What started off as a simple trip to Winnipeg would turn out to be an insipring day for one of Ebb and Flow First Nation's brightest leaders.
Darcy Malcolm, Education Director for Ebb and Flow, was on a trip with some school elders to Winnipeg when he got a call in a Walmart parking lot.
"While I was waiting outside, a phone call comes in, and I look at my cell phone and it says 'Dauphin Constituency', I said oh, wonder what this is all about. So I answer the phone call, it was MLA Ron Kostyshyn's assistance Charlene on the other line, and she says MLA Ron has asked me to reach out to you, he would like to recognize you in the Manitoba Legislative Building, he would like to honour you," said Malcolm.
Last Thursday, Darcy Malcolm was recognized in the Manitoba Legislative Assembly by Dauphin MLA Ron Kostyshyn for outstanding contributions to his community, both as the Education Director for Ebb and Flow, and Master of Ceremonies of the Pow Wow Trail.
During a phone call with Malcolm, he constantly stressed one thing: the regognition isn't just his. He has a huge team of people he works with to thank for how much he's been able to help his community.
"It's not only about me, the work I do with the school is about a group of people that come together here daily to educate that child. When I say group of people, I mean my team, I mean teachers, EA, custodians, support workers, support staff, you name it. I have 250 staff that come here daily and work with our children, including bus drivers...it's about coming together with a team of people, and we walk together as one. I will say to my people, no one person is better than the other, we walk as one, we walk in unity, and there's one thing we need to accomplish, it's to look after that child in our school," said Malcolm.
The other half of his recognition stems from his continued work as the Master of Ceremonies of the Pow Wow Trail, a role he happened to take by a lot of chance. After a heart attack in 2015, Malcolm turned to traditional healing, which involved dancing at a good number of Pow Wows. In an interesting turn of fate, the tipping point from dancer to Master of Ceremonies happened at a Pow Wow at Ebb and Flow School.
"The Master of Ceremonies did not show up, so the committee was out and about asking people, 'anybody want to Emcee this Pow Wow?', so they went to a few people, they came to me, I said I guess I can give it a shot, I'll give it a try," said Malcolm.
The rest is history. Malcolm now Emcees 8 different Pow Wows over the summer months, with a 9th addition this year in Waywayseecappo First Nation.
