, Kyson chose the gym.

”I like the gym. They have hockey sticks there and gym class and Right To Play program with Matthias.” (Former Right To Play Community Mentor in Wapekeka).

Timothy chose to take a photo of the Youth Centre, of which he has fond memories (it is currently under construction). “Because I used to go in the basement with my friends. I used to go down there and jump off [the ledge]. It was fun.”

“We go in the bush too,” Timothy describes other things he and his friends do for fun. He explains how he uses the trees as landmarks to remember where he is, since there is no trail.

To represent his dream of becoming a better skater, Kyson chose to take a photo of his friend falling down on the ice.

He also opened up about what he’d like to see in Wapekeka in order to feel more proud to live here. “Bigger school, but they’re building that. A bigger store. A bigger gym. A bigger town.”

When it comes to dreams for the future, Timothy’s revolve around hockey. “I wish I was on the NHL player team,” he says, which he translated into a photo of his foot in his skate. Until then, though, he hopes the community has enough money to have a boys’ hockey team in Wapekeka next year, and for more free-admission hockey practice at the rink. “I wish I could skate backwards.” He also dreams of seeing the Washington Capitals play hockey one day. Timothy’s mind then goes to the girls broom ball tournament that was happening at the same time as the photography program. “I hope the [Wapekeka] broom ball team wins in Kingfisher,” he shares.

The two photography program participants are brothers, and both chose to take a photo of their sisters Drakea and Moriah to represent ‘Family’.

Kyson explains his choice: What do your sisters mean to you? “Everything.”

“Family helps me a lot,” says Timothy. “[My sisters] just play with me, that’s all. And sometimes hockey.” He describes the skill and talent he sees in his sisters: “Moriah – she knows how to trick me, go under my legs with the ball. And she scores a lot, I can’t even score on her one time. But I do sometimes. And Drakea, she knows how to do splits.”

When describing what ‘strength’ means to him, Kyson said it is when people support you. “[This photo is of] my grandma supporting me when she’s signing that [Right To Play] registration form.” (not pictured per request)

Timothy chose to take a picture of the school in Wapekeka. “I like learning stuff,” he says, a common thread throughout his reflections. He describes how he picks up new skills quickly when he can watch someone else doing it. “I watched my dad chop wood and then I try to get it, and I chop it right away,” he says, as an example. He explains that it makes him feel strong when he can do what other people around him do, and how important having those role models is.