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Story Topic: Teacher Education

Teacher Education

Mike Bisson – Rebuilding Our Foundation

Posted on May 21, 2021 by Kevin Fitzmaurice

Mike Bisson (Bear Clan) is at the 4th level of Midewiwin.   He has worked in child welfare at Nogdawindamin as the Cultural Coordinator for many years. He now works at the treatment centre in Blind River developing culturally appropriate treatment strategies for Indigenous clients.  Through the use of the Anishnaabe language and storytelling, Elder Mike […]

Mike Bisson (Bear Clan) is at the 4th level of Midewiwin.   He has worked in child welfare at Nogdawindamin as the Cultural Coordinator for many years. He now works at the treatment centre in Blind River developing culturally appropriate treatment strategies for Indigenous clients.  Through the use of the Anishnaabe language and storytelling, Elder Mike Bisson discusses his journey of learning, listening, and helping in ceremony and how important he understands the Anishnaabe language and culture to be towards healing, developing a strong sense of self, and the understanding of Anishnaabe history.  Anishnaabe people have their own history, knolwedge, and education systems.  It is important to understand this and to respect Indigenous education that is based in Anishnaabe communities, language, knowledge, and ways of teaching. 

Barbara Nolan – Land-based learning that is immersed in the language

Posted on by Kevin Fitzmaurice

Barbara Nolan is an Elder from Wiikwemkoong First Nation. She is the Language Commissioner for the Anishinabek Nation and has a long history of teaching the Anishnaabe language and has developed many different resources to help with the teaching and learning of Anishnaabemowin including the ‘Nishnaabemdaa’, an Anishinaabemowin language app available for iOS and Android […]

Barbara Nolan is an Elder from Wiikwemkoong First Nation. She is the Language Commissioner for the Anishinabek Nation and has a long history of teaching the Anishnaabe language and has developed many different resources to help with the teaching and learning of Anishnaabemowin including the ‘Nishnaabemdaa’, an Anishinaabemowin language app available for iOS and Android devices.  Barbara also teaches Anishinaabemowin immersion on a part-time basis at the Garden River Child Care Centre.

According to Elder Barbara Nolan, traditional Anishnaabe education was on the land and children were included in everything that the parents did from picking berries, to cleaning fish and it was all done in the language.  All these teachings can be included in today’s curriculum as part of land-based learning that is immersed in the language.  This is Indigenous education and this is how our spirits get filled up.

Grace Fox – Language is Who We are

Posted on by Kevin Fitzmaurice

Grace Fox is from M’Chigeeng First Nation and has dedicated her life to Indigenous Education.  Over the course of her career, Grace has been a Guidance Counsellor, Teacher, Principal, and Director of Education and is now a Trustee with the Rainbow District School Board.   In spite of having attended residential school, Grace was able to […]

Grace Fox is from M’Chigeeng First Nation and has dedicated her life to Indigenous Education.  Over the course of her career, Grace has been a Guidance Counsellor, Teacher, Principal, and Director of Education and is now a Trustee with the Rainbow District School Board.   In spite of having attended residential school, Grace was able to retain her Anishnaabemowin language and feels strongly that Indigenous languages are critical to a meaningful understanding of Indigenous Education today. 

Grace is concerned that Indigenous Education Scholarship today is leading us away from the heart of the Indigenous knowledge and practices; which resides with Indigenous people who are living in the language, close to the land, and who are practicing traditional ceremonies.  Without a focus on these core aspects of Indigenous Education, there is the risk that attempting to understanding Indigenous Knowledge and practice within the English language and through Western assessment tools, will further colonize Indigenous people.   Although there have been some improvements in the valuing of Indigenous languages in provincial schools system as a result of efforts at reconciliation, there is so much work that needs to be done.

Shirley Williams – Language is Important

Posted on by Kevin Fitzmaurice

Shirley Williams (Bird Clan) is an Elder from Wiikwemkoong First Nation; her Anishinaabe name is Migizi ow Kwe meaning Eagle Woman.  Shirley is a Professor Emeritus at Trent University, Indigenous Studies where she has taught Anishnaabe language, identity, and culture for many years.  Over the course of her career at Trent and still today, Shirley […]

Shirley Williams (Bird Clan) is an Elder from Wiikwemkoong First Nation; her Anishinaabe name is Migizi ow Kwe meaning Eagle Woman.  Shirley is a Professor Emeritus at Trent University, Indigenous Studies where she has taught Anishnaabe language, identity, and culture for many years.  Over the course of her career at Trent and still today, Shirley has developed many different resources to help with the teaching and learning of Anishnaabemowin.   She is the author of ‘Shoolee: The Early Years’ an autobiographical and bilingual (English and Anishnnaabemowin) account of what traditional life was like growing up in the language and living close to the land on Manitoulan Island.

According to Elder Shirley Williams, supporting Indigenous language education is at the heart of reconciliation in Canada today. The residential school system almost destroyed the Anishnaabe language and the Anishnaabe educational system.  If we are going to move past the many harms of the residential school system and towards reconciliation in Canada, Indigenous languages need to be supported and we need to write and speak in the language as much as we can.    We need to respect and accept each other’s dialect and encourage each other to learn and speak the language.  We need to love our Anishnaabe language no matter how it is said.  We all belong because the Creator gave us all this language together. 

Chris Pheasant – Indigenous Education is Bimaadziwin (Way of Life)

Posted on by Kevin Fitzmaurice

Chris Pheasant is from Wiikwemkoong First Nation and has dedicated his life to Indigenous Education.  Over the course of his career, Chris has been a Guidance Counsellor, Teacher, Principal, and College Faculty member.   Indigenous education is Biimaadiziwin, a way of living.  Indigenous knowledge is ingrained in the language of the people and its relationship with […]

Chris Pheasant is from Wiikwemkoong First Nation and has dedicated his life to Indigenous Education.  Over the course of his career, Chris has been a Guidance Counsellor, Teacher, Principal, and College Faculty member.   Indigenous education is Biimaadiziwin, a way of living.  Indigenous knowledge is ingrained in the language of the people and its relationship with the environment, the land, the water, the air, our spirit.  It is a wholistic education that encompasses the four quadrants of being and understandings of natural law.  In these and other ways Indigenous Education differs from Western Education and it is important to be aware of and to be respectful of these differences. 

What is Possible in Community? Reflecting on Harvest Days at Sturgeon Lake First Nation

Posted on March 30, 2021 by Steffany Salloum

Elder Willie Ermine from Sturgeon Lake First Nation shares about the process of community development and how possibilities like Harvest Days come to fruition in his community.

Elder and ceremonialist, Willie Ermine, from Sturgeon Lake First Nation is the Traditional Health Coordinator at the Lloyd Johnson Memorial Healing Lodge. It is through the Elder’s Council and the work of the Healing Lodge that brings Sturgeon Lake community members together. Ermine discusses the history of his community and shares about the uniqueness of community members. The people are special and it is with the gifts of the people that will determine what is possible. By extracting the memory of the community he hopes that community members will see themselves in the history and will find strength in that knowledge.

Case Study: Sturgeon Lake Traditional Health Program

 

Cree Language Revitalization and Reclamation

Posted on February 24, 2021 by Steffany Salloum

Revitalizing the Cree language, one experience at a time.

Cree scholar, Belinda Daniels, began her nēhiyawēwin language journey so that her children would be able to speak Cree and communicate with their grandparents. She believed that if she wants this for her children then there must be many others who want this for their children too. On her journey of learning Cree and finding Cree language teaching methods she decided to create the nêhiyawak Summer Language Experience. Daniels’ education, both from Western institutions and teachings from her community have prepared her for this life’s work. She hopes that when people learn the Cree language they will understand how the language comes from the land and that the language is connected to life in this place.

Resources:

  • Herman, C., Daniels, B., Lewis, K., & Koole, M. (in review). Awakening sleeping languages in Saskatchewan with culturally appropriate curricula and technology. In H. Crompton and J. Traxler (Eds.) Critical Mobile Pedagogy: Cases of Inclusion, Development, and Empowerment. London, UK: Routledge.
  • Daniels, B., & Sterzuk, A, Turner, P., Cook, W., Thunder, D., & Morin, R. (in press). e ka pimohteyahk nikanehk ote nikan: nehiyawewin (cree language): Revitalization and Indigenous knowledge (re) generation – An ethics of southern research. In K. Heugh, C. Stround, P. De Costa & K. Taylor-Leech (Eds.). A sociolinguists of the South. Routledge

Buffalo Hide Tanning and Teachings – Part 1 – Introducing Buffalo People Arts Institute

Posted on February 3, 2021 by Steffany Salloum

The resilience of the buffalo is in our blood and we must re-learn and remember our relationship with the buffalo. 

Joely BigEagle-Kequahtooway and Lorne Kequahtooway are artists and leaders behind the Buffalo People Arts Institute (BPAI). Founded in 2015, BPAI became a non-profit organization whose mission is to share traditional Indigenous teachings and knowledge in order to raise social consciousness and create awareness of the power and strength drawn from blood memory and our connection to the buffalo.

In collaboration with NCCIE and Common Weal, BPAI documents the process of and teachings about buffalo hide tanning. This series of stories entitled, Buffalo Hide Tanning and Teachings, takes you on a journey of exploring connection to the buffalo while also reflecting on the social and historical realities of the buffalo and the people who rely on its survival.

Buffalo Hide Tanning and Teachings – Part 2 – Making a Buffalo Bone Scraping Tool

Posted on by Steffany Salloum

In Part 2 of the series, Lorne shares his knowledge about and models making a buffalo bone scraping tool used on buffalo hides. 

Lorne Kequahtooway walks the audience through a demonstration of traditional tool making while discussing the history of the tools. The first steps in making a buffalo or moose bone scraping tool is to boil the bones and remove any meat or fat left on the bone. Once the bone dries there may be hair or skin on the bone that needs to be removed. Then, the edge of the bone needs to be cut at a 60 degree angle with grooves cut into the angled edge creating a serrated edge. The serrated edge is filed and sharpened which allows for a more efficient hide scraping. The last step of this process involves drilling a hole through the bone to install a leather loop handle.

Joely BigEagle-Kequahtooway and Lorne Kequahtooway are artists and leaders behind the Buffalo People Arts Institute (BPAI). Founded in 2015, BPAI became a non-profit organization whose mission is to share traditional Indigenous teachings and knowledge in order to raise social consciousness and create awareness of the power and strength drawn from blood memory and our connection to the buffalo.

In collaboration with NCCIE and Common Weal, BPAI documents the process of and teachings about buffalo hide tanning. This series of stories entitled, Buffalo Hide Tanning and Teachings, takes you on a journey of exploring connection to the buffalo while also reflecting on the social and historical realities of the buffalo and the people who rely on its survival.

Buffalo Hide Tanning and Teachings – Part 3 – Preparing the Buffalo Hide for Scraping

Posted on by Steffany Salloum

In Part 3 of the series, the Buffalo People Arts Institute prepare the buffalo hide for scraping.

A lot of work goes into preparing the buffalo hide for scraping. First, you start by spreading out the hide and washing it, keeping it wet so it doesn’t dry out and harden. Before working on the hide it is important to smudge and pray for the hide, to work with it in a good way. It is important to remain open to the teachings of the hide and reflect while you are working on it. Then, in order to string up the hide it needs many holes cut into the edges of the hide. In order to make the holes it is important to cut the fat off from around the edges before it is strung up, otherwise it becomes too difficult scraping around the rope and holes. After the crew is done scraping around the edge and the holes are made, they can begin to make the 10×10 frame with which the hide will be tied to and strung up so that they can begin scraping.

Joely BigEagle-Kequahtooway and Lorne Kequahtooway are artists and leaders behind the Buffalo People Arts Institute (BPAI). Founded in 2015, BPAI became a non-profit organization whose mission is to share traditional Indigenous teachings and knowledge in order to raise social consciousness and create awareness of the power and strength drawn from blood memory and our connection to the buffalo.

In collaboration with NCCIE and Common Weal, BPAI documents the process of and teachings about buffalo hide tanning. This series of stories entitled, Buffalo Hide Tanning and Teachings, takes you on a journey of exploring connection to the buffalo while also reflecting on the social and historical realities of the buffalo and the people who rely on its survival.