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Come Walk in My Moccasins Newsletter
July 2015
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In this issue:
Children's Books: Grandmother Ptarmigin and Fiddle and Dee and Bedtime Band
Indigenous Hero: Shannen Koostachin
Seven Grandfather Teachings: Respect
Smudging and Medicines: Tools of Smudging
Indigenous Recipe: Bison Buco
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Grandmother Ptarmigin by Qaunaq Mikkigak
"It's bedtime for baby ptarmigan, but he will not go to sleep. So his grandmother decides to tell him a bedtime story that he will never forget." (excerpt from Amazon.com)
This rendition of a traditional Inuit origin tale is perfect for young children. Qaunaq Mikkigak is an elder, artist, and throat singer from Cape Dorset, Nunavut. She is well-known locally for her storytelling and throat singing.
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Fidddle and Dee and The Bedtime Band by Lindsay Brant-Brummell
"Fiddle and Dee are two brother bunnies with HUGE imaginations. They believe that anything is an adventure if they just make it so. Sometimes their imaginations get them into trouble, or cause them to become worrisome.
Fiddle and Dee and the Bedtime Band is about hearing the noises of the night and being frightened by them, only to discover they really aren’t that bad at all." (excerpt from Lindsay Brant-Brummell website)
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We gathered in the parking lot of Kanhiote Library in Tyendinaga. There were children, parents, teachers, elders, representatives from agencies and communities – people who care that First Nations children have equitable funding and access to education.
As children from Kawenna'on:we Primary Mohawk Immersion School led us in the Opening, I glanced around the circle of walkers. Some held signs that said “Our Dreams Matter too”. Other signs said “Shannen’s Dream”. A portable mailbox had been fixed to a trailer and readied to accompany us as we walked from the library to the post office in Deseronto. Many letters had been signed asking the government to recognize and address the inequalities of education between First Nations and publicly funded school systems.
Shannen Koostachin, a 15 year old Cree girl from Attawapiskat, inspired this annual campaign through her ability and tenacity to dream. Be prepared to be inspired by this 11 minute video about Shannen Koostachin.
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Respect - The Buffalo
Respect is the condition of being honoured.
The
buffalo represents respect because, for as long as we have been here,
we have sustained our lives through the buffalo in terms of clothing,
food, shelter, and expressing ourselves in art. In North America,
Indigenous peoples have depended on the buffalo for survival and use
every part of the animal - hides for tipis and clothing, bones for tools
and toys, meat for food, tendons and muscles for sinew and bow strings,
horns for cups and spoons, and brains for hide tanning. Buffalo is a
tool of life guided by the Creator to live harmoniously with a sense of
balance.
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Tools of Smudging
In a smudging ceremony, we call on the elements of water, earth, fire and air as we balance our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual selves. In a traditional smudging ceremony, there are three basic tools used including a shell, feather and sacred medicines. It is not necessary to have all three of these tools in order to smudge.
To connect us emotionally, we call on the element of water which cleanses the earth of the negative, brings life to the world and quenches our thirst. With this in mind, we use an abalone shell or other type of shell to hold and burn the medicine. (Some First Nations use natural materials of the earth to hold the
medicine such as a hollowed out stone or marble.)
To connect us physically, we call on the element of earth. Sacred plants (medicines) from the earth are burned in the shell.
To connect us spiritually, we call on the element of fire. The medicines are burned in the shell creating smoke to carry our prayers to the Creator and all of Creation.
And finally to connect us mentally, we call on the element of air. A feather, full of strength and gentleness is used to send the smoke over someone to cleanse them. In the event of not having a feather, people will just use their hands to cleanse themselves.
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Bison Buco
Aboriginal TV Chef David Wolfman shares this Indigenous fusion recipe.
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Powwow Etiquette: Quick guidelines and tips to help those attending Powwows know how to participate respectfully.
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Sources for Aboriginal books:
Aboriginal Book Lending:
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| | | | Sweetgrass Harvesting and Strawberry Feast, Rockland
Saturday July 4
View Event
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| | Mystery of the Peacemakers of Turtle Island Haudenosaunee Wisdom, Tyendinaga
July 10-12
View Event
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| | Full Moon Ceremonies, Kingston
Thursday July 30
View Event
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| | | | Aboriginal Family Literacy Circle Partners:
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Copyright 2014 Aboriginal Family Literacy Circle
1178 County Road #8, K7R 3K7, Napanee, Canada | |
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