Seven Traditional Teachings

While meeting with the director of an urban Aboriginal social services agency, I learned that the school administrators in that district do not allow Indigenous classroom support workers to teach the seven grandfather teachings. I froze at the thought of this. Indigenous culture in Canada is not a religion and these traditional teachings are part of the Métis and First Nations' worldview and way of being. Yes, there is a spiritual component to these teachings, after all, they reflect human experience. But spirituality, in this sense, is universal across global cultures; it reflects timeless values and ways of being shared across generations. Once I emerged from my frozen state of disbelief, I felt complete outrage. Who has a claim on so much power in society, with such depth of arrogance, to say that we, the Indigenous people of this country, cannot share our teachings in the public school system? It is not our way to interfere; that is, we share our knowledge when asked, where it is valued, but would never impose our beliefs on anyone. Below are the seven grandfather teachings, which I draw from each and every day. If I was a parent, I would teach these beliefs to my children, I walk in the world in these ways; they are always with me. I live these. I choose them over and over, even when anger would be easy because love is hard, and especially when respect is a reach, a choice, because it’s not received. 1. Wisdom Wisdom is to cherish knowledge. Wisdom is to acknowledge and practice values that respect others; to walk in a good way. 2. Love To know love is to know peace. Love is a feeling, a choice, and an action. 3. Respect To respect is to honor all of creation [earth. land, water, air, people, animals]. We respect everyone, especially ourselves, keeping clear boundaries, and not interfering into the paths of others. 4. Bravery To be brave is to face resistance with integrity. 5. Humility Humility is having sensitivity towards others, respecting their way of doing and listening. 6. Honesty To be honest is to be truthful about your behavior, and open to understanding how your actions affect others. 7. Truth is to know all these things and live them

I close today with a song by Canadian-born Cree artist, Buffy Sainte-Marie from her award-winning album Power in the Blood... because maybe blood is the only thing they can't [try] to take from us.

Image: Mural in my 'hood (Lakewood & East Hastings Street, Vancouver} by www.nomadicalternatives.org Words from the mural: "We are here We are crying And you don't hear us Because you forgot our language"