5

Learning Objectives

This bundle explores a Spirit’s Journey and the relationships, teachings and rites of passages through Anishinaabe ceremony.  This is fundamental when understanding human needs, brain development and attachment.

  • Explore Anishinaabe World View through Traditional Parenting;
  • Define the 13 Rights of Anishinaabe Child;
  • Discuss Life Stages & Anishinaabe Customs;
  • Identify Roles & Responsibilities;
  • Compare values and ethics;
  • Identify personal strengths and understanding of the 7 Grandfather teachings; and
  • Introduce the Referral process for Cultural Services & customs that may be requested.

Introduction to the Spirit Journey

Self Reflection

Pay attention, and see how the symbolism of the Anishinaabe Creation Story is implied in the Spirit’s journey.

 

The purpose of this exercise is to demonstrate Anishinaabe Worldview, before the interruption of colonialism, and cultural genocide. To begin to understand todays situation in Anishinaabe communities, it is necessary to have an idea of what has been “stolen, lost and attempted murdered.”  Meaning land, culture, ceremonies, language, parenting and self determination.

  • The activity is based on Mike Bisson’s teaching.
  • This teaching builds on the fundamental principles of:
    • 7 Fires of Creation (an Anishinaabe Creation Story), Bundle 4
    • 7 Grandfather Teachings, Bundle 2
    • 7 Stages of Life – Universal human development, teachings by Peter O’Chiese
    • Relationship building in traditional family systems
  • Other teachings from Knowledge Carriers will be introduced such as Lawrence W. Jourdain, Peter O’Chiese, Edward Bani Benton, Adam Lussier, Mary Elliott and Janet Fox.

Spirit Journey Teaching by Mike Bisson

March 1, 2017 – Garden River First Nation, Log Building

Connecting

  1. Belief – is fundamental to how one interacts with the world.
  2. Worldview – understanding this connection and applying it to ALL relationships.
  3. Rhythm & Flow – understanding that connection is being in-sync with creation and all our relationships.
  4. Seasons are another example that demonstrates roles and responsibilities within each cycle rotation of the earth around the sun. Our life stages are “seasons’.

Spirit Journey Themes

Self Reflection

Through this teaching, keep in mind what you know about healthy and unhealthy brain development. Healthy is flowing through stages and learning and receiving what is needed for the next stage. The opposite to this is, not learning or receiving what is needed for the next stage. Instead it is replaced with trauma that is not resolved. Sometimes this can cause people to skip steps and getting “stuck” not able to move on to the next natural life stage.

 

The Spirit’s Journey is a story that links Anishinaabe’s Worldview through a lens of traditional parenting, through 4 main headings:

Life Stages

A life stage is the period of human development during a life cycle; each stage is a doorway into the next. As humans, there are necessary skills that needs to mature at each stage to become an experienced adult. Anishinaabe culture had natural ceremonies that celebrated those rites of passages.

Relationships

Throughout the life stages, there are many relationships that are nurtured, and each are based on the love and attention that is received by the mother, father and extended family systems. These relationships are the foundation for other healthy attachments made in life.   Through these relationships, life skills are learned, nurtured and mastered.

Grandfather Teachings

At each life stage, there is a virtue that is learned and becomes a necessary life skill for each individual. These teachings are a code conduct of how-to live one’s life.  This is their integrity to self, creator, clan, family, nation.

Ceremonies

Ceremonies acknowledge Anishinaabe’s sense of identity by honoring Gitchi Manito (the Great Mystery), this gives belonging and purpose.

Self Reflection

This is not Mike Bisson’s Spirit’s Journey teaching in its entirety. The focus will be on Identity development of the Spirit’s Journey.
Keep an open view to how an Abinoojii (child) learns, Anishinaabe has intelligences that are viewed as:

  • Spiritual Intelligence (Thought)
  • Mental Intelligence (Thought)
  • Physical Intelligence (Thought)
  • Emotional Intelligence (Thought)

How are these intelligences taught during the life stages?

Traditional Parenting

Traditional Parenting is welcoming the Abinoojiinh (little spirit) into this world and guiding them from infancy through childhood to adulthood, and instill:

  • Strong self identity;
  • Solid foundation that produces stability and security;
  • Grounded by knowing themselves as an Anishnawbek;
  • Live by Anishinaabe values/principles and beliefs (how one thinks naturally); and
  • Doing this by everyday cultural practices.

 

Indigenous “Anishinaabe”

Colonialism “Indian”

Family & Extended Family

We are born into a clan family.

 Social Caring Network – Children are gifts and come directly from creator in the spirit world.  They are our responsibility to care for and belong to a larger extended family that cares and role models to them for a lifetime. Nuclear Family – concept that a family mainly consists of mother, father, brothers and sisters. Sometimes, this family is in isolation from grandparents and other relatives, or not apart of daily lives.
Spirit’s Journey – Infant stage, we know who our family is immediately.

Authority

Authority is the power of voice and actions for the leadership of the community.

 Co-existence – Authority given based on age, traditional roles, gender & knowledge, and relationship with the people.

Non-aggressive – authority is based on age and cultural knowledge and relationship with people.

Permissive – taught in in-direct ways, example is through storytelling with moral teachings. Children continuously being role modelled behaviours of how to be apart of community. Children have choice with natural consequences.

 Domination – the bureaucracy and authority taken by role.

Aggressive – authority given through roles of bureaucracy, power and control.

Coercive – reward and punishment and threats based on behaviours. Children are sent to daycares outside away from home & family. Schools are based on standardized testing, to conform and set up for failure.
Spirit’s Journey – Toddler Stage, when aggression is first experienced.

 

Purpose

Respect for Elders

 Respect for Elders and their knowledge & wisdom from life experiences; and revered as essential to community. Respect is more directed toward youthful appearances.  The elderly are more thought of as a nuisance and insignificant.
Spirit’s Journey – Child stage, we start to understand our purpose and how we fit in our family; spending lots of time with elders.

Materialistic

For the good of community vs personal gain.

 Non-Materialistic – emphasis on giving, and being conscious of reciprocal relationships and ensuring the sustainability for the next 7 generations. Materialistic – emphasis on acquiring, and exploitation of natural resources until there is nothing left to take.
Spirit’s Journey – Adolescence Stage, having own space and “stuff” is super important.

Relations

Collective vs Individual

 Cooperation – emphasis on the collective, specifically the clan (extended family). Work together for sustainability of the nation. The concept of whole and togetherness. Competition – emphasis on individual, which is separate from the whole. Looking and doing what is in the best interest for self.
Spirit’s Journey – Youth Stage, start to be more independent and friends are more important then family. Serious romantic relationships begin.

Reciprocity

The ‘give and take’ vs ‘what is in my best interest’

 Give and take Relationship What is in my best interest
Spirit’s Journey – Adult Stage, a true relationship which family is built on understands the importance of nurturing of each other.

Children

Children are gifts from the creator, to cherish and nurture to be contributors to the community.

 We have a responsibility for children, they are gifts and do not belong to us.

{insert quote from LWG}

 Children are commodities, they are another resource to be exploited.
Spirit’s Journey – in the Elders Stage,

The 13 Rights of the Anishinaabe Child

Self Reflection

Does the family appear to practice traditions?

Does the family appear to be open to learning more about traditions?

If unclear, ask if the family would be interested in learning more about Anishinaabe traditions with a Traditional Knowledge Carrier. 

 

Another element to the Natural Law that was known to the Anishnawbek, was presented as the 13 Rights of the Anishinaabe Child by Lawrence W. Jourdain and adopted by Nogdawindamin. These rights also extend to Anishinaabe people of all ages. These are Anishinaabe Peoples inherent rights! When they are being withheld or not respected, it is a Cultural Injustice.[1]

1. Anishinaabe anoozoowin – To their Name
2. Dodem – To their Clan
3. Gitziimak – To be with the Parents
4. Nawendaaknak – To be with their Families
5. Anishnaabe Miiniggisiwin – Their cultural and ceremonial practices
6. Anishnaabe Aadzewin – To their identity and lifestyle
7. Anishinaabemoowin – To their Language
8. Mino Bimaadiziwin – To a purposeful and zestful life
9. Anishinaabe Akiing – To their Ancestral Land
10. Anishinaabechigewin – To the Lifestyle of the Anishinaabe
11. Kinamaatiwin – To a good education
12. Wiikawaabmind – To protection within that Child
13. Dabedaagziwin – To Membership (Where your Roots Are)

Sexuality – To identify as who they identify as

It critical to be knowledgeable of these rights when communicating to families and extended families. Each of these 13 Rights can greatly influence a person on their healing journey.

Spirit Journey Activities

This teaching works best with a Female sharing Grandmother Teachings and a Male sharing Grandfather Teachings at each stage.

Facilitator Tips:

  • Have some personal examples to share for each stage, what values gained.
    • Variations of examples to be used can be:
      • vulnerability
      • oppression
      • power & privilege’s
      • colonization
      • racism
  • Make sure to have Bundle items ready and pass out to participants.
  • At appropriate times, give participants enough time to place items in center of the room.
  • Appendix Bundle 5 Spirit Journey Notes PDF
Activity 1

Draw it Out
  • Begin drawing 7 circles in a vertical row in center of page.
  • Draw [ ] around circles to represent the lodge,
  • Before beginning with the Infant stage of the First Circle, allow time for the “Conception” stage.
  • When arriving at the Infant stage of the top circle, begin to put titles in appropriate rows and describe in detail continue with each stage.
  • Supplies: easel, Chart Paper and Markers
Activity 2

Power Point Presentation
  • Participants will have a summary sheet of slides within their workbooks.
  • Each slide colour corresponds to the life stages within the Medicine wheel.
  • Supplies: Projector, Screen/Wall, Controller, extension cords and electricity
Activity 3

Laminated Cards
  • 28 cards to be distributed to each participant.
  • As the storyteller continues, each stage is to be posted on the wall at the appropriate time.
  • Supplies: Laminated Cards, sticky tack or tape.
Activity 4

Pop Quiz Review
  • Divide group into 5 teams, each with a set of (28) cards.
  • First team to recreate the Spirit’s Journey chart, in correct order wins.
  • No notes allowed, instruct participants to close books.
  • Can combine with activity 1 or activity 2 as a review.
  • Supplies: 5 envelopes of cards of each stage, total of 28.
Activity 5

Gathering of the Bundle
  • During the teachings of the Spirit Journey; bundle items are highlighted in RED and symbolizes items to be placed in the center bundle.
  • These items can be passed out at the beginning of activity for participants to place in center.
  • This activity, is the 1st stage for the timeline activity and continuation in the Colonization Road Activity.
  • Supplies: Bundle Items {insert link for list}
  • This activity can be used where time permits, after or before lunch.
Activity 6

Reflection
  • Think about a person that you are currently working with.
  • Can you identify the life stage that they are in by age?
  • Do they demonstrate life skills that are appropriate for that stage?
  • Do you feel that they may have missed any stages?
  • Do you feel they are stuck? How?
Activity 7

Self Reflection
  • Using the Spirit Journey Chart {insert template}
  • Intention is to assist participants to further explore personal experiences.
  • Identify a personal experience per stage that stands out. It can be a positive or negative experience.
  • Why did this experience stand out?
  • How can you make this a learning lesson and spin it into a positive experience?
  • Can use same chart and reflect on personal experiences to learn each 7 Grandfather Teaching/virtue.
  • This exercise is asking participants to take a look at their own resiliency, and to identify who and what they have as supports at that time in their life cycle.
  • Remembering the 4P’s, does everyone have the same supports?

Activity 7

A Personal Reflection of the Spirit’s Journey

Facilitator Tip:

  • Have some examples from your personal life to illustrate how to complete this activity.
  • Give time for participants to complete each stage.
  • Stress the importance of learning from past experiences.

Steps

  1. Listen to the teaching of the Spirit’s Journey.
  2. At every stage, reflect on your own life at that specific stage and write an example of a challenge that you faced.
  3. Then write a response to that challenge, with an example how you grew from that experience. Focusing on a positive outcome.
  4. This is a practice of how to look at the positive growth from a challenge that we have faced in our past.   How do you do this with community members?

 

Spirit Journey Self Reflection Exercise Example PDF

Spirit Journey Self Reflection Exercise Blank Template PDF

 

The Spirit’s Journey Teaching

Mini Visualization – Tree Metaphor

I Invite you to visualize what life would have been like 600 years ago for the indigenous people.   Particularly the connections to land, creation, water, their food and each other.

Now think of a tree with an interwoven connection system of roots under the soil.  An individual is strong, but even stronger as an interconnected society.

Keep that in mind as we move through this teaching.

{Insert Healthy Tree Handout}

The Spirit’s Journey Teaching Chart

Facilitator Tip:  Go into detail with each ceremony that Nogdawindamin’s Anishinaabe Aadziwin department supports.  Explain what the expectations are for workers, clients and the Cultural Department. *Powerful when teachings are shared with personal stories

Appendix Bundle 5 Spirit Journey Notes PDF

Teachings from Mike Bisson

The Spirit’s Journey Stages

Conception – Intention of Birth Story

The mother is surrounded by their social and cultural environment.

Stages Teaching Points Activity
Life Stage: Conception
  • Flash of light
  • Life force comes with instructions
  • First Fire; pulse
  • Spirit’s vessel, in tune with heartbeat
  • A mother’s womb (copper pail), start within middle of room, with baby doll inside
  • Baby as Seed, put in pail
Relationship: Creator
  • Don’t want to leave Gitchie Manito
  • Gi-zheminado, ever loving spirit
  • The spirit comes to Earth, enters doorway as a seed
  • Seed of conception
  • Baby can hear the outside world through mothers water, always connected by sound.
Grandfather Teaching: Spirit
  • Intention of the creator is love
  • “Spirit on a Human Journey”
  • Father’s role is with the home fire
  • The time of life, not to take life
  • Drum, sing and talk to create bond
  • Children love to hear stories of when they were in their mothers belly, and as a baby.
Ceremony:

Grandmother Teachings
  • Birth Teachings
  • Seed surrounded by the Waters of its Mother
  • Nibi gaa-bimaaji’iwemagak (Nibi gaa-bi-maa-jii-way-maa-gak) Water gives life with unconditional Love.
  • Celebration, baby feels
  • Baby is fed through umbilical cord
  • First Sound – heartbeat
  • Midwifes are apart of the family
  • Unconditional love (heart), put inside the pail
  • Umbilical cord (braid), put inside the pail
  • Placenta (tree), put inside the pail
  • Heartbeat (drum), put on the blanket
  • Midwifes (Raspberry plant), put in the pail
Pregnancy & Trauma

Binoojiinhs – New Baby – The Birth Story

Infant Stage ” The Good Life”

Stages Teaching Points Activity
Life Stage:

Infant 0 – 13 months
  • First Breath
  • Umbilical Cord & Placenta
  • Cedar Bath
  • Language
  • Moss Bag
  • Star Blanket
  • Tikinaagan, gifts on loan from Creator
  • Dream Catcher
  • Learning by observation and listening
  • Umbilical Cord (braid) and Placenta (tree), wrap in a cloth and mimic bury to give back to earth
  • Cedar bath, mimic bath and pour water back to earth
  • Moss Bag, wrap baby in moss bag
  • Star Blanket, wrap baby in moss bag with the star blanket
  • Tikinaagan, tie baby in Tikinaagan and place on blanket
  • Dreamcatcher, point out the “Spiders Eye”
Relationship:

Mother
  • Mother is first doorway
  • Breastfed to bond
  • Good life, unconditional love
  • Creates Balance in home
Grandfather Teaching:

Love
  • Unconditional Love is foundation for Trust
  • Secure bonding and attachment
  • Responding to Needs
  • Parents that suffer Trauma can have lasting impacts to this
  • Learn non verbal communication
Ceremony:

Tikinaagan

 

Values & Ethics:  Family
  • Welcoming to family
  • Naming Ceremony, introduce to community and creation
  • Clan acknowledgment, welcoming to clan family
  • Colours
  • Welcoming, welcome the new baby (pass new baby around)
  • Naming, baby receives a name and announced to creation in each direction.
  • Clan, can use a stuffed animal to symbolize a specific clan.
  • Colours, attach a ribbon to the tikaanagan.
Infants & Trauma “Biggest form of trauma is for a baby to be taken away from it’s mother, father and family.” Severe psychological impacts.

Anishinaabe (Shki) Binoojiinh

Toddler Stage “The Good Life”

Stages Teaching Points Activity
Life Stage:

Toddler  13 months –  2 years
  • Hair starts to grow
  • Start to eat solid food
  • Learns by mimicking
  • Hair (braid), put on blanket
  • Traditional foods (basket of fish, corn, berries), put on blanket
Relationship:

Father

 

Values & Ethics:  Authority
  • Keeper of the home fire
  • Role models behaviour
  • Helps child to explore and find independence
  • Self confidence build, start to see character
  • They are medicine, they are still close to the eastern doorway.
  • Seen by their innocence & connection.
Grandfather Teaching:

Respect
  • Building Trust, healthy boundaries, testing limitations and understanding morals and values.
  • Understanding emotions is growth.
  • Today, electronics are the substitute for learning social interactions.
 Trust (chain), put on blanket
Ceremony:

Moccasin

 
  • Exercise legs, preparing to crawl and walk.
  • First Steps – moccasins
  • Walking out, Introduction to the first mother
  • Moccasins, put on blanket
  • First step (wrapped bundle), bury dried umbilical cord
Toddlers & Trauma “Split Feather Syndrome” Indigenous children raised by non-indigenous homes without culture. Long lasting psychological impacts.

Kwezenhs (little girl) & Shki-Gwiiwzenhs (little boy)

Child Stage “The Good Life”

“Children are the social & cultural continuity of the Anishinaabe.”   L.W. Jourdain quoting numerous leaders.

Stages Teaching Points Activity
Life Stage:

Child 2 – 7 years
  • Humor and discipline are survival skills
  • Give responsibilities
  • Time to explore, use imagination, play with others, mimic
  • Boys (axe or bow & arrows), put on blanket
  • Girls (Tikinaagan & baby), put on blanket
Relationship:

Grandparents

 

Values & Ethics:  Purpose
  • Love to listen to stories and the lessons within them
  • Learning attitudes and behaviours
  • It takes a village to raise a child
  • Love to use imagination
Grandfather Teaching:

Truth
  • Problem solving age
  • Choices with consequences
  • Being Truthful is being accountable
Ceremony:

Storytelling

 

Grandmother Teachings
Children & Trauma
  • “living a zestful and purposeful life” is a 13 right of Anishinaabe Child and speaks to completely and unwaveringly accepting your Life Space and nothing threatens you…unconditional self regard.” L.W.J.
  • A Childs innocence

Shki-niikwe (young woman) & Shkinwe (young man)

Adolescence Stage – Fast Life

Stages Teaching Points Activity
Life Stage:

Adolescence 8-14 years
  • Transition from child to adult
  • Wandering and Wondering Life
  • Body changes, moody, sleeps lots, hormones (energy boost)
  • Discipline
  • Challenges everything to find own way
  • Developing skills
  • Self esteem and self confidence
Relationship:

Aunts & Uncles

Values & Ethics Materialistic
  • May feel more comfortable with aunts and uncles
Grandfather Teaching:

Courage

 

 
  • Think for themselves
  • Practice values
  • Learning diplomacy skills
Ceremony:

Rites of Passage

 

Grandmother Teachings

 

 

 Female
  • Berry Fast
  • 1st visit from grandmother moon
  • Roles and responsibilities – water/sexuality
  • Gifts
  • Introduced back to community as woman
  • Strawberries (basket), place on blanket
  • Water teachings (copper cup), place on blanket
  • Introduced as woman (ribbon skirt)
Grandfather Teachings
  • Vision Quest / fast
  • Signified by voice change
  • Taken out on land
  • Roles and Responsibilities – fire/sexuality
  • Hunting/fishing teachings
  • Introduced back to community as man
  • Vision Quest (grandfather rock), place on blanket
  • Fire bundle (flint & striker), place on blanket
  • Introduced as man (ribbon shirt), place on blanket
Adolescence and Trauma L.W. Jourdain shares that when an adolescence is carrying grief and trauma, there are effects when they do not learn appropriate lessons at specific life stages.  These effects are:
  • Unable to cope
  • Display wondering behaviour
  • Spiritual emptiness
  • Display physical
  • Emotional arrest; not able to have emotional maturity
  • Mental arrest; not able to have mental maturity[2]

 

Values and principles are embedded within the Culture to encourage Mino Bimadziwin.  Loved ones take the time to connect to the adolescent to ensure they understand who they are, and who they are becoming.

Teachings during the Rites of Passage

Water Teachings / Grandmother Teachings

& Fire Teachings / Grandfather Teachings

Roles and Responsibilities

  • Know water/Fire teachings,
  • Learns songs
  • Know their place among the people

Healthy Sexuality

  • Knows the sacredness of woman, how to be treated (father treats mother & how mother treats father)
  • HIV, STD’s, Experimentation
  • How one identifies themselves (today is more common area of discussion and understanding)

Basic Life Skills,

  • Nutrition
  • Medicine
  • Shelter and how to keep a home

Anishinaabe Knowledge, Values, Principles, Language

  • Connection
  • Gratitude, Acknowledgement and Integrity
  • Restitution and forgiveness

Personal Growth & Wellness, Creativity

  • Self Respect & Modesty
  • Cleanliness of mind and body
  • Healthy Environment

Independence & Self-Care,

  • Kindness to self
  • Stress and Coping Mechanisms
  • Understanding the Tricksters (addictions)

Walking in Balance

  • Understanding the other gender and their roles and responsibilities
  • Sense of purpose and Identity
  • Understand gifts

Shki-niikwenhs (young woman) & Shkinwenhs (young man)

Youth Stage “Wandering Life”

Stages Teaching Points Activity
Life Stage:

Youth 15-21 years
  • Wondering & wandering life
  • Truth life
  • Will make mistakes
  • Find place in world, understanding gifts
  • Time of confusion
  • Independence
  • Express self
  • Practice towards mastery of skills
  • Mastery of skill
Relationship:

Peers

 

Values & Ethics: Relations
  • Move into a leadership role among peers, younger family and community members
Grandfather Teaching:

Humility
  • Ego base thinking, reminders world does not revolve around them
  • Education and Training of skills to have purpose in community/society
  • Humility is to be a student
Ceremony:

Apprentice
  • Song and Dance, respect and being respected
  • Learning to be a helper
  • Initiation into lodge
  • Age for Culture Camp, Harvest Camp and Youth in Transition
 • Relationships (flute), place on blanket
Youth & Trauma
  • If intelligences if the areas of Spiritual, Emotional, Physical and Mental are not successful at this this stage:
  • Increase of dependency
  • Unable to care
  • Have no confidence
  • Need to be careful of the Tricksters
  • Not looking at the sacredness of women = babies having babies, not go through stages and learn what they need to. They are not ready for that stage; they have not learned or experience essential lessons.

 

Shki kikaa (adult) Kwe (woman) & Nini (man)

Adult Stage “Truth Stage,” “Planting & Planning Life” and “Doing Life”

Stage Teaching Points Activity Points
Life Stage:

Adult 22 – 50 years
  • Finding Truth & Planning Life into Doing Life
  • Finding and using gifts
  • Figuring things out
  • Important to spend quality time with family
Relationship:

Partners

Values & Ethics: Reciprocity
  • Song and Dance continues and mans ability to harmonize
  • Women dance to flow with mans harmony
  • Courtship
  • Strong sense of self esteem and self confidence
  • Practice vulnerability
  • Rhythm of partnership
Grandfather Teaching:

Honesty & Kindness
  • Communication with open heart
  • Show true honesty with one another, vulnerability
  • Giving of generosity comes teaching of self care
Ceremony

Marriage
  • Courtship
  • Marriage
  • Pregnancy
  • Birth of child
  • Marriage (basket)
  • Start family
Adults & Trauma

 

Kchi Nishnabe – Elders

Elder Stage – “Giving Back Life”

Stages Teaching Points Activity Points
Life Stage

Elder – 50+
  • Leadership
  • Weaker physical side, stronger spiritual side
  • Closer to spirit (babies)
  • Close with grandbabies
  • Another time of great change physically
  • Physical/mental loss – spiritual/emotional gain
  • Language
  • Medicine
  • Governance
  • Guidance
Relationship:

Community
  • Teachers and Traditional Leaders
  • Supports younger generations
  • Relationship to land is paramount, it affects and influences
  • Future Generations
  • Share knowledge
  • Future Generations
Value & Ethics – Children
Grandfather Teaching:

Wisdom
  • Takes great wisdom to use knowledge in a good way
Ceremony:

Teacher
  • Need to search for elder today
  • Grief
  • Bereavement
  • Cedar Bath
  • Star Quilt
  • Funerals
  • Bereavement and condolences
Elders & Trauma L.W. Jourdain states, if the principles, values and skills have not been successfully learned by this stage:
• They are unable to share
• They do not cooperate
• And do not have sense of fulfillment[3]

 

List of Human Needs by Tribal Sovereignty Associates

Our Human Needs

Facilitation Tips:
Ask some reflection questions to the group and give some time for consideration, invite people to share. Reminding participants that it is It is human nature for the need of attachment which stems from love.
Have the Human Needs Poster resource ready to present to group.

 

Self Reflection

  1. Did you see any themes regarding human needs throughout the life stages in the Spirit’s Journey?
    • Step further: Ask the group to list what they think are “human needs,” have helper write them down on poster paper.

Present the Human Needs Poster Resource

2. Can you see how each “human need” is within each life stage?

    • Step further: Compare the group list with the resource.

3. What degree are human needs being met?

4. In what ways & degrees are human needs being        undermined?

5. How has oppression affected these needs for Indigenous people?

6. How well is healthy human development being promoted?

 

Key Takeaways

  • Recognizing how Indigenous Worldviews are the foundation to understand how to engage with community members.
  • Indigenous Worldviews include customs & ceremonies around rites of passages throughout life stages.
  • Roles & responsibilities reinforce the development of human basic needs, that support health mental development.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Media Attributions

  • Spirit Journey Pull Up
  • Human Needs
  1. Anishinaabe Abinoojii Family Services http://www.aafs.ca/ ↵
  2. Jourdain, L. (2018, November). Rights of The Anishinaabe Child. Presentation at the Nogdawindamin Round Dance, Sudbury, ON. ↵
  3. Jourdain, L. (2018, November). Rights of The Anishinaabe Child. Presentation at the Nogdawindamin Round Dance, Sudbury, ON. ↵

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