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Come Walk in My Moccasins Newsletter February 2025 |
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In this Issue:
Books: Moon: A Peek-Through Board Book, Grandmother Moon, The Bears and the Magic Masks, The Bear is My Father Our Arts: Millside Ceramics Our Words: Buildings in Anishinaabemowin Our Stories: The First Strawberry Our Traditions: Full Moon Ceremony Our Recipe: Strawberry Cake
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Did you know...
...for some First Nations, February is known as the Bear Moon? The Bear Moon represents the time for introspection. We look inside ourselves and we acknowledge the vision quest that we receive. Looking within, we reflect and envision where we have been and where we are going. Then, we go there with courage.
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| Moon: A Peek-Through Board Book
Infant and Toddler
Over deserts and forests, Arctic tundra and tropical beaches, the moon shines down on creatures around the world. Children will love discovering how it changes from day to day as the lunar cycle is shown through clever peek-through holes, each revealing the moon in a different size and shape.
It's the perfect light nonfiction book for young stargazers—and an ideal bedtime book, ending with a giant moon hovering over a sleepy town hunkered down for bed. (excerpt from Strongnations.com)
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| Grandmother Moon
Preschool and Kindergarten
Grandmother Moon is lonely in the night sky. When she stops in her journey to hear Brother Mountain's stories, she also stops the sun from rising, the animals from sleeping, and more! This causes the Creator to intervene, but how can Grandmother Moon's loneliness be solved while ensuring the sky moves from night to day? (excerpt from Strongnations.com) |
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| The Bears and the Magic Masks
Primary
Award-winning storyteller and poet Joseph Dandurand captures the delightful relationship between bears and the Kwantlen people in his fourth book for children.
For a long time, the Kwantlen and the bears have lived side by side. When the master carver falls into the river, the bears rescue him. In thanks, the master carver gives the bears animal masks. But the bears don’t know that these masks are magical. (excerpt from Strongnations.com) |
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| The Bear is My Father
Adult
The Bear Is My Father is a legacy book that shares the profound medicine of a renowned multi-tribal Muscogee Creek medicine man, Bear Heart, one of the last traditionally trained medicine persons of the Muscogee Creek Nation. As the world becomes more perilous and our modern ways of life prove to be at times unsustainable or unsatisfying; people in the US and all over the world are increasingly turning to the wisdom of our indigenous people and their traditions for peace, harmony, environmental stewardship, and cultivating a more meaningful spiritual connection to the earth. While it is traditional among Native American medicine that a healer takes on an apprentice to learn their medicine ways, and then pass them on, Bear Heart’s medicine was so various that it could not simply be passed along to any one person. Thus, over the course of his life of service, Bear Heart passed along pieces of his indigenous wisdom to different people, depending on who could use it. However, The Bear Is My Father is more than a book about a fascinating Muscogee Creek healer. It is a book authored in part by Bear Heart himself, with guidance as to how one should live life, the changes needed in our global society, integrative medicine, and spirituality. It contains the voices of people who knew and grew from knowing Bear Heart; most particularly, it is co-authored by Reginah WaterSpirit, Bear Heart’s medicine helper and late-life spouse of 23 years, whose intimate and insightful stories and reflections give it the added dimension of a biography within an autobiographical book of philosophy and wisdom. The deeply personal portrayal of Bear Heart in The Bear Is My Father flows not only through his own words, nor Reginah’s, but also through the recountings of a variety of people who were taught and touched by his wisdom. Together they provide the reader with a multi-faceted and highly intimate understanding of Bear Heart. In short, this book is another way–and because he has passed–perhaps his final way, to share his medicine with the world. (excerpt from Goodminds.com) |
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| Millside Ceramics
Read this Meet the Artist section in the Bay of Quinte blog post to discover Marlene Murphy from Millside Ceramics and see some of her beautiful creations. The links for Millside's website and social media pages are included in the article. |
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| Buildings in Anishinaabemowin
Diane shares the Anishinaabemowin (Algonquin) names of various buildings you may see around town. Have fun practicing together! (.55 second video) |
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| The First Strawberry
Judi Montgomery shares the story of the First Strawberry. In Anishinaabemowin, the word for strawberry is "ode'imin" which translates to "heart berry". (6:50 minute video) |
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| Full Moon Ceremony
Ontario Native Women's Association's Land-based coordinator shares teachings about the full moon ceremony. (12:19 minute video)
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| Strawberry Cake
This month's recipe is a tasty, sugar-free strawberry cake! |
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Indigenous Language Resources |
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| Mohawk Language Learning Resource This open education resource (OER) may be used a supplementary resource to learning the Mohawk language at the beginner level. In the first part of the OER, the basic morphology, of the language is introduced through pronouns, pronoun prefixes, particles, and verb roots. The second part introduces vocabulary builders. Finally, in the third part, basic conversational language is explored.
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Language Resources created with the intention of learning and developing your knowledge of the Michif language. The resources featured are trilingual including the following languages; Michif, French, and English.
Anishnaabemowin - Our Language Our Culture
Ojibwa language booklet
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Tsi Tyónnheht Onkwawén:na provides Mohawk language and culture programming at the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory (the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte). They run several programs, including Totáhne (At Grandma's House) for preschool children, Kawenna'ón:we Primary Immersion (K-4) and Shatiwennakará:tats, a year long program for Adults. |
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Free Anishinaabemowin printable resources, lesson plans, and videos to help learn the language |
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| Nurturing Childhoods Through Indigenous Ways of Knowing Explore teachings, strategies, and resources that guide the inclusion of Indigenous ways of knowing in early learning environments. This is a FREE online course provided by the University of British Columbia. |
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| Toronto Zoo- Turtle Island Conservation Toronto Zoo's Turtle Island Conservation programme (TIC) respectfully shares the hopes and goals of First Nation partners in our committment to the preservation of biodiversity. TIC partners with First Nation communities to preserve community knowledge and significant natural and cultural landscapes.
Resources available in Ojibwe and Mohawk. |
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| Beauty in Movement: An Indigenous Guide to Physical Activity Pamphlet about the importance of physical activity and ideas to get children moving
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Sources for Indigenous books:
Indigenous Book Lending:
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| Spirit of Winter, Kingston, ON February 1 - 17 |
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| Taste of Nature, Ottawa, ON Thursday, February 6 |
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| | | Star Wars in Anishinaabemowin, Kingston, ON Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30 |
| | We need YOU!
Help us become more inclusive of the many First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples among our readership. Share an Indigenous recipe, song, or traditional art through Come Walk in My Moccasins. Contact kahwatsire@mbq-tmt.org if you are interested in becoming a guest contributor.
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| | Indigenous Family Literacy Circle Partners:
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| Come Walk in My Moccasins is created by the Indigenous Family Literacy Circle and sponsored by Journey Together through Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte. Click here to download or print the Come Walk in My Moccasins pamphlet. |
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Copyright 2016 Indigenous Family Literacy Circle 465 Advance Avenue, Napanee, Canada | |
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