Author Archives: bhalland

FourDirectonsTeachings.com

Module 4 Post 5

FourDirectionsTeachings.com is a visually stunning audio narrated resource for learning about Indigenous knowledge and philosophy from the five diverse First nations in Canada.

It includes a fully developed Teacher Resource Kits that provides resources intended for grades 1-12 as well as an abundance of further reference resources. The site offers interactive delivery as well as print or website material. Each of the 5 nations has an elder representative deliver Indigenous teachings linked to various subject strands at the elementary, junior, and high school levels.

The Indigenous Teachings are as follows

  • Blackfoot Nation – The Tipi/Governance/The Circle Model/The Powwow
  • Cree Nation – Four Directions/Four Aspects of Self/The Tipi
  • Ojibwe Nation – The Medicine Wheel/Tradition/The four Directions/The Center of the Wheel/ The Four Scared medicines/Death and Remembrance/The Strawberry Teaching/The Seven Stages of Life/Four Sky Dwellers/Tee of Peace
  • Mohawk Nation – Giving Thanks/Thanksgiving Address/Morning Prayer/Mohawk Creation Story
  • Mi’kmaq Nation – The Mi’kmaq Creation Story

 

Land Acknowledgements

Module 4 Post 4

I know others have found resources about the importance of Land Acknowledgements, and I have selected a few local resources for my Treaty 7 region.

The first is from the Calgary Foundation whose mission since 1955 has been and continues to be to nurture a healthy, vibrant, giving, and caring community. The Foundation has a playlist of 4 different acknowledgments that provide a history and context for the acknowledgment and is has an elder representative from each of the Treaty u First Nation profiled in the video. This is a good option to introduce a course at the beginning of the term as it provides more context and information than just an opening Land Acknowledgement and also helps build instructor familiarity and confidence around the delivery of a land acknowledgment.

There is another one from the Calgary Public Library that is child-centered, but I really enjoyed it too!

And this one emphasizes the importance of the Land Acknowledgment as conveying a sense of relationship and stewardship of the land, not ownership, which is something that had still alluded me until having watched this video where it was explicitly explained.

References

Calgary Foundation. (2019, January 27). Land Acknowledgement (Full) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7re1r0FY-4Y

Calgary Public Library. (2020, May 12). Treaty 7 Land Acknowledgment [Video].  YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Jqskc3man4

SOURCE-Scholarly Output Research Creative Excellence. (2020, April 23). Indigenous Voices – Land Acknowledgment [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HtG7j19na4

Indigenous History Series – Galt Museum

Module 4, Post 3

In recognition of the importance of relationship and oral teachings, I am finding the video resources very beneficial and authentic. This may not be the most conventional source, but the Facebook page Indigenous History is curated by the Galt Museum & Archives. Here is the Inaugural video of the Indigenous History Series, hosted by Rebecca Many Grey Horses, a local Indigenous expert.

Rebecca Many Grey Horses presents an overview of Indigenous history in southern Alberta. Rebecca has facilitated Indigenous history classes here at the Galt for the past two years, bringing in local experts, knowledge keepers, and Elders to educate large groups of learners.

7 Sacred Animals/Laws – Math & Numbers

Module 4 Post 2 (Long post, but wanted to keep things together.)

I have posted before about the importance of integrating elders as a classroom resource, and I have the good fortune to have Crystal Manyfingers as our Indigenization Coach and colleague and recent author of  “A’pistotooki and the Ihkitsik Kaawa’pomaahkaa: Creator and the Seven Animals, why are we Here? (Links to an external site.)“, a beautifully simple, hope-filled story that aims to support the revitalization of Blackfoot language and culture.

In my class I can merge the Indigenous teachings with my number study, focusing on the importance of various numbers – this post will focus on the number 7, and the 7 Sacred Laws reflected in First Nation beliefs. Students can connect with the material through an exploration of number systems.

Other resources have been shared before, but I will include them here for easy reference.

TurtleLodge.Org has

From Tribal Trade Co., which I present in a separate post, includes the following video that is also related:

In looking further I also found one more by Etienna Moostoos-Lafferty,

Etienna is a member of the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 8 territory in the province of Alberta. She has worked provincially as an Indigenous Education Consultant and is now the Indigenous Education Coach for Evergreen Catholic Schools in Edmonton, Alberta. She also has also contributed to Telling Tales a website resource that focuses on developing early literacy and has Indigenous materials, such as a 37 minute Land and Water virtual program that includes an Indigenous reading of Water Walker (9:15) with Cree vocabulary and is recorded on the shores of Slave Lake, within the Treaty 8 region.

References

Calgary Public Library. (2020, August 3). A’pistotooki and the Ihkitsik Kaawa’pomaahkaa: Creator and the seven animals, why are we here? (Links to an external site.) YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qyrhLwzHRU

Etienna Moostoos-Lafferty. (2020, June 9).   A Reading of the 7 Sacred Teachings [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnAT4LGkfKo

Telling Tales    https://tellingtales.org/presenters/etienna-moostoos-lafferty/

Tribal Trade Co. (2020, June 10). Animal Meanings to Indigenous People of the Native American Culture [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQRglH9BK94&list=PLUCbxL7irwXOFVDWUyhxpJsvCvc9vY3pP

Turtle Lodge. ( n.d.). A Story of the Seven Sacred Laws. https://mailchi.mp/28d6ebb11e6a/a-story-of-the-seven-sacred-laws

Turtle Lodge. (n.d. ). The Seven Sacred Laws Animated Web Series. http://www.turtlelodge.org/the-seven-sacred-laws/

 

Tribal Trade – Indigenous Culture

Module 4, Post 1

I came across this YouTube channel and found it to be amazing! I can use this extensively as an instructional resource or learning activity as I build lessons using contexts that are relevant to all Treaty people (which is all of us!) Have a look – hope you enjoy it!

Tribal Trade Co.  

Reference

Tribal Trade Co. (n.d.). Created Playlists. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/c/TribalTradeCo/playlists

Rainbow Girl/Fancy Dance/Pow Wows/Regalia & Drumming

Module 3 Post 5

The 2021 Calgary Stampede has an annual poster competition that celebrates western art. This year the poster contest winner featured artwork of a young Fancy Dancer with rainbow ribbons flowing from her regalia, inspired by the image of a young woman named Katari Righthand from the Siksika First Nation. Kati Righthand also was named the 2021 Stampede parade marshall. From my context, this is a very relevant event and provides an opportunity to explore Indigenous culture and tradition.  My post-secondary institution also jointly hosts an annual Pow Wow in June, in celebration of Indigenous month, and this past year, with Covid, they sponsored a Pow Wow Wellness Event in March.

The annual Calgary Stampede and Pow Wow event(s) can also provide other connections that can be further explored and attached to this topic, including drumming and regalia.  This is a good opportunity to learn more about Indigenous culture as it is an annual event that garners a lot of attention and interest.

References

Calgary Stampede. (n.d.). 2021 Stampede Parade Marshal. https://www.calgarystampede.com/stampede/parade

Collective Wellness Pow Wow. (2021, March 16). Collective Wellness Pow Wow: A Virtual Gathering for all Nations. https://collectivewellnesspowwow.ca/

Monique Massiah. (2020, November 21). 2021 Calgary stampede poster features Sisika youth. Strathmore Now. https://strathmorenow.com/stories/2021-calgary-stampede-poster-features-siksika-youth

Iniikokaan Centre – BVC On-Site Indigenous Resource Community

Module 3 Post 4

I realize I have been underinformed and underutilizing the resources that are self-contained within my own post-secondary institution! I found this resource that was created when the Iniikokaan (Buffalo Lodge) Centre was first opened. I like the analogy that education is the modern-day buffalo for our Indigenous learners (provides for families). I think it would be very powerful to have all the learners visit the space and appreciate it physically, mentally (representation), and emotionally.

There is a video here that has both students and elders discussing the importance of the Iniikokaan Centre.

https://bowvalleycollege.ca/student-resources/student-life/iniikokaan-centre

Siksikáí’powahsin , Okotoks Big Rock Erratic

Module 3 Post 3

My hometown, Okotoks. The name Okotoks comes from a Siksikáí’powahsin word meaning “rock.” Before European settlement, the Siksika used a crossing point on the Sheep River where the town now stands. The name may have referred to the large block of rock that sits on the otherwise flat prairie west of the town. Known as Big Rock, it was transported by the continental glacier of the last ice age, likely from Mount Edith Cavell. Geologists call this feature a glacial erratic.

There are many places in Alberta and Canada that have names of Indigenous origins, and this is a very powerful way to engage all learners while including Indigenous perspectives. Here are a few sources that can be used to identify Indigenous named places:

My Module 3, Post 2 has a video related to the big rock, which I will include here also for ease:

The link above tells how the Big Rock, outside Okotoks, is connected to the Blackfoot creation story.  This is a location where the world began; where supernatural mischief-maker Napi was pursued by the rock as he traveled from south to north, creating the mountains and rivers.

Placed-based Teachings

Module 3 Post 2

Reflecting on the importance of the land, oral histories, and story-telling, I have collected a series of sites that reflect important places and histories around the Calgary area.

The above names Treaty 7 regions and relates stories behind their names.

The above includes some oral history of Treaty 7 nations in the Bow Valley.

The above link above profiles The Chiniki Elders Advisory Council and Municipal District of Bighorn collaborated over a two-year period to select the locations, stories, and artwork for eight Stoney Nakoda story signs around the Bow Valley as a joint Canada 150 Project.

Above is a brochure that summarizes the region and stories of the project:

The link above tells how the Big Rock, outside Okotoks, is connected to the Blackfoot creation story.  This is a location where the world began; where supernatural mischief-maker Napi was pursued by the rock as he traveled from south to north, creating the mountains and rivers.

The video/audio file is awesome and is noted above to avoid you missing it on the webpage.

Teaching and Learning Through the Medicine Wheel

Module 3, Post 1

In week 7 I posted the medicine wheel as a symbol and tool for wellness, but it has many roles that it serves and is a significant symbol among Indigenous peoples. Here are various online resources that can support learning about and with the Medicine Wheel and its connection to mathematical concepts linked to geometry and the circle:

References

Gardypie, R. (n.d). Integrating First Nations and Metis content and perspective grade 1:  Earth and space science- daily and seasonal changes (DS). Prairie Spirit School Division. https://www.spiritsd.ca/learningresources/FNM%20Resources/GR1%20Science%20on%20Daily%20and%20Seasonal%20Changes%202011.pdf

The Alberta Teachers’ Association. (2006). Education is our Buffalo: A Teachers’ Resource for First Nations, Metis and Inuit Education in Alberta. https://www.albertaschoolcouncils.ca/public/download/documents/55705

Tribal Trade Co. (2020, June 19). What is the Medicine Wheel? (Medicine Wheel Teachings 1010).   YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7nb4rJ_N14