6 – Culture

Indigenous Culture

• Includes traditions, beliefs, and customs that are unique to location.
• Indigenous culture does not fit into one box. There are many different Indigenous cultures across Canada.
• Culture differs between families, communities and Treaty areas. For example, people from the same First Nation may follow similar traditions, and customs, but often do not all have similar spiritual beliefs.
• Balance is an important centralized aspect of Indigenous culture, which is represented by the medicine wheel teachings.
• Different First Nations have different types of ceremonies, celebrations, and different customs for ceremonies and celebrations.
• Culture and spiritual beliefs are linked and tied to the land.
• Indigenous culture represents a way to live a good life (Bimadisiwin).
• Feasting is an important aspect of ceremony. Feasting involves traditional foods that are made and shared with family or community as a thank you and/or offering. Feasting may be done for a variety of purposes such as the change of seasons, to commemorate a lost family member, or during a powwow or ceremony.  An offering is always given to the spirits during a feast.
• Sweat lodges are built for a variety of purposes and are used to assist in opening the communication barriers between us and the spirits.
• Spirit names are names that can be given to a person at any age. Spirit names are said to be a person’s true name. Spirit names are given by the spirits through a person who has earned that ability, or through a vision while in a sweat lodge or on a fast, or through a dream.
• Offerings of Tobacco are given when asking a person or spiritual entity for healing, spiritual guidance, or any other requests. Offerings of Tobacco are also made before any harvest as a thank you.
• Clans have existed on earth before people. Clans can be almost any animal and can be passed on through your mother or father depending on your teachings. Clans can also be assigned through ceremony.  Clans are said to watch over us and help us live in harmony with nature.  Each clan has certain roles associated with it.  For example, the bear clan are warriors and protectors, and the crane clan are leaders.  People who are members of the same clan regard each other as family.
• The number 4 in creation is sacred. Many elements in culture are represented in 4 ways, which can be visualized and further examined through medicine wheel teachings.
• The 4 sacred medicines are Cedar, Sage, Sweetgrass, and Tobacco.

The Medicine Wheel

• There are numerous medicine wheel teachings, and not one person knows every teaching.
• The medicine wheel represents balance in many aspects of life and is used to guide us to live a good life.
• The medicine wheel represents the 4 directions, the 4 seasons, and the 4 sacred medicines (cedar, sage, tobacco, and sweetgrass).
• The medicine wheel represents the mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical states of being.
• The medicine wheel represents wind, fire, earth, and water.
• Each section of the medicine wheel corresponds with certain elements. For example, North also represents white, winter, wind, and cedar.
• The medicine wheel teaches how all aspects of life are connected and have influence on each other.

The 8 Grandfather Teachings

The 8 grandfather teachings can be applied to any aspect of life and can help guide us to live a balanced life while doing things in a good way.

Love – Respect – Truth – Honesty – Humility – Bravery – Wisdom – Forgiveness

Big Drum Teachings

• The big drum is called dwe’iigun. The drumbeat represents the heartbeat of mother earth and is also the first sound a baby hears inside their mother’s womb.
• A drum can be male or female and can be either contemporary or traditional.
• Drums are used at powwows, ceremonies, celebrations, and other important occasions. Drums are also used in everyday life.
• Every drum has a drum carrier who takes care of the drum. The drum keeper has certain protocols they must follow to care for a drum.
• Drums are sacred items and carry a spirit of their own. Drums are considered living entities and are not to be owned by any person, only carried.
• The lacing on a drum represents the ups and downs, the highs and lows, or the positive and negatives in life. It reminds us that one cannot exist without the other.
• A big drum can be carried by either a man or a woman, however, only men drum on the big drum as it was given as a gift to men to end war. There are stories passed down from generations about the gift of the big drum to men and why women gifted them the drum.
• Each drum song has 4 verses. There are certain songs for certain occasions. Some songs can only be sung during certain occasions.
• The travelling song is a healing song, and it is the last song sung at a powwow.

Powwow

• Powwows are celebrations and gatherings of people from all nations. It is a time to come together, learn, heal, pray, have fun, and grow.
• Everyone is welcome at a powwow.
• Powwow is a good place to learn about Indigenous culture.
• Listening to the emcee at a powwow is important in order to follow powwow protocols.
• There are many protocols to follow at a powwow, and protocols often differ between different Treaty areas.

Some Treaty 3 Powwow Protocols:

• Always move clockwise around the circle, not backwards.
• Do not take pictures during grand entry, the flag song, or healing songs.
• Ask permission before taking pictures of someone.
• Do not dance if you are pregnant, carrying a child, or on your moon time.
• Always be respectful of others and if you are not sure of something, ask.