UNTITLED ORIGINAL ART BY CHRIS CHIPAK, WAPIKIHEW, CREE ARTIST FROM RED PHEASANT FIRST NATIONS, BASED IN SASKATOON - Our Elders' teachings are essential to keeping Indigenous traditions alive.
“And in between adulthood and elderhood, learning to embrace your self is very good medicine.”
— From A Little Book of Medicines, Dawn Iehstoseranon:nha (She Keeps The Feathers)
Our Elders are the voices of our Ancestors. They carry the wisdom of many generations before them and pass these sacred teachings along to the next. Our Elders walk in the footsteps of those who went before them, and they make a way for us, showing us our path and how to walk in a good way.
In the coming weeks, our calendars dedicate two dates to our most respected relatives and community members. Sept. 10 marks National Grandparents’ Day, dedicated in 1995 by Canada’s House of Commons to acknowledge grandparents’ importance to the structure of the family in the nurturing, upbringing and education of children. Oct. 1 is the International Day of Older Persons, recognized by the United Nations since 1991 to acknowledge the contributions, dignity and wisdom of senior citizens.
In Indigenous cultures, there is an important distinction between reaching one’s senior years and holding the position of an Elder in community.
“There are both formal and informal responsibilities and functions for an Elder,” explains Dr. Andrew Bear Robe, 81, who was born in 1942 on the Blackfoot Indian Reserve, and is a respected Elder and member of what is now known as Siksika Nation. “Offering prayers at public gatherings, ceremonials associated with political and social events, giving advice and direction to families when requested to do so, blessing of family members such as face painting.”
Meeting dignitaries such as the Pope or the Queen have been observed as part of Elders’ roles in modern times.
“There is no specific time, age or event when one is considered an Elder,” explains Bear Robe. “The community members bestow such designation on a person, usually meant to be an honour for a life that is well lived. It just comes with the human territory. A 50- or 60-year-old person could be considered an elder depending on the course of their life’s journey.”
For 65 years, Bear Robe has been a leader of the Prairie Chicken Society, a social and training circle for adolescents. Such societies have existed since before contact with European settlers.
“My parents and my close relatives taught me a lot about Blackfoot culture,” recalls the Siksika Elder. “This is what gives me my cultural identity and my sense of purpose. I thank the Great Spirit for those years.”
In 1988, Chickasaw academic Eber Hampton identified 12 guiding principles that he considered important to the “Indian theory of education.” Spirituality; that both teacher and learner have an appreciation for spiritual relationships. Service; the purpose of education is to contribute to the people. Respect; the relationship between the individual and the community is mutually empowering. Place; the importance of sense of place, land and territory.
History; imparting the facts of Indigenous history, including the loss of the continent and continuing racial and political oppression. Conflict; understanding the dynamics and consequences of oppression. Vitality; recognition of the strength of Indigenous people and culture. Transformation; commitment to personal and societal change.
Culture; understanding the importance of culturally determined ways of thinking, communicating and living. Tradition; preserving Indigenous practices. Diversity; that Indigenous education is diverse across tribes and communities. Relentlessness; commitment to the education of Indigenous youth. Education is often referred to now as “the new buffalo.”
In 1991, Hampton would be called to serve as President of the First Nations University of Canada.
This year’s theme for International Day of Older Persons is “Resilience of older persons in a changing world.” Today’s Elders are connecting with new audiences via Zoom or on social media and contributing to Indigenous language revitalization in online dictionaries and streaming video lessons.
Wally Garrioch, 71, was born and raised in Winnipeg and learned to harvest from the land and water – to hunt and fish – from his father. As a Metis Elder, “I am able to pass along to our youth their cultural awareness and pride of who they are,” shares Garrioch, now based in Medicine Hat.
First recognized as an Elder in his 50s by Miywasin Friendship Centre, Garrioch, an accomplished musician, feels a responsibility to pass along his knowledge of dancing, playing guitar, and life experiences to today’s youth. Our Elders say we are always learning, and Garrioch would agree, as he’s a Michif language learner still today.
“I am proud of our youth in how they respect our Elders, and my hope is that they get the best education,” says Garrioch, whose message to young people is “Keep going forward.”
Across Turtle Island (Native North America), young Indigenous people are joining a new generation of knowledge keepers, who will move through life and grow in wisdom until they are recognized as Elders in their own right.
Based in Fort Good Hope in the Northwest Territories, Twyla Edgi-Masuzumi is a K’ahsho Got’ine woman and a land guardian. For four years, she has taken part in moose hide camps, learning to prepare the hides through every step from dehairing to tanning until the hides are ready to be handmade into mukluks and other clothing.
“I love when we have the moose hide camps. One of the best parts is the stories and laughter we have together,” shares Edgi-Masuzumi in a video for the Land Needs Guardians movement. “It’s very fortunate that we have our Elders here to guide us through this. I get to learn all our traditions and teachings, and carry the knowledge on. Every year I learn something new and now people are asking me to help them with their hides and get to help other people with the knowledge that I’ve gained. I’m so ecstatic about that.”
Dine Navajo Nation Elder Jerry Thomas is a wisdom keeper in Flagstaff, Arizona. Elder Thomas recalls when his grandparents asked him if he knew who he was, why he was here on this earth, and where he was going. When he doubted himself, his grandmother explained how “life is so short on this Earth, but the Earth’s been here for billions of years,” recalls Thomas. “Today you only have a grain of salt of life. Don’t waste it.”
Wisdom keeper and grandmother Lutie Hillaire of Lummi Nation in Turtle Island’s Pacific Northwest has a message for the world.
“I want to let you know something and I know what you’re looking for. It’s right here,” she says, indicating her heart. “You’ve got it and you want to fill that heart with something so you can help other people. You got to help yourself first and that’s what you’re doing, filling your heart up so you can help other people.”
JoLynn Parenteau is a Metis writer out of Miywasin Friendship Centre. Column feedback can be sent to jolynn.parenteau@gmail.com
