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Come Walk in My Moccasins Newsletter
February 2022
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In this Issue:
Books: Loving Me, Drum From the Heart, A Dance Through the Seasons, Black Water Family, Legacy, and Blood Memory Our Music: Round Dance Our Words: February Valentine Words
Our Stories: Round Dance Our Traditions: Bear Grease Recipe: Corn Bread |
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| Did you know…
...the Peach Stone game is a traditional Haudenosaunee game that is mainly played during the Mid-winter, Seed and Harvest ceremonies?
It is said that this game of chance was created by Sky Woman’s two grandsons. The Twin boys were very competitive and constantly tried to outdo each other, hence this became a game that was played to establish a true winner is and it is played in an honourable way.
Traditionally, some call it the “Creator's Game” and we play very hard to win! Winning may mean our Clan will be given the right to either conduct the ceremonies for that year, and/or tend to the planting and harvesting.
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| Loving Me
Loving Me is a board book from Star Bright Books featuring contemporary Native American families. Whether it is a loving kiss from mother, a hug from father, a playful romp with an older brother, or reading with grandfather, babies and toddlers will discover the importance of family relationships through these heart-warming photographs. This appealing board book features Iroquois, Bannock/Shoshone, Lakota, Navajo, and Potawatomi multi-generational family members. (excerpt from Goodminds.com)
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| Drum From The Heart
When he is gifted a handmade drum by his mother, Ren learns the teachings of the drum that she also passes down to him. Ren discovers that through this special drum, he is able to connect to his culture and find a confidence in his voice to joyfully share in singing the traditional songs of his Nuu-chah-nulth Nation. (excerpt from Strongnations.com)
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| A Dance Through the Seasons
A Dance Through the Seasons is the story of curious Young Woman who is visited by the Ancestors in a dream. When she awakes she is full of resolve to help the adults take a difficult journey to a beautiful place based on the knowledge she feels she has received in her dream. However, the adults do not agree. She is visited by her Grandmother who teaches her the lesson of peace. She is then visited by Turtle, who teaches her to see the living and non-living that surrounds her through the seasons and to learn valuable lessons from these experiences. She learns about humour, resourcefulness, relationships, and in her reflection in the pond as she leaves the forest, she has changed into a young woman and leader. Leona Prince is a Dakelh woman, member of the Lake Babine Nation and belongs to the Likh Tsa Mis Yu Clan. She is a descendent of Stiche and Chief Kwah. Prince received the Indspire Award for Educational Leadership. Carla Joseph is a Cree artist and has won Art Battle on numerous occasions. Together they have created a beautifully illustrated book about the seasonal rounds of the Dakelh people of British Columbia teaching valuable lessons of patience and leadership. The book also contains guiding questions and you are asked to find the turtles in the illustrations to guide you through Young Woman's journey. (excerpt from Goodminds.com)
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Black Water Family, Legacy, and Blood Memory
Black Water: Family, Legacy, and Blood Memory, is David Alexander Robertson's autobiography. The son of a Cree father and a non-Indigenous mother, David A. Robertson was raised with virtually no knowledge or understanding of his family’s Indigenous roots. His father, Don, spent his early childhood on a trapline in the bush northeast of Norway House, Manitoba, where his first teacher was the land. When his family was moved permanently to a nearby reserve, Don was not permitted to speak Cree at school unless in secret with his friends and lost the knowledge he had been gifted while living on his trapline. His mother, Beverly, grew up in a small Manitoba town with not a single Indigenous family in it. Then Don arrived, the new United Church minister, and they fell in love. Structured around a father-son journey to the northern trapline where Robertson and his father will reclaim their connection to the land, Black Water is the story of another journey: a young man seeking to understand his father's story, to come to terms with his lifelong experience with anxiety, and to finally piece together his own blood memory, the parts of his identity that are woven into the fabric of his DNA. (excerpt from Goodminds.com)
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| Round Dance
Here is a short clip of the round dance (.34 second video)
The Round Dance...
“...is a social dance, not ceremonial. It was used as a spirit lifter and community builder. Really for fun, this dance particularly was a unity dance in the way people would gather in a circle, holding hands united, and always leaving an open gap in the circle to allow and encourage people to join.” “That it is only my interpretation or understanding, many traditional teachings vary in understanding and are open to interpretation”
-Kaya'tahente is a member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte and has worked at Tahatikonhsotontie Head Start for a number of years.
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| February Valentine Words
Jennie & Ryan share Mohawk words you may hear in February. Diane shares valentine words & phrases in Anishinaabemowin. (1:43 minute video) |
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| What to Know Before Your First Round Dance
"The Round Dance is a ceremony which brings together a diverse group of people of all genders, ages, socio-economic levels, ethnicities, and religions. With the help of Adrian LaChance, the University of Alberta has put together this short guide to help prepare you for your first Round Dance experience." (2:03 minute video)
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| Bear Grease
Théo talks about some of the ways she uses bear grease. (1:02 minute video) |
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This traditional bread was once a staple in the diet for the Haudenosaunee People. For centuries this nutritious bread provided energy for the people. Cornbread remains a traditional favourite to this day. Try out this recipe for boiled corn bread, also known as "hunter's bread" provided by Tsiokeriio from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.
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Indigenous Language Resources |
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First Voices Kids
Interactive online resource for helping children learn words and phrases in 50 different Indigenous languages on Turtle Island!
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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| Kingston Indigenous Language Nest invites you to engage in language revitalization with Dibajimowin: Urban Indigenous Languages Revitalization Project. The centerpiece of this website is a collection of thirty digital stories about culture and language made by community members. Each personal story shares insights into the barriers to language learning and cultural connection as well as the many ways we are resilient and relentless. For each story, we pulled out key themes to create new language learning resources such as vocabulary lessons, creative activities and cultural teachings. We have sorted the stories in different ways: by digital story, by language and by cultural teachings. Explore and Enjoy! |
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Free Anishinaabemowin printable resources, lesson plans, and videos to help learn the language |
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| Introduction to Anishinàbemowin (Algonquin Language) Plenty Canada is offering an introductory Algonquin language (Anishinàbemowin) course taught by Algonquin Elder and language speaker from Pikwakanagan First Nation, Barry Sarazin, and his wife Jessie-Ann Sarazin, an Algonquin language speaker and artist.
Classes will take place every Tuesday and Thursday from January 6 - April 5, 2022. Each class will be one hour long from 6:30-7:30pm EST, with some additional time for questions at the end of class. |
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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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Aanii.org Resource website for Anishinaabe culture, history and language |
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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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| Gathering Communities Making Connections A list of resources and services for people of Indigenous
Ancestry, and for those who work with them |
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Sources for Indigenous books:
Indigenous Book Lending:
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| Bear Teachings, ONLINE Monday, February 7 |
| | | Have a Heart Day, all across Canada Monday, February 14 |
| | (Re)Imagining Relationships With The Land Conversation, ONLINE
Wednesday, February 16 |
| | 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 aflccanada@gmail.com 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. |
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Copyright 2016 Indigenous Family Literacy Circle 465 Advance Avenue, Napanee, Canada | |
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