Foundational Knowledge for Indigenous Education

In the stories told by different Aboriginal peoples across Canada, Sky Woman, Glooscap, Sedna, Nanabush or Raven create the world, or change it into the world known to human beings. Click the right arrow symbol to read some of these stories.

What is smudging, why is it done, and how do you do it? Anishinaabe knowledge keeper Debra Courchene explains this important spiritual practice.

This article traces the origins of the jingle dress to the Spanish Flu Pandemic in 1918

A guide to help teachers interact with Elders in a good way.

Learn how Indigenous peoples of what is now called Canada see themselves in relation to each other, communities, land, and the universe. (45 min)

This is an engaging site for students and educators to learn about Indigenous knowledge and philosophy. In these videos and audio recordings (available in English and French), Elders share the richness and value of cultural traditions from their nation.

The teacher resources page from an educational program about the spiritual traditions of five First Nations, with teachings from Elders. Includes lesson plans; note this is an older (2012) resource.

Basic information about the four sacred medicines (tobacco, cedar, sage, and sweetgrass), and how they are used and kept. From an Anishinaabe perspective.

Three time world champion hoop dancer Dallas Arcand Sr. from Alexander First Nation shares his culture through this athletic and creative art form rooted in healing and restoring balance and harmony. Music supplied by Dallas Arcand.

A rich resource of more than 200 videos gathered by the NCCI that pertain to more than twenty First Nations, Métis, and Inuit ways of knowing and being from across Canada.

The site presents the concept of laws as understood by the First Nations people through descriptions of aboriginal views on the governance of life.

Presented with the Glenbow Museum, this page teaches about the worldview, history and culture of the Blackfoot people, or Niitsitapi.

Oren is a faith-keeper of the Turtle Clan, Onondaga Council of Chiefs, Haudenosaunee (Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy). Here he discusses the worldview of the Haudenosaunee people.

This web series follows a young Indigenous boy on a rite of passage—a vision quest—where he learns about the Seven Sacred Laws. Available in English, French, and Anishinaabemowin.

Archaeologist Severin Fowles re-imagines Native religion as Native science. So many of what have been traditionally described as “beliefs” are actually profound scientific methods for acting in the world.

This article explores the teachings of Medicine Wheels from an Anishinaabe cultural perspective. A focus on its applications to education is addressed through pedagogy and the transmission of Medicine Wheel teachings.

Dallas Arcand explains how dancing in circles has taught him to find a healthy balance in life. His journey of self discovery inspired his belief in the ability of circles to restore harmony. Dallas also shares his culture and performs a special hoop dance to illustrate the athletic and creative art form that saved his life.

Listen to traditional stories and creation stories told by six Indigenous storytellers from communities across Canada.

A team of Cree, Blackfoot and Nakota Elders, as well as both Indigenous and Western scientists, collaborated to create lesson plans about the spiritual significance of relationships to water. Guided by Indigenous worldviews, these lessons are also important environmentally.

Mallory, an Anishinaabe woman, explains sacred fires, fire keepers, and the meaning of fire in ceremony.