During the conversation, Anishinaabe Elder and knowledge keeper Phyllis Pinesse explained that the waters of Shoal Lake have a holistic health meaning to Indigenous People in Treaty 3. She pointed out how this relation was interfered with by the construction of the dams and the aqueduct constructed in the early 1900s through which water flows to Winnipeg. These developments change water levels, and periodically reverse the flow of water, resulting in an increase in contamination. algae, and sedimentation patterns of what was once pristine water. She also explained that for their ceremonial practices they use water and copper, a mineral that Anishinaabe People used to trade with other First Nations for their healing properties.

Anishinaabe Elder and knowledge keeper Phyllis Pinesse sharing about her helpers that support holistic healing.

Mayan scholar Filiberto Penados shared that in Yucatan language people greet each other asking “how is your walking?”, a greeting that has a profound notion of relational wellbeing. He explained that this speaks for the importance of relationships with other beings. As he noted, Indigenous People have always had ways to relate to others, to sustain relationships and bring these into balance. Relationships with the land have been interrupted and there is a need of restoring them in an Indigenous way. He emphasizes that the healing is not only required within Indigenous communities but within humanity as a whole.

Ărramăt co-leader María Eugenia Choque Quispe shared her personal story about the discrimination she suffered when she entered university and how she “healed her spirit” through revaluing her identity. For her, practicing her language was important to reconstruct and disseminate the ancestral Aymara oral history. Furthermore, she understood that this cultural practice can only be reproduced through the restitution of their territorial rights and the ability of Indigenous Peoples to exercise their territorial autonomy in their Ayllus. In the land-based and Indigenous-led project that she is working on with the community of Corque Marca, Aymara People are recording their songs, myths, and legends as a way to heal their relationship with the territory.

For more information on the Ărramăt project see: https://arramatproject.org

Participants in the Conversation:

Phyllis Pinesse is a Natural Resource technician from Iskatewizaagegan Independent First Nation. She is a Knowledge Keeper, Grandmother and Mother. She is also a teacher of medicinal plants, and cultural values and vision.

Filiberto Penados, a Maya scholar from Belize is Associate Professor and Research Director at Galen University.  His activist scholarly work focuses on Indigenous and critical education and development. He has a long history of working in and with Indigenous communities and organizations in Belize. Dr Penados chairs the Julian Cho Society and is a technical advisor to the Belize National Indigenous Council and Toledo Alcaldes Association.

María Eugenia Choque Quispe, Aymara woman from the Plurinational State of Boliva with Social Work Degree from the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Boliva and Master’s in Andean History from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO), Quito, Ecuador. She has worked for the defense of Indigenous Rights, strengthening of Indigenous organizations with a focus on the participation of women in these processes. She contributed to the development of the American Declaration of Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and UNDRIP. She is also a previous member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Two-Spirit Elder Charlotte Nolin is an elder in residence at Ongomiizwin – Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing at the University of Manitoba. She is an Indigenous person of Métis ancestry – Oji-Cree and French – a survivor of the “Sixties Scoop” and a member of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community. 

Following the passing of her wife 13 years ago, Elder Nolin realized that life is short and it’s important to make a positive impact while we’re here.  

“I want to leave a good footprint behind that others will follow,” says Elder Nolin. “If I can convince one person to follow in my footsteps, then they may convince two people to follow in theirs, and so on, so down the road there will be a whole bunch of people walking in them.” 

Elder Nolin has spent the last 35 years of her career working in social services, and along with being an Elder-in-Residence at Ongomiizwin, she is a Sweat Lodge keeper. She believes that the way to help her people is through social work and ceremony. 

“When people come to me, I never turn anyone away. To me, when we do a Sweat Lodge ceremony, the doors are open to everybody. It doesn’t matter who you are, if you’re coming and asking for ceremony, for healing, it’s there for you. We’ve existed in a world that’s been so cruel in the past, and I want to do my part to change that.” 

Through her role with the University, Elder Nolin looks to her own journey to help others. 

“For me, it’s the opportunity to share some of my story with people who have never heard it before. So they have a better understanding of who we are as 2SLGBTQQIA people. If the knowledge that I share with people can help them in their journeys, and to have a better life because of it, then I’ve done my work.” 

Elder Nolin believes that the world has come a long way, but that there is still much work to be done to fight racism, homophobia, trans-phobia and hate. 

“Institutions need to start to realize that we are here. We’re part of the University and things have to change from the status quo,” says Elder Nolin. “We all have to start learning again. Everything we’ve learned, we have to kind of throw the bad stuff away, keep the good stuff, and start looking forward to how we’re going to behave in the future.” 

For Elder Nolin, Pride is about being proud of being a human being, first and foremost, and she has a challenge for the UM community: 

“To all the people that work at the University, to all the students that attend, I challenge each and every one of you to stand in front of a mirror, look into those eyes that are looking back at you, and repeat these three little words: I love you. Without looking right or left, up or down, straight into those eyes. Most people can’t do it – it takes practice. It took me three weeks to be able to do it.  

I hope people will take the time to look in the mirror. Once you realize you can love yourself, you can love your neighbour. That’s why we’re all here. To learn how to love our neighbour.” 

The Indigenous Student Centre offers sharing circles for the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community and allies during the academic year. Check out the Indigenous Events Calendar in fall for programming details. 

The circles are offered every second Tuesday from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. (See spring dates below). Every month, there is one Talking Circle and one Sharing Circle.

Co-host Isca Spillett (Afro-Indigenous with matrilineal kinship ties to Cree and Métis) with the Indigenous Student Centre says it’s important for the UM community to have access to these types of opportunities.

“Building community on campus is critical,” says Spillett. “We want Two-Spirit students, staff and faculty to feel safe and cared for, so we’re excited to be able to offer hybrid circles for the rest of the term. You can continue to participate online or join us in the Circle Room at Migizii Agamik.”

Talking Circles bring 2S/LGBTQQPIA+ students, staff, faculty and community members together with allies and offer opportunities to talk and learn about 2S identity, 2S visibility and public spaces, 2S-inclusive ceremonies and more. Sharing Circles are an exclusive space for Indigenous people who are gender and sexuality diverse, who may identity as Two-Spirit, Indigi-queer, non-binary, or reject these labels entirely. The Sharing Circles allow 2S students, staff, faculty and community to gather, share, heal and celebrate their identities.

This spring and summer, the Two-Spirit Elder circles will also offer community-building opportunities on a drop-in basis, including opportunities for 2S students, staff and faculty to take part in 2S-led and inclusive ceremonies on and off campus.

Nicki Ferland (Two-Spirit Red River Métis), the Community Engaged Learning co-host, is grateful for the Elders who create safe spaces for sharing and learning at the University of Manitoba.

“We’re so lucky to have Two-Spirit Elders Albert McLeod, Barbara Bruce and Charlotte Nolin lead the circles. They represent Indigenous gay, lesbian and trans experiences, and have so much knowledge, experience and teachings to share with us,” says Ferland. “They are really committed to working with our students, staff, faculty and community members, and that love for our Two-Spirit relatives, that commitment to queer community-building, really shines through.”

Two-Spirit Elder Talking and Sharing Circles are held on alternately Tuesdays from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Join online or meet in the Circle Room at Migizii Agamik (114 Sydney Smith Street, Fort Garry campus).

Talking Circles (2S/LGBTQQPIA+ and allies)
April 4: 2S Elder Charlotte Nolin

Sharing Circles (2S exclusive)
March 21: 2S Elder Albert McLeod
April 18: 2S Elder Charlotte Nolin

This year’s theme is Seven Generations Strong to show how the success of our youth is tied to the wisdom and strength of our Elders and Knowledge Keepers. To honour and celebrate the success of our youth, this year’s gathering will begin with the launch of the EleV Partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. 

We sat down with Elder-in-Residence Carl Stone to learn some of the history behind Elders Gathering at the UM, his involvement and to learn about what to expect by attending the two-day event. 

How it started 

Elder-in-Residence, Carl Stone

Elder Stone was a part of the original planning committee for the inaugural Elders and Traditional Peoples Gathering in 2002 at the UM. 

“(As a student), I came in with a lot of Indigenous knowledge. In fact, I questioned whether I should come to university because I was afraid that it would tamper with the traditional knowledge that I had.” Elder Stone shared that Elders eventually encouraged him to go to university because they believed it would make him stronger. He shared that an Elder once said to him “They need you. They need what you know. They need that there.” 

Conversations were happening about bringing in traditional knowledge to the university. While speakers were coming in to speak about traditional knowledge or other Indigenous topics, there was a lack of intention and the involvement of the Indigenous community on and off campus. These conversations started taking place approximately two years prior to the first Elders Gathering.  

“I recall that I shared my story about going to the youth and Elder gatherings that were happening in late ‘70s and early ‘80s, where we had people like Tom Porter, Ernest Tootoosis, Phillip Deere and Eva McKay. Those Elders really influenced us back in the day. They influenced us young people to take a stronger look at our own identity, culture and spirituality. Based on that experience, when we were talking about bringing Elders Gathering to the university, I suggested we pattern it after that. I said the simplest form is to bring Elders in and have them talk about the culture to the young people.” 

Others involved in the initial planning included: Kali Storm, then-director of the Indigenous Student Centre, Roxanne Shuttleworth, professor Fred Shore, professor Peter Kulchyski and other students from the Department of Native studies.   

Learning from each other 

Over the years, firekeeper teachers became part of the Gathering, sharing teachings about fire and how it relates to men. Elder Stone explains that in the Anishinaabeg culture, it is the men who are responsible for the fire and the fire-keeping during ceremonies. He mentioned that the Cree have different views on fire-keeping and it involves both men and women. He learned about this difference at an Elders Gathering. 

“That’s a perfect example of why we were having the gathering. It’s so that we can teach each other and learn about each other’s culture, spirituality and traditional teachings. When I say ‘traditional’ teachings, it means those teachings that we have originally as a people that are not from Europe.” 

Why the gathering is important 

Over the years, many people have referred to the Elders Gathering as what woke them up to who they are and to their culture and identity. “That was one of the primary reasons we wanted [to hold] the gathering, because we saw a lot of [Indigenous] students coming to the university basically being ‘Indigenous white folk’, if you will, and not taking pride in who they were,” says Elder Carl. “They were pretending to be someone else. The whole intent and idea behind the Elders Gathering was bringing that kind of knowledge and imagery for people to see, not just our own Indigenous people, but the people at the University of Manitoba.” 

For Elder Stone, it’s important to remind people of the history and why the Indigenous Student Centre continues to host the Elders and Traditional Peoples Gathering because if we forget and move further away from its original intent, we risk losing its essence and having it turn into something like an academic exercise rather than the opportunity for community growth and contribution to the identity as Indigenous peoples, their spirituality and traditional teachings. He hopes that other people will see Indigenous people who are still connected with their ways of life from thousands of years ago and not see Indigenous people through an anthropological lens.  

“Although we’re saying a lot of it in English, they will be hearing the languages that our people speak and they’ll know and understand; for example: Gizaagi’in. I just told you that I love you in the language. Europeans didn’t bring “the good book” here to teach us love. We already had it. For thousands of years, that’s how old our languages are and that’s how long we’ve been telling each other we love each other because it’s in our language. Nobody came here and told us this is how you love. In fact, it actually did the opposite. They taught us to judge the ‘old ways’ by calling it devil worship and [they] started telling us to hate each other rather than love each other.” 

Attending the gathering 

On Oct. 13, Elder Stone will be conducting the Pipe Ceremony along with Elder Wanda Murdock at 8:00 a.m. at Migizii Agamik – Bald Eagle Lodge to open the Elders and Traditional Peoples Gathering in a good way. He will also be sharing his knowledge and thoughts about what it means to be a man in today’s world and what that means for Indigenous men.  

If you want to connect with Elder Stone and other Elders and Traditional Peoples, the Indigenous Student Centre welcomes everyone to attend this free event for the opportunity to build community and to learn from each other. Along with the listening circles with Elders and Knowledge Keepers, there will be art sessions and Indigenous walking tours. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation will also be hosting an open house and lunch will be served on both days. 

For the schedule and further details, please visit the Elders and Traditional Peoples Gathering webpage. 

She grew up on the land, lived in an igloo and lived the traditional Inuk lifestyle. When asked about her experience in school, she said “My mother didn’t want to send me to residential school, so the federal day school was built in my community in 1960 and at that time I was already 10 years old.”

When we asked Elder Martha about how she learned traditional knowledge, she stated that she didn’t learn it in courses, but this knowledge was passed down by her parents.

“They (parents) were nomad people living in our area, so everything from the time that I was born was traditional. Anything to do with hunting and anything to do with fishing. My dad was a hunter for seals, polar bears, and caribou. He was providing for the family. My mother was a seamstress. She made clothes out of skins. What I know about my background and how I am with traditional knowledge is what I grew up with.”

Elder Martha is currently working with the Manitoba Collaborative Indigenous Education Blueprint, which is an initiative that commits all the post-secondary institutions in the province work together to make Indigenous achievement a priority. When asked what advice she would want to share with Inuit students coming to Winnipeg for post-secondary education, she said, “I know it is hard coming from a community to a city, so I would like to see them being shown everything about the city life and who they can contact for help or questions they have about the city whether it’s to do with healthcare or to talk to somebody about mental health because you can only get ahead if you ask questions. It can get very discouraging very quickly if you don’t have any support.”

You can learn more from Elder Martha Peet at the Elders and Traditional Peoples Gathering on October 13-14, 2022, at the Fort Garry Campus at the UM. She will be sharing Inuit stories and teachings along with nine other Elders and Traditional Peoples. She looks forward to meeting new people and hearing what they have to say. The two-day event is free and open to everyone.

Rasmussen feels that Morriseau is a leader in bridging scientific and traditional knowledge for the betterment of the people. “She has the skills, knowledge and energy to effect positive change,” he adds.

Morriseau, a Cree woman from Peguis First Nation, says she was thrilled when she found out she had been accepted. “It was quite an honour to be nominated,” she says. “To receive the word that I had been selected is validating to the work that I am doing.” She says this opportunity is also validating to the health experiences of Manitobans overall.

Morriseau is researching in the department of pharmacology and therapeutics with a focus in early onset type 2 diabetes. With its first diagnoses in the 1980s, type 2 diabetes is a relatively new phenomenon for scientists, doctors and researchers. Morriseau is studying intervention methods of traditional food systems in Indigenous communities, and believes this is an important aspect of health to bring into the political landscape.

The idea behind Youth Indigenizing the Senate is to encourage youth to “bring unique insight into what is happening in their communities and offer a fresh perspective on what needs to be done to make life better in their community.” The Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples also believes it is of high importance to include the voices of First Nations, Inuit and Métis future leaders.

Morriseau agrees with this sentiment, and says it is important to have youth voices at all levels of government. So much so, that in 2017, Morriseau advocated for the Mayor of Winnipeg to implement a youth council. This year, the City of Winnipeg opened applications for its first Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council.

Youth Indigenize the Senate invites representatives from across Canada. Morriseau says it is important to include a wide variety of voices, as it is often youth who are doing frontline work within their communities. Manitoba has one of the highest rates of early onset type 2 diabetes in children and youth, and is 20 times the national average. “Representing Manitoba is top priority for me,” she says.

Morriseau hopes to leave with a better understanding of how government policies are formed. “Any of these experiences where I am exposed to how these systems work and where I could potentially apply my own research of accessing food security in the North will really broaden my scope,” she says. “I think going into this experience, and into Senate, is helpful for not just addressing type 2 diabetes in our communities, but all illnesses we face.”

Youth Indigenize the Senate takes place from June 4- 6 in Ottawa, and offers a unique perspective into the behind-the-scenes operation of how Parliament functions. Follow the @umindigenous Instagram account for Taylor’s take over during her visit to Senate! 

Click here to listen to their story and the design process used to create the brand indigo-arrows