The dialogue opens with a blessing and prayer by Dakota Grandmother, Katherine Whitecloud, in keeping with Indigenous protocols, with introductions made by Dr. Sabina Ijaz (Turtle Lodge) and Dr.

The dialogue opens with a blessing and prayer by Dakota Grandmother, Katherine Whitecloud, in keeping with Indigenous protocols, with introductions made by Dr. Sabina Ijaz (Turtle Lodge) and Dr. Valerie Gideon (Associate Deputy Minister of Indigenous Services Canada) Setting the Foundation for Good Relations in Our Homeland was a webinar held on January 11th, 2021. A national group of nearly 500 health leaders from across Canada met virtually to hear the perspective of Indigenous Knowledge Keepers, led by members of the National Turtle Lodge Council of Knowledge Keepers, on the issue of racism in health care. Click here to view a playlist with all recordings from the presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjiP3LIyQ9Y&list=PL_wQ7QfAR0HwGWo_pOuO7d45SVxsPnGpN Click here to view or download a transcript of the recording: http://www.turtlelodge.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Intro-Transcript-Setting-the-Foundation-for-Good-Relations-in-Our-Homeland.pdf The Turtle Lodge International Centre for Indigenous Education and Wellness is a place for reconnecting to the Earth & sharing Indigenous ancestral knowledge, founded on the 7 Sacred Laws. Visit our website at www.turtlelodge.org to learn more. Follow us on social media: Facebook (@turtlelodge) Twitter (@turtlelodge) Instagram (@theturtlelodge)

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On behalf of the National Turtle Lodge Council of Elders and Knowledge Keepers, I wish to offer my heartfelt condolences to the Muslim community for the tragic act that took the lives of a family of

On behalf of the National Turtle Lodge Council of Elders and Knowledge Keepers, I wish to offer my heartfelt condolences to the Muslim community for the tragic act that took the lives of a family of four and left a nine-year-old boy without any immediate family. I think of this little boy who will not have his grandmother, mother, father and sister to come back to. How does a child’s mind work through that? We join you in solidarity in your grief today. The Turtle Lodge has developed a long-lasting relationship with the Muslim community representing mutual respect of our Nations in practising our unique traditions of honouring the Creator and respecting our Mother the Earth through common shared values. I have been very moved and impressed with the statements coming from the Muslim community, which reflect strong values of compassion, peace and love. Eventually we will reach this point as humanity. Society can only be changed from within as we carry the essence of truth within our spiritual being. We must never lose faith that there will be peace. We need to continue to carry that torch of love, compassion and forgiveness and hope that the world might learn from this example. Each day we are given a purpose to fulfill the will of our Creator. We must continue to strive to fulfill the Creator’s will of love and peace. In brotherhood, friendship and peace, we offer our love and prayers from our sacred lodges for the healing of all our communities and Peoples.

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Reconciling Ways of Knowing, Dialogue 7: "Connecting Spiritually with the Land and Each Other" Elder Dr. Dave Courchene, Grandmother Katherine Whitecloud, Dr. Blair Stonechild in dialogue with

Reconciling Ways of Knowing, Dialogue 7: "Connecting Spiritually with the Land and Each Other" Elder Dr. Dave Courchene, Grandmother Katherine Whitecloud, Dr. Blair Stonechild in dialogue with Moderator Shaunna Morgan Siegers, MSc on our essential and spiritual connection with the land and each other. Also joining the conversation are Reconciling Ways of Knowing Convenors, Miles Richardson, OC; Dr. David Suzuki; and Dr. Nancy Turner. “Connecting Spiritually with the Land and Each Other” discussed our fundamental connection to and inseparability from the world and each other and how this understanding carries a spiritual dimension for Indigenous Peoples, to which we remain connected through our ceremonies. This is a foundational understanding present in many Indigenous ways of knowing but often missing from the dominant worldview that has shaped Canadian environmental policy. After an initial discussion, other Reconciling Ways of Knowing Convenors, Miles Richardson, OC; Dr. David Suzuki; and Dr. Nancy Turner shared their thoughts and insights on this discussion of relation and spiritual connection. Moderator Shaunna Morgan Siegers, MSc then turned to our audience-participants for thoughts and questions for the speakers. This Dialogue on originally aired on Tuesday, January 26 at 9:00 am Pacific / 11:00​​ am Central / 1:00 pm Atlantic.

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Published August 30th by Humans and Nature. 

Published August 30th by Humans and Nature. 

Josephine Mandamin an Anishabaabewe grandmother with a copper pail of water in one hand and a staff in the other, took on a sacred walk, traversing over 10,900 miles around each of the Great Lakes. She is known as the “Water Walker.”

According to the Michigan Sea Grant, the Great Lakes shoreline is equal to almost 44% of the circumference of the earth.  “When you see someone walking with a pail of water, you wonder, where is she going with that water.”

So the message is, water is very precious, and I will go to any lengths to and direction to carry the water to the people.”

“As women, we are carriers of the water. We carry life for the people. So when we carry that water, we are telling people that we will go any lengths for the water. We’ll probably even give our lives for the water if we have to. We may at some point have to die for the water, and we don’t want that,” said Mandamin.

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‘A Conversation Across Ways of Knowing & Relating to Land’ brings together Anishinaabe Elder Dr. Dave Courchene; Dakota Grandmother Katherine Whitecloud; the Honourable Harry Slade, Member of the

‘A Conversation Across Ways of Knowing & Relating to Land’ brings together Anishinaabe Elder Dr. Dave Courchene; Dakota Grandmother Katherine Whitecloud; the Honourable Harry Slade, Member of the Specific Claims Tribunal; the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Canada; and Dr. Fikret Berkes in conversation with Moderator Dr. Nancy Turner on relationships to land and with each other across ways of knowing and ways of being as Peoples living on these lands. After an initial discussion, Reconciling Ways of Knowing (RWoK) Conveners, Miles Richardson, OC; and Dr. David Suzuki share their thoughts and connect the discussion to the ongoing conversation RWoK has been facilitating across the past several dialogues since we launched our online forum series. This dialogue originally aired on Thursday, March 4, 2021 (for approximately two hours). This video is part 2/2 of the dialogue. Click here to watch Part 1: https://youtu.be/6oY05Ei6hAc

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Prince Charles addresses climate change and those who deny the role humans play in creating it. This same simple theme was recently (2014) expressed by MARY ROBINSON, Former president of Ireland, former United Nations High Commissioner for human rights

"I'm a grandmother with five grandchildren. What will they say about what we did or didn't do?" New York Times, Forecast of Hopes and Fears, September 22, 2014.

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Reconciling Ways of Knowing “Drawing on Indigenous Knowledge in Responding to COVID-19.”

This dialogue originally aired on November 12, 2020 at 10:30 am Pacific / 12:30 pm Central / 2:30 pm Atlantic.

Moderator: Darrin Mah, JD facilitates a dialogue amongst Elder Dr. Dave Courchene, Jr, Grandmother Katherine Whitecloud, Miles Richardson, OC, Tom Swanky, JD, and Dr. Sabina Ijaz; on the history of what Indigenous Peoples have learned in responding to pandemics, how this informed their responses to COVID-19, and what could be learned more broadly within Canadian society and the global community from these lessons.

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A Message from the National Turtle Lodge Elders’ and Knowledge Keepers’ Council A CALL FOR A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER Sunday, June 6, 2021 10 AM PST - 11 AM MST - 11 AM CST (Regina) - 12 PM CDT

A Message from the National Turtle Lodge Elders’ and Knowledge Keepers’ Council A CALL FOR A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER Sunday, June 6, 2021 10 AM PST - 11 AM MST - 11 AM CST (Regina) - 12 PM CDT (Winnipeg) – 1 PM EDT - 2 PM ADT - 2:30 PM NDT Elder Dr. David Courchene, Jr. (Anishinaabe Nation) Grandmother Jane Meader (Mi’kmaw Nation) Hereditary Chief Stephen Augustine (Mi’kmaw Nation) Elder Ed Sackaney (Cree Nation) Elder Harry Bone, LL.D., C.M. (Anishinaabe Nation) Elder Allan White (Anishinaabe Nation) Elder Gerald Courchene (Anishinaabe Nation) Grandmother Florence Paynter (Anishinaabe Nation) Grandmother Katherine Whitecloud (Dakota Nation) Grandmother Mary Maytwayashing (Anishinaabe Nation) Knowledge Keeper Robert Maytwayashing (Anishinaabe Nation) Elder A.J. Felix (Cree Nation) Grandmother Patricia Felix (Cree Nation) Elder Morris Little Wolf (Piikani Nation) Grandmother Betty Ann Little Wolf (Piikani Nation) Chief Darrell Bob (St’at’imc Nation) Elder Dr. Barney Williams (Tia-o-qui-aht Nation) Knowledge Keeper Stephen Kakfwi (Dene Nation) Knowledge Keeper Antaurko (Inka Nation) The National Turtle Lodge Council of Elders and Knowledge Keepers recently came together virtually, from across the Nations, in light of the tragic news coming out of British Columbia. We are calling for a National Day of Prayer this Sunday, June 6, to offer a collective prayer, and intentions, in the unique spiritual traditions that exist across the country, on behalf of the 215 Children found at the site of a residential school in Kamloops, BC, for all Children who have been hurt, the Survivors, their Families and Communities who continue to live with the impacts of the residential school system today. This effort is in response to many calls from the People, who have been turning to the Knowledge Keepers from across the country for direction and spiritual guidance, in light of the recent news. Speaking in unity as one voice, the Knowledge Keepers will be offering leadership by lifting the Sacred Pipes collectively, lighting the Sacred Fires, and praying together in one spirit, in our Original Languages that are used to make a connection to the Creator. Following in the footsteps of our ancestors, our actions always begin with the power of the Pipe. We will receive further instructions on how we can move forward in the spirit of unity, as we begin in this way. The Elders and Knowledge Keepers wish to acknowledge the little Children, who through the recent discovery of their graves, have opened a doorway for healing for all Peoples in this country – for all the Residential School Survivors, their Families and Communities, as well as for the Canadian and larger world community, through the uncovering of the dark truth that took place in recent years. It is their hope and prayer that this will allow for greater healing and a New Relationship to be formed, based on love and kindness. The Elders have emphasized that it is our Ancestral way of life, our Ceremonies, our Pipes, Drums and Rattles, our Sacred Lodges and the comfort offered by Mother Earth herself, that hold the key to healing and moving forward. These Children would have been our future leaders, our Knowledge Keepers, Grandmothers, Grandfathers, our teachers. To honour these children, we need to focus on our Children today who have been left behind, many of whom are lost and need to come home. We need to bring them back to our ceremonies and our way of life, to provide opportunities and support so they can find their identity and become the future leaders in our homeland. Anishinaabe Elder Allan White from Naotkamegwanning (Whitefish Bay) First Nation has called for a Special National Gathering of Elders and Knowledge Keepers at the Turtle Lodge in July, to hold a special ceremony to honour the children and to seek further spiritual guidance and direction to help guide us in moving forward as a country. The Elders and Knowledge Keepers work in the spirit of establishing a New Relationship, by creating a peaceful, non-confrontational non-political environment and approach, focusing on taking a moral and spiritual approach, based on the spirit of love, kindness, and unity. Further details about this ceremonial gathering will be shared once the Elders receive the guidance and direction to hold this gathering. Until the time comes when we can meet in our Sacred Lodges again, we ask that you join us this Sunday, June 6, as we lift our Pipes, light our Sacred Fires, sing our traditional Songs, smudge, offer our Sacred Tobacco, and offer prayers in our own traditions in a collective way. In the spirit of love, healing, truth and a New Way forward.

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