Indigenous Concepts

All religious traditions ...all original stories

provide a large map of where you are. (David Christian)

Through consciousness our minds have the power to change our planet and ourselves.

It's time we heed the wisdom of ancient Indigenous people and channel our consciousness and spirit

to tend the garden and not destroy it. (Bruce Lipton)

Hamilton Trustees Balk at New High School Name

Richard Leitner reports to Hamilton Community News: The search for a name for the new high school being built at Scott Park continues after the area's trustee couldn't get enough support for one favoured by an advisory committee. Fellow trustees rejected Larry Patterson's motion to approve Shannen Koostachin Secondary School by a 6-5 vote with those opposed calling for more student feedback and adding 3 names for consideration. Koostachin was an Indigenous girl who fought for a new school in her northern community of Attawapiskat before she was killed in a 2010 car accident ~ an effort that saw her nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize.

The Advisory Committee offered one alternative: Trillium Secondary

It scratched a third finalist: Hiawatha honouring a pre-colonial Indigenous leader who helped form the Iroquois Confederacy ~ because the Haudenosaunee community objected. The committee ruled out the three most popular suggested names in an online public survey that drew 1,281 responses:

Bernie Custis...Scott Park...and Nikola Tersla.

(currently awaiting official naming)

Technology, Art and Haudenosaunee Culture Combine at Innovative School

STEAM Academy has vision to provide a safe and holistic environment for students.

Nicole O'Reilly reported from Brantford to The Hamilton Spectator:

Fifteen-year-old Jarrod Wardell wants to work in engineering and coding, but didn't know there was more than one Indigenous language before stepping into the halls of Six Nations Polytechnic's STEAM Academy last September. Chevy Johnson, 14, with no interest in technology, wants to become a midwife. She speaks some Cayuga at home, where she anticipates one day becoming a 'clan mother' following in the footsteps of her aunt. Nolan Jon, who speaks some Mohawk at home, followed his friends to STEAM, but says he's been surprisingly interested in the technology he's learning to use.

These are 3 of the first 33 Grade 9 students

at the innovative technology, engineering, arts and mathematics program

at Six Nations Polytechnic's Brantford campus

that blends art, technology and Haudenosaunee culture into its foundation.

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.

Starting in Grade 10, students will begin taking dual-credit high school and Mohawk College courses that will allow them to graduate with a high school diploma and a software engineering technician college diploma after 5 years.

STEAM's principal, Aaron Hobbs says they wanted to start small,

but already they have interest from 107 new Grade 9 students starting in the fall.

Located at 411 Elgin Street in the city's former Mohawk College campus,

he has 5 teaching staff this year (but expected to more than double next year

including a counsellor and a Mohawk language teacher).

This is in addition to a Cayuga language class

that all Grade 9 students are taking this semester.

“The first crop of students are a mix of backgrounds. About 80% come from Six Nations, with the rest coming from Brantford and surrounding communities. It is about 60 to 40 per cent ratio of boys to girls. It's also been important to include a focus on arts ~ STEAM not just STEM.

“We really think that creativity is important

for a well-rounded education.

But, at its foundation, the school is about respecting Indigenous culture.” said Hobbs.

He further stated, “The technology pieces are important, really important to the entire program, but it's the language and culture that forms the atmosphere of the school.”

Indigenous people have discovered that Christianity is not inherently Western ~

but Universal. (Nancy Pearcy)

Weekly, The Hamilton Spectator selects and publishes a full page

called The Pulse ~ featuring news from a local Elementary or High School.

Last week's publication included Indigenous Nature Haiku Poems.

The Music of the Day by Gabriella Benvides ~ Grade 5

The Music of the day

         Is wind and trees rustling

       With some water sounds.

Sharing the Earth by Sophia Isabella ~ Grade 5

Nature is beauty

From trees grass and lightning storms

We share together.

Snow from Heaven by Avery Rose Robidas ~ Grade 5

White snowy terrace

Trees covered with bright white snow

As small flakes fall.

This page also featured a colour drawing called “Jumping for Joy” illustrating a body jumping above lake water with the shadow image in the water reflecting the child's jump.

And a colouful blue butterfly was painted by Kaitlyn in Grade 7.

A Cherokee Proverb...

spoken by an Indigenous grandfather to his grandson:

There is a Battle of two wolves inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, lies,

inferiority and ego.

The other one is Good. It is joy, peace, love and hope,

kindness, empathy and truth.

The wolf that wins the battle? The one you feed!

Scripted by Merle Baird-Kerr...June 27, 2018

To respond: mbairdkerr@bell.net or inezkate@gmail.com