Tag Archives: indigenous

Northwest Coast Art

As a boy, I was fascinated by Northwest Coast Art, specifically totem poles. When I lived on 101 Reserve in La Ronge, there would be these shows depicting totem poles on some nature show I cannot remember. I am not sure if there were any totem poles on the old CBC show, The Beachcombers. Google is not helping either, but anyway I loved that show.

Haida art has so much amazing artwork. The Northwest Coast tribes must of has more time on their hands than my ancestors did, because many of the works looked time consuming to create and they used many different media, “wood, metal, horn, bone, leather and other objects” (https://spiritsofthewestcoast.com/collections/haida-art). Today, there are so many ways to view this type of art, many young people today take it for granted that they can just Google what they want to see. My family at 101 Reserve had National Geographic and an encyclopedia series called, The New Book of Knowledge, I loved reading and looking at the pictures. I think my parents might still have a copy of one of them, I will have to ask when I visit them again.

When I was a student at Kitsaki School (now Senator Myles Venne School), we were given an art project assignment. Naturally, with my fascination with Haida art, I created a face on a soft log (soft as in slowly rotting). I made it similar to what would be a part of a totem pole. I painted it up with water paint. It did not look very good because I am not an artist, but I was proud of it. I enjoyed creating things like that because creating things was always on my mind. I just never developed an artistic ability.

When the project was done, I took my mini-totem pole home to show it off top my parents. One day, I decided to go play outside, like I always did, and left my totem pole in the living room of our over-crowded house so other people could look at it. When I came back in from the bitter cold, I could not find the totem pole I was so proud of. Later that day, I found out that it had been thrown in the stove. Oh my poor little heart was broken. We had been running out of wood and it was decided by someone that my precious art project could warm-up the house. It was a rotting log, and I doubt it drew much heat as it slowly burned to ash, little by little. I did not cry, but I was very disappointed.

In the last year of my teacher program, I did an assignment on Bill Reid, “an acclaimed master goldsmith, carver, sculptor, writer, broadcaster, mentor and community activist” (https://www.billreidgallery.ca/pages/about-bill-reid). His artwork was and is amazing. I received a good response on the project, and I even created a lesson on making one of his works on play dough (attached). That lesson received a very good mark in the art class. You do not need to be an artist to create great lessons for art class, you just need to appreciate great artwork and the time it takes for a dedicated artist to create such wonderful work.

Arts Education Lesson Plan (this plan is incomplete but can be customized) – lesson-plan1-type

I have a presentation, however, I cannot share because of copyright issues. There are links below if you want to view his work.

Who was Bill Reid? →

https://billreidgallery.pastperfectonline.com/randomimages

 

Whale Image by Cecil Law from Pixabay

Totem Face Image by paudhillon from Pixabay

2nd Totem Face Image by paudhillon from Pixabay

Stove Fire Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

Serve Up Fire Safety In The Kitchen – Morin Lake Fire Department

This is a video entry for the 2020 National Firefighting Competition. For more details, visit https://indigenousfiresafety.ca/2020-… Actors: Jr. Firefighters Jack Halkett and Orlen Halkett. Written and narrated by Deputy Fire Chief Leonard Halkett, Directed and edited by Clarence Morin

Common Cree words from the video entry:

otāstawīhikīw – fire fighter

otāstawīhikīwak – fire fighters

piminawasowikamikos – kitchen

kotawānāpisk – stove

sāsīskihkwān – frying pan

piminawasow – cook

mīciwin – food

pimiy – lard/oil (grease)

nākatāpahta kipiminawasowin – take care of your cooking/look after your cooking

 

Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen!TM – https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Staying-safe/Preparedness/Fire-Prevention-Week

Staying with Teaching

I recently made the decision to stay with my teaching job at Sally Ross School. I submitted my letter of intent to continue working at my hometown of Hall Lake. It was a hard choice but I feel it is better for my family and myself.

I had some thoughts of going back to my old job as web developer because it was easier than what I had to go through on a day to day basis with my job as grade 5 and 6 teacher. I have met challenges that I thought were too much to handle. I felt inept and too inexperienced to deal with my students who I though deserved a better teacher. I still believe they do, but they are stuck with me until the end of the school year.

I have had much trouble with classroom management and discipline. I have much support and will try to get the understanding of the parents to try and do better. I hope there is some type of understanding worked out because I want all my students to do well.

As for this website, I will continue on because it is my pride and joy. Whenever I am going through a tough time, I know I can get some appreciation for the time and effort I put into this website from my many followers and visitors. It has got me through, time and again and I do not want to lose the support I have garnered from my visitors. I enjoy writing stories and providing a supplement to any Cree program through my efforts. I have enjoyed and used many resource people, especially Solomon Ratt, Simon Bird and Arden Ogg. There are many others of course but these have been my main sources because they are constantly online to support me (more than they know).

Call for Stories on Trapline Cabins

Artwork by Molly Ratt – Follow the link to see her Facebook page

This is a call for stories on trapline cabins. I want you to share stories of your time in a trapline cabin. All stories are welcome. It would be great to hear about your time in a trapline cabin. You can write about anything you want from how and when it was built, or maybe just the times your family traveled to the cabin during certain seasons. While I would like to publish all stories, there are a few guidelines I would like to inform you about.

  • I cannot offer remuneration or a prize, but I will publish shared stories as deemed appropriate.
  • I will give full credit and a link to your Facebook profile.
  • It needs to be between 150 to 1000 words. I can be flexible on this, in the case of several short stories, I will combine stories into one page on the website.
  • Appropriate language is encouraged
  • Happy stories are encouraged but sad stories will not be refused
  • Deadline is March 27, 2020, but I will add stories before that date over the weekends.
  • No real need to be formal, but I will make minor edits if needed. This is a story telling website, not an English class.
  • Please inbox me your stories and I will reply during evenings and weekends. I am a full-time teacher and I do not go on Facebook during the day. You can also email me the original document to cv2k@hotmail.com Please write subject as “trapline cabin”

Just a note that this is not a contest, it is more of a chance to share your story with us.

A big thank you to Tom Ballantyne for giving me the idea. I hope you decide to share your story with us at some point.

My Online Cree Sources – Facebook, YouTube and Websites 2022

I refer to many sources for my website articles. Without these sources, I would be spending enormous amounts of time completing my blogs about Cree. As a semi-fluent speaker, writer, and reader of Woodland Cree, the following sources are invaluable to me.

Facebook pages I follow:

Nêhiyawêwin (Cree) Word/Phrase of the Day – https://www.facebook.com/groups/18414147673/


#CreeSimonSays – https://www.facebook.com/groups/380099328844547/


Cree Language Videos – https://www.facebook.com/groups/100216916980387/


Learn Cree With Me –
https://www.facebook.com/groups/280657821548


Nêhiyawêwin for the Soul –
https://www.facebook.com/N%C3%AAhiyaw%C3%AAwin-for-the-Soul-596183750539244


Cree Language Resources ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐍᐏᐣ – https://www.facebook.com/groups/104500159643897/


Cree Media CBC –
https://www.facebook.com/creemediacbc/

This page can get somewhat political, but it does provide links to Cree language interviews and various other Cree videos.  


Cree word for the day is….
https://www.facebook.com/groups/104433456306236

LLRIB Cree Language Resources – https://www.facebook.com/llribcreelanguage/

Cree Syllabics FORUM –
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1432467493636362/

YouTube Channels:

#CreeSimonSays – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClrHhQZjSL8tDe29lOT7zQA

Cree Literacy Network –
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-nM3vziXSX8RIjnn9D48PQ

Solomon Ratt Query – https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=solomon+ratt

Cree Phrases – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCINEc-0LPsQ5Me2dR-LiW6w

Cathy Wheaton Bird #creebycathy – https://www.youtube.com/user/chimiskwew

BentArrowYEG –
https://www.youtube.com/user/BentArrowEdmonton/videos

Pow wow Times –
https://www.youtube.com/c/PowwowTimes/search?query=cree

BearPaw Media and Education – https://www.youtube.com/c/BearPawLegal

Aaron Fay – https://www.youtube.com/c/AaronFay

HPSD Indigenous Education – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Srx8T33haoSatKO-nxvcg/videos


Websites I have used:

Learn Cree – http://learncree.ca/

In my workplace, I have been tasked to train with the web developer and provide revisions and updates. I am currently in training, it is a tech that I am not entirely familiar with. I will keep you posted.


Cree Literacy Network – https://creeliteracy.org/

This is an awesome website, it is updated regularly and shared on many relevant Cree language Facebook pages. The promotion of our beautiful language is very well presented and I love our friends from the Cree Literacy Network. Check it out yourself for the video, audio, and text.


itwêwina – A dictionary that understands what you’re looking for. – https://sapir.artsrn.ualberta.ca/cree-dictionary/

I came across this website in 2019 when I was looking for sources. There are many variations of Cree words in the linguistics column search. I use it extensively to this day.


The following websites do not translate or interpret Cree words in any way, however, they can convert SRO to syllabics.

Syllabics.net Welcome –
https://syllabics.net/

Cree SRO ⇔ syllabics converter –
https://syllabics.app/


U of R – Cree: Language of the Plains / nēhiyawēwin: paskwāwi-pīkiskwēwin
https://ourspace.uregina.ca/handle/10294/8401

This Collection has PDFs and audio files that you may download to your computer for personal use.


Online Cree Dictionary – http://www.creedictionary.com/

I have not used this website for a long time. Apparently, the audio is based on an Adobe Flash plugin whichis obsolete. Hopefully, they find the resources to replace all the Flash files and insert simple audio files.


Welcome to the Plains Cree Dictionary! – https://dictionary.plainscree.atlas-ling.ca/#/help

This is an interesting website. Unfortunately, I could not find any audio clips.


Online Dictionary of Moose Cree –
https://moosecree.ca/

This dictionary is in the L dialect. There is audio for select Cree words on the website.


The websites below are from a Google search, maybe you will find them useful in your quest to learn our beautiful language.

Pinterest (Cree Language) –
https://www.pinterest.ca/search/pins/q=cree%20language&rs=typed


Vocabulary in Native American Languages: Cree Words – http://www.native-languages.org/cree_words.htm


U of S Indigenous Languages –
https://teaching.usask.ca/indigenoussk/import/indigenous_languages.php

Cree | CBC Indigenous – Original Voices –
https://www.cbc.ca/originalvoices/language/cree/


Please feel free to share your sources as well, whether it’s a book, Elders, or other online sources.


Regarding SRO to Syllabic converters – I have used them extensively at my workplace and they are real-time savers. Copy and Paste and you are good to go. Please take your time to cross-reference with a chart if you are doing syllabics for a project. I found a glitch here and there (I contacted their support techs). I hope you will find them useful.

Cree language – nīhithawīwin

 

Banner background Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

 

November 2019 – Most successful Month of all time for First Nation Stories

November 2019, is the most most successful month for this website. A total of 3457 views and 2018 visitors altogether.

Click to see larger image

 

The year 2019, saw 23, 256 views and 14, 206 visitors. More than tripling 2018, in both views and visitors.

stats
Click to see larger image

Many countries have visited my website. The list is impressive but I am sure that many hits are by accident, especially from the countries overseas.

Click to see larger image

 

My Facebook likes have climbed from 100 in November 2018, to 1800 in November 2019. The First Nation Stories Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/firstnationstories/)

It has been a great year for the First Nation Stories brand and I hope it continues for the New Year!

 

From the words of Cree Teacher, Simon Bird – kinanāskomitin = I thank you/I am thankful for you/I am grateful for you (#CreeSimonSays).

First Nations Unity Day – November 12

Cree audio after the image. First Nations Unity is observed in Saskatchewan on November 12, a day after Remembrance Day.

To remember those who fought and those who fell
Kita kiskisīyāhk aniki kākī nōtinikīcik ikwa aniki kākī pahkisīkwāw

 

Pixabay – https://pixabay.com/photos/poppies-field-yorkshire-sun-rays-4291704/ 

 

 

Tatanka wrestles – Tatanka māsihkīw

Cree audio at bottom of page. I hope I get to see this guy wrestle someday.

Thx to @temis.tv for posting! TV cameras at the event Fri night plus we filmed a movie trailer the following day with…

Posted by Tatanka on Monday, November 11, 2019

Tatanka māsihkīw – Tatanka wrestles

māsihkīwin – wrestling

omāsihkīw – wrestler

māsihkī – (you) wrestle, as in a command.

Trees in Woodland Cree

These are the local trees we have in the La Ronge and Hall Lake areas. I am sure there are many more types that I have left out.

mistik – tree

mistikwak – trees

 

balsam fir – napakāsiht
birch – waskway
black popular – māthimītos
black spruce – itināhtik
jack pine – oskāhtak
red willow – mithkwāpīmak
tamarack – wākinākan
white popular – mītos
white spruce – minahik
willow – nīpisiy

Thank you for visiting, if you see a mistake, please let me know and I will do what I can to fix it.

I took most of the pictures myself over the years, birch and tamarack were downloaded from Pixabay

cv