Red River College

Red River college

 * Course Name :: The Native People of Canada 2 NATV 1240
 * Time :: Fall 2008
 * Instructor :: Janine McNabb M.A., Adv. B.A.
 * Email :: jcmcnabb@mts.net

How to use this WIKI
Simply Edit this Page and add your notes from class to the ones presented here.

We as a group will have much better notes of what our instructor talk about in class if we put them all together than anyone of us would have collected on their own.

Then before the Test and Exam all we have to do is print this page(s) and study =P

PS: Fill free to play around with the format and how to make the text look nice... Maybe even add Pictures and Videos.

PS2: Please only add material that was really presented in class and only relevant to the NATV 1240.

Role of the Elder

 *  Elders are  ::
 * Seniors (Around 55 y.o.)
 * Knowledgeable (Base on personal life experiences)
 * Life Long learning
 * Know Traditions; Know Traditional Medicine, Know their History & Pass Experiences.
 * Leaders (Respected)
 * Teachers of their History to young people, of their culture, of their spirituality.
 * Healers and Head of Ceremonies, Sweat Lodge, Sundance.
 * They are Guides and trusted by their community.

Elders are NOT SELF APPOINTED and required the community to recognized them as elders before they become one.

Elders are view as essential to the foundation of the community.

Their Teaching has being pass down from generation to generation.

They encourage a healthy lifestyle and strong Identity.

Elders are role models to their people. They:
 * Teach the children
 * Advice people
 * Law giver
 * Dispense justice
 * Know the language and oral History

They have knowledge of Important symbols (???) They are a connection to the Pass, Present and Future. They are call upon by the Government to deal with issues that affect them like new developments and land claims.

Elders are counselors in schools and other organizations. Elders are considered experts on life because of their many life experiences. Elders are able to tell a story in a way that people can understand it.

They deal with four areas
 * 1) Mental
 * 2) Physical
 * 3) Emotional
 * 4) Spiritual

The Frog Story One day Dad frog took Mom frog and the kids out for a walk across to the pond on the other side of the road. Dad told Mom and the kids to wait for him to cross the road first and when it was safe he will shout for them to cross the road. Dad made it ok and call his family over BUT when they were halfway a truck appear and Father frog told them to STOP and go back. They listen and no frog was lost that day. And that is why more people are hit by vehicles than Frogs!

What is the message
 * Development of a strong family unit
 * Role definition for Dad, Mom and Children
 * Family Structure

Moral of the story
 * Listen to Dad
 * Be careful and cautious of unknown things because they may hurt you

To talk to an Elder the person must bring TOBACCO

Tobacco was the first gift from the creator Is it just me or their is something wrong with this picture?

Tobacco is very important to Elders as a way to communicate with the Creator. A prayer given with Tobacco goes up to heaven were the spirit will for sure hear the prayer and answer it!

Approaching an Elder with Tobacco The gift of Tobacco (a must if you want his help) must be given with your LEFT hand (the one closes to your heart) and place on the table for the elder to grab. If he takes the Tobacco and smoke it the gift is considered taken and the Elder will help that person with his or her problem.

All communication between the Elder and the other person is considered truthful and is kept confidential.

Elders will advice from life experience and traditional ways.

Because of the residential schools and the society assimilation of native people into the Canadian culture, there will be less Elders in the future generations.

The Damage done to the native people from residential schools will take 2-3 more generations to get fix.

Film: Urban Elder

 * Vern Harper

Life is very difficult living in two cultures.

Statistic show that more and more people are moving to urban settings like Toronto (from 14,000 (???) to 65,000 today)

As the city deteriorates and life becomes harder there is an ever increasing role for the Elder to help the Native people and Native community.

The spirit consist of :: They are Good Spirits and Bad Spirits
 * 1) Fire
 * 2) Water
 * 3) Wind (Air)
 * 4) Earth

People must be cleanse with some smoke to purify themselves and invite the good spirits.

The Elders go out of Toronto to a purification lodge.

Secrete Items ::
 * 1) Eagle's Feather
 * 2) Pipe
 * 1) Pipe

Vern Harper was taken to a foster home at the age of 4 with his twin brother when their mother die and their father couldn't take care of them. 4 children in total.

Got into some difficulties commenting on having nothing on the street and drinking a lot... (???) talk to him and saw his future as an Elder.

Vern Harper went to jail for (???) years because he didn't have a layer and native people didn't got parole!

Now Vern Harper is an elder because it is the time for him to be one and he help his community with their spiritual needs with traditional ways even inside maximum security prison.


 * The End Please feel free to add more or delete if anything is incorrect.
 * (???) = means their is a piece of info there that I just didn't wrote down or couldn't read.