First Nation Elders / Resource Directory
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FIRST NATION ELDERS / RESOURCE DIRECTORY Kaahsinooniksi, Elder & Resource Person Directory for Teachers & Administrators 2018-2019 FIRST NATION ELDERS / RESOURCE DIRECTORY Lance Scout– Artist Story behind the art piece Creations of life are important to Bla ckfoot people and it all starts with the sun (Natosi). Natosi affects everything in our life. The Creator created everything on Mother Earth. This is one reason the Sundance is so important. Human beings have to balance their life. The arrow pointing down-ward on the male and female is the life line and the two dots represent the kidneys. The two symbols– the lifeline and kidneys – are symbols often seen in Blackfoot artwork. The circle within the human head is the mind. In life, the elders teach us to balance the heart and mind. The Okan (Sundance) is the most significant ceremony, where all society's participate and seek renewal and the sacred powers of the sky with the earth. The balance of powers between man and women is essential in all aspects of Blackfoot life. "Returning to the Teachings will instill sacred values back within our children and ensure continued educational success." Acknowledgements Livingstone Range School Division (LRSD) No. 68 acknowledges and appreciates the contributions of the following FNMI Staff Working Committee: Kyle Blood, Child & Youth Care, F.P. Walshe, Fort Macleod; Duane Petluk, Teacher, F.P. Walshe, Fort Macleod; Barbara Smith, Cross Roads Campus, Fort Macleod; Sandra Lamouch, WA Day, Fort Macleod; Chiyoko Kensley, Teacher, WA Day, Macleod; Carol Lach, Teacher, Canyon School, Pincher Creek; Lorraine Morningbull, Family School Liaison, Mathew Halton, Pincher Creek; and Georgina Henderson, First Nations, Metis & Inuit Success Coordinator. “A special thank you to Peter Weasel Moccasin who assisted LRSD with the design of the Elder’s Directory and Roy Weasel Fat in sharing his experience with LRSD to help us move forward with our version of the Elder’s Directory. Many thanks to Lance Scout for helping LRSD obtain an illustration for the front cover to represent the Elder’s Directory and a thank you to Narcisse Blood on behalf of Kainai Studies for his assistance with the sacred sites.” Page 2 FIRST NATION ELDERS / RESOURCE DIRECTORY Contact list for ELDERS Directory If you have any questions about cultural protocols, please feel free to contact one of the First Nation, Metis, & Inuit (FNMI) Reps listed below. If they cannot assist you, they can guide you in an appropriate direction. Pincher Creek- FNMI Schools Matthew Halton School Canyon School Cultural Napi Outreach Cultural Advisor Advisor Cultural Advisor Native Liaison Worker Lorraine FNMI Teacher Native Liaison Worker Morning Bull Carol Lach Lorraine Morning Bull Phone: 403-627-4424 Phone: (403) 627-3118 Phone: 403-627-4424 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Fort Macleod- FNMI Schools F.P. Walshe School Cultural W.A. Day School W.A. Day School Advisor: Assistant Principal Cultural Advisor: Cultural Advisor: Randy Bohnet Assistant Principal FNMI Teacher Chiyoko Kensley Phone: (403) 553-4411 Email: Phone: (403) 553-3362 [email protected] Email: Phone: (403) 553-3362 Email: [email protected] F.P. Walshe School Cultural Advisor: W.A. Day School Walshe Crossroads Campus FNMI CYCW Cultural Advisor: Cultural Advisor: Kyle Blood FNMI CYCW FNMI CYCW Sandra Lamouche Barbara Smith Phone: (403) 553-4411 Email: Phone: (403) 553-3362 Email: [email protected] [email protected] Phone: (403) 553-0318 Email: [email protected] LRSD Central Office First Nations, Metis & Inuit Success Coordinator Georgina Henderson Phone: (403) 682 7464 Email: [email protected] Page 3 FIRST NATION ELDERS / RESOURCE DIRECTORY How to invite an elder into your classroom & school- Blackfoot Cultural Protocol The Blackfoot Cultural Protocol is a critical component of the Elder’s Directory because approaching Elders in a culturally appropriate manner ensures that positive results are achieved. It is appropriate to offer elders tobacco in the initial stages of building and maintaining a relationship. Tobacco is symbolic of an everlasting positive relationship. It ensures that the requested task will have a successful outcome. Once a relationship is established with an Elder, it is not necessary to continue tobacco offerings. Gifting is another way to show appreciation for the elders' services and knowledge. Gifting is a symbol of gratitude and respect for the Elder. Gifting varies in degrees and is dependent on the required task. For example, if an Elder presents to a classroom, a small gift of $15 is presented. For a larger presentation, the gift could range to $100. Gifting does not include a specific or set amount. The gift comes from the heart. What matters the most is what is offered. In Blackfoot culture, the wisdom of the Elders comes with age. Elders possess varying degrees of experience and traditional knowledge. Elders take time to share the stories learned. Stories are passed from generation to generation and formed the basis of beliefs and oral traditions. The stories contain traditional knowledge, history and wisdom. They impart tradition, knowledge, culture, values, and lessons using orality and role modeling traditional practices. The purpose of bringing an Elder into a classroom is to incorporate the Blackfoot (First Nations) perspective into the curriculum and is the heart of First Nations pedagogy. Elders traditionally hold crucial roles in supporting both formal and informal education in First Nations communities. A unique and important feature of the Blackfoot culture is oral tradition. Awareness of cultural protocols is essential to positive relationships. It ensures that respect, care and consideration is demonstrated. Arranging and providing drinks and food is a sign of hospitality. The second important cultural protocol is Elders only speak about what they know. Blackfoot Elders are from Blackfoot traditional territory. Therefore, Elders may not feel comfortable talking about other First Nation groups found across Canada. Every First Nations cultural group is unique and distinct. Each group has their own way of life. Blackfoot people’s traditional territory extended to the following points: West to the Rocky Mountains, North to Edmonton, East to the Saskatchewan, South to Yellowstone River. An important component of relationship building is greeting and welcoming the elder. Assigning students to assist the elder throughout their visit is one way to make the guest feel welcome and comfortable. FIRST NATION ELDERS / RESOURCE DIRECTORY Blackfoot Territory The Blackfoot Confederacy, up until about midway through the 1800’s, controlled a vast area in the Northeast Plains. This area reached from west to the Rocky Mountains, north to Edmonton, east to Saskatchewan, and south to Yellowstone River. The tribes of the Blackfoot Confederacy are: Siksika, Piikani (Peigan), and Kainaiwa (Blood). Later on in 1877, Tsu Tina (Sarcee) & Morley were invited to sign Treaty 7, as friends of Blackfoot Confederacy. Earlier,they had fled from their home territory. BLACKFOOT CONFEDERACY PRESENT DAY– TREATY 7 The Blackfoot Confederacy is a formal organization today that is an alliance between Piikani, South Peigan Five reserves exist within Treaty 7 and they (Browning), Kainaiwa, & Siksika. They gather once a year to include the following: Kainaiwa, Piikani, Siksika, discuss common issues around education, post-treaty realities, Tsu Tina, & Morley. Kainaiwa has the largest land youth, governance, & economics. mass in Canada. Page 5 FIRST NATION ELDERS / RESOURCE DIRECTORY Blackfoot Sacred Sites Chief Mountain NAPI’s Rock Majorville Women’s Buffalo Near USA Near Okotoks, Near Siksika, Border AB AB Writing on Sweet Grass NAPI’S Playground Head Smashed Stone Near In Buffalo Jump Near USA USA Border Near Fort Border Macleod, AB Dinosaur Round Man Charcoal’s Hideout Heavy Shields Find Napi South of Canyon & Effigies. Near Taber Thunder- Tyrell Museum Page 6 FIRST NATION ELDERS / RESOURCE DIRECTORY BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS & ADMINISTRATORS Kainayssini The Creator put on this earth all peoples with a unique culture and language to occupy a specific territory of land to fulfill His purpose for creation. Thus WE THE MEMBERS OF KAINAAWA, a member of the Blackfoot Con- federacy; speak the Blackfoot language; among other things, hold Ninastako and Mookowansini as sacred monuments; which among other beliefs include the Sunadance; socially and tribally organized into extended families, clans and tribes; govern ourselves according to customs given to our people by the Creator; presently occupying the Blood Indian Re- serve lying between the Belly and St. Mary’s rivers; To maintain ourselves under the guidance of our Creator; To initiate a sense of responsibility to our people and nation; To continue to see better means of survival; To provide for an orderly and ac- cepted way of carrying on our culture; To allow for freedom of expression and diversity; and in general, to promote the rights, powers and welfare of our Nation; under the powers we hold as a sovereign people, do ordain and establish the “TRIBAL SYSTEM.” DECLARATION OF THE ELDERS OF THE BLOOD INDIAN NATION WHEREAS the Declaration of the First Nations, as adopted by the chiefs of Canada to which our Chief, Roy Fox, is a signa- tory, express the philosophy of the Elders of the Blood Indian Nation; AND WHEREAS the Elders recognize that the blood Indian Nation ha s always existed as a Nation from time immemorial; AND WHEREAS the Elders recognize the trust held by our Chief and Council to protect our inherent rights given to us by our Creator for our children and for generations to come; AND WHEREAS the Elders are desirous of ensuring that the Chief and Council of our Nation are responsible for and ac- countable to the membership of the Blood Indian Nation as represented by a responsible Indian Government; NOW THEREFORE, the Elders of the Blood Indian Nation hereby declare that the leaders of our Nation ensure to its mem- bership the following: 1.