Cultural Teachings

Strong Woman Teaching

Cultural Teaching: Learn from Fran Chaisson about the Strong Woman song, a beloved song whose roots are connected to women from the Kingston Penitentiary.

Seven Directions Teaching

Cultural Teaching: Deb shares teachings about the seven directions.

Strawberry Teaching

Cultural Teaching: The strawberry is a  women’s medicine that teachers us about creation, community and love. Join this sharing circle with language nest members to learn about many teachings and stories of the strawberry.

Two-spirit Teaching

Cultural Teaching: Two-Spirited is a term some Indigenous people use to identify themselves, rather than Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, or Queer (LGBTQ) because it respects Indigenous cultural understandings of gender and sexuality. It expresses the balance between the male and female spirit, or “those who walk between genders.” Two-spirited includes gender identity, sexual orientation and social roles. Lynda shares what being two-spirit means to her.

Treaty People Teachings

Cultural Teaching: What being Treaty people means today.

Words Before All Else in Mohawk

Cultural Teaching: Kate and Erica are from Tyendinega and share the Words Before All Else. The gratitude is expressed for our insect family, animal family, plant family, and ultimately, all of creation.

Words Before All Else in English

Kate shares a version of the Words Before All Else in English.

Traditional Introductions

Cultural Teaching: Lynda, Justin and Kate share their traditional intros with us, and what they mean to them in their lives.

Three Sisters Teaching

Cultural Teaching: Kate and Erica share Haudenosaunee teachings about the Three Sisters who are corn, beans, and squash.

Grass Dance Song

Cultural Teaching: The grass dancers are the first to dance at a pow wow. In their dancing, they prepare the space by flattening the grass with their steps. Cody shares a grass dance song that he learned as part of his own healing journey.

Naming Ceremony

Cultural Teaching: In this naming ceremony, we learn more about what naming ceremonies mean, and importantly, that we can seek this ceremony out at any age or stage in our life.

I Lost My Talk

Cultural Teaching: “Rita Joe.” Poem by Marylin Dumont.

The Story Tells You

Cultural Teaching: Poem by Marylin Dumont.

Dish With One Spoon

Cultural Teaching: Lindsay, who is a mixed-heritage Anishnaabekwe, is joined by her son Matthew, who is Mohawk. Together they talk about the Dish With One Spoon wampum and what it means to share.

Decolonization/Critical Consciousness

Cultural Teaching: Languages Nest member Ronda shares what decolonization means for her as a language learner.

What does critical consciousness/
decolonization mean to you?