Turtle island conservation Partnership Walking with. Miskwaadesi. Curriculum Written by Wahgeh Giizhigo Migizi Kwe

Turtle island conservation Partnership Walking with Miskwaadesi Curriculum Written by Wahgeh Giizhigo Migizi Kwe

Turtle island conservation Partnership Walking with Miskwaadesi Curriculum Written by Wahgeh Giizhigo Migizi Kwe

Acknowledgements The Toronto Zoo s Turtle Island Conservation programme respectfully acknowledges the wisdom and guidance of all First Nation Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers. The sacred turtle teachings this curriculum is based upon have existed since the beginning of time and are shared to foster and guide generations to come. It is with good hearts and minds we honour these original teachings so that each one of us walks that good red road our ancestors had planned for us. We respectfully acknowledge with infinite gratitude all First Nation Elders, First Nation community members, Traditional Knowledge Keepers, First Nation advisory group members, funding partners, First Nation authors, Benny Michaud, Candace Maracle, Barbara Filion (previous programme coordinators) & summer students, Toronto Zoo staff and the many children & youth who continue to inspire us for generations to come! We apologize for any oversights. We would like to say Chi Miigwetch (thank-you) Wahgeh Giizhigo Migizi Kwe (Eileen Sam Conroy) for your tireless dedication, passion and great love all of which made this project possible. We honoured by your contribution! With your wealth of life experience and commitment to those who have come before us, you have gifted us all with Elder wisdom, carefully planting seeds of knowledge for future generations! Funding for the Walking with Miskwaadesi curriculum project has been generously provided by: Aboriginal Funds for Species at Risk (AFSAR) Habitat Stewardship Program (HSP) Museum Assistance Program (MAP) Toronto Zoo Young Canada Works (YCW) Original drawings, illustrations and photographs provided by: Wahgeh Giizhigo Migizi Kwe (Eileen Sam Conroy) Design de Plume Bernice Gordon Josephine Mandamin Children of Wasauksing Kinoomaugewgamik Mary Kate Whibbs We send special thanks to the team of Design de Plume. Your brilliance, dedication and high standards have infused beauty and originality into this labour of love. Writing and editing contributions by: Wahgeh Giizhigo Migizi Kwe (Eileen Sam Conroy) Grafton Antone & Dr. Eileen M. Antone (Introduction to Iroquoian Oneida Language 2008) Bob Johnson Stewart King Wasauksing Traditional Knowledge Keeper Skye Vandenberg Kim Wheatley Available online at: http://www.torontozoo.com/pdfs/stewardship_guide.pdf Any reproduction of this document in whole or in part requires acknowledgement and written permission by the Toronto Zoo Ways of Knowing Partnership Turtle Island Conservation programme. Citation for this document: E. Conroy, K. Wheatley, B. Johnson, 2010 Walking with Miskwaadesi, Toronto Zoo

As the journey begins The Ways of Knowing Guide and the Walking with Miskwaadesi Curriculum have been compiled and written to complement each other, and so we are invited to begin our journey in learning by reading the Ways of Knowing Guide, and to revisit it in smaller sections while we are Walking with Miskwaadesi, exploring the 13 challenges that she gives us. Reflecting upon the worldview, values, beliefs and stories that are shared within the Guide will assist us in developing an awareness of Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Traditional Knowledge Worldview that is necessary if we are to successfully respond to the challenges and if we are to truly understand the interconnectedness of life on Turtle Island and our role and responsibilities within this beautiful web of life. We are asked to walk along a pathway, in the footsteps of Miskwaadesi, the Turtle and to learn about the environmental issues that confront the plant and animal members (in particular those who have been designated as Species-At-Rrisk) of the water world. The invitation to share in the journey is given to us both as educators and as learners and we are reminded that we will be learning, along with our students, from the land, the water, and the other members of creation throughout the journey. 4

As we begin our journey with Miskwaadesi we become increasingly aware that those paw prints, marks and steps that we see are not just turtle tracks - the pathway we follow contains the imprint of all plants and animals that share the environment with the turtle. We reflect that as our footsteps make imprints on the pathway they mingle with all those other prints and we come to understand that we have an impact on all other members of creation just as they have an impact upon us. We are reminded to be respectful of all members of creation and to honour them, and so we walk in a gentle and careful manner, sharing our space on the pathway, being mindful of the need to make room for the footsteps of the next seven generations to follow. THE WAYS OF KNOWING GUIDE Turtle island conservation Partnership Walking with Miskwaadesi Curriculum Written by Sam Conroy When we walk beside Miskwaadesi, we begin to understand our relationship to her and to those other life forces that are part of the pathway. Our footsteps become interwoven with those other prints and marks and we start to see, hear, breathe, and feel our interdependence as we move along on our journey. Our pathway takes us outdoors, to the land and the water where the teachings are given, and where we can be closer to all of those teachers in nature - the plants, animals, and elements. As we walk this pathway with Miskwaadesi in one hand we carry with us the Ways of Knowing Guide, stopping along the way to re-read sections that pertain to each of the 13 challenges. In our other hand we carry the Walking With Miskwaadesi challenges. The Ways of Knowing Guide shows us where the pathway has come from as it helps us to keep our focus and attention while we engage in the learning of each challenge, respecting the footsteps of other life forms who walk with us. The Walking with Miskwaadesi challenges provide us with opportunities to practice and to demonstrate our learning as we become actively involved in making an environmental difference today. Combining the two documents together enables us to follow the pathway, picking up teachings and new understandings. Grounding ourselves in the worldview, traditions, beliefs and stories of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Nation will give us the background we need to deal with the issues of today and our individual and group actions will make a positive difference to our environment, providing sustainable solutions that will be carried forward to the next seven generations and the old turtle will smile upon us as we honour the Dish with One Spoon agreement to share the land, the water, and the resources in a good way! 5

Challenges are met with great honor especially when we know it is for a deep purpose - the betterment of all, especially our Mother Earth. We are guided by vision and dreams, but most of all we are guided by our Spirit and Spirit Helpers. Josephine Mandamin s Journal - Mother Earth Water Walkers

Table of contents walking with miskwaadesi Sacred Spaces- Special Places Mapping our Community pg 12 Making a Simple Map of my class and my room Where are the special places in my community? How will we identify them? Sharing our sacred spaces with the Elders Ways of Knowing Guide Responsibility Community Mapping pg 94 1 st CHALLENGE 13 MOONS ON A TURTLE S BACK PG 22 Introduction to challenges. 13 moons community calendar Walk in the turtle s footsteps Ways of Knowing Guide Relationship the Sky World pg 75 2 nd CHALLENGE CREATION STORIES PG 56 Being grateful and thankful for our gifts. Turtle Responsibilities and turtle clan responsibilities; interview Ways of Knowing Guide Respect pg 15 3 rd CHALLENGE THE BASICS PG 72 Turtle Species in Ontario; Species at Risk; card games; outdoor games Ways of Knowing Guide Relationship pg 46 4 rth CHALLENGE TURTLE NEEDS PG 111 Habitat needs of turtles in Ontario; card games; outdoor games Ways of Knowing Guide Reciprocity pg 53 5 th CHALLENGE NEIGHBOURS AND FRIENDS PG 129 Food webs and food chains in a wetland; other species who Share habitat with the turtle and how they depend upon each other Making a web-of-life on a dream catcher frame Ways of Knowing Guide Relationship Interdependent Relations pg 46 6 th CHALLENGE TURTLE STORIES AND TEACHINGS PG 166 Storytelling and turtle teachings to share Researching stories and legends about turtles Ways of Knowing Guide Relationship pg 46 7 th CHALLENGE TURTLES EVERYWHERE PG 187 Sea turtles at risk using the computer to learn about turtles Participating in on-line games and searches web-quests Ways of Knowing Guide Reciprocity pg 53 8 th CHALLENGE WATER Walking PG 211 Walking around your watershed for the water and for the turtle; Meet an Anishinaabe Kwe Elder who has walked around the Great Lakes Ways of Knowing Guide Relationship the Waters pg 78

9 th CHALLENGE HOW MUCH WATER PG 230 Personal water audit learning to conserve water for the benefit of all Your personal watermark; making a commitment string Ways of Knowing Guide Relationship the Waters pg 78 10 th CHALLENGE FROG FRIENDS AND MORE PG 259 Focus on frogs in the wetland the early wakers in the wet world; Participating in the Frogwatch project; learning to listen; pond study Ways of Knowing Guide Relationship The Waters pg 78 11 th CHALLENGE TALLY UP FOR TURTLES! PG 282 Participating in the turtle tally Protecting turtles in your local community signs; nest sites Ways of Knowing Guide Reciprocity Indigenous Ways of Knowing pg 53 12 th CHALLENGE GET ACTIVE FOR TURTLES PG 299 Individual ways of helping the turtle through an action project Awareness leads to a Responsibility to become Active; Ways of Knowing Guide Relationship Interdependent Relations pg 46 Ways of Knowing Guide Responsibility Community Mapping pg 94 13 th CHALLENGE FEASTING THE TURTLE PG 310 Prepare and host a feast for the turtle; cooking traditional foods; Saying Miigwetch Ways of Knowing Guide Responsibility Seven Generations Teaching pg 98 8