Elder's Support
With the help and guidance of Elders and with the inclusion of a cultural workshop where students can apply the teachings of the Medicine Wheel and begin to understand the roots and history of colonization, students develop or strengthen their identity and become stronger, healthier individuals, parents and members of society.
Indigenous spiritual teachings are inherently inclusive and honour all traditions and cultures. Students are always given the option of participating and are fully respected and supported regardless of their degree of participation.
SWEETGRASS
The Sweetgrass is one of the four sacred medicines given to Native people. The Sweetgrass is used;
- to purify and cleanse our spiritual self.
- three strands that make up the braid represent fire, water and earth, also the family: father, mother and child, mind body and spirit, or Past, Present & Future.
- The reason why the Sweetgrass is in a braid is it is meant to represent the hair of mother earth.
- Sweetgrass is a tall, wild, fragrant grass
TOBACCO
It is one of the four sacred medicines. Tobacco is used to:
- communicate with the spirit world
- presented as an offering or gift, especially before collecting medicine herbs
- used for smudging.
- as an offering to Elder when asking for information and/or assistance
A simple way to make a tobacco offering is to take a bit of tobacco, hold it in your left hand, and say a prayer. Put the tobacco somewhere in nature and offer it to the earth, either in a fire or near a tree.
SAGE
It is also one of the four sacred medicines, and is used as
- smudge when purifying ourselves, our home and our bundles
- releasing the mind of its troubles and negative energy
- before participating in a ceremony or communicating with the Creator.
- The kind of sage you use depends on the area you live in.
CEDAR
It is also one of the four sacred medicines, and is used:
- burned while praying. The prayers rise with the smoke and are carried to the Creator
- to purify one’s body from disease and used as a protection.
- it is often brewed into tea, medicine for people with the flu/with an upset stomach,
- can also take a cedar bath if you are unwell
- Cedar is best when it’s picked from nature
