聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Knowing ones heritage and culture is an important aspect of who you are, and for many First Nations living on the prairies was a way of life learned by ancestors and places such as the Moose Mountains provided an oasis to the harsher climate of the open prairies. These teachings had been lost over the years for due to forced assimilation in the form of Residential Schools and the Sixties Scoop.
Regaining ancestral knowledge is important to many First Nations. The once prevalent has become important in order to continue passing down traditions.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Last year youth worked with Medwolf to recover some of these teachings and the program has now enjoyed a successful second season.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Medwolf was raised by his grandparents and has come to know approximately 130 medicines from Mother Nature, as well as a variety of legends and ancient signage once used.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Last year the camp worked to create 鈥淭he Land of the Little People鈥� and have since added onto this pathway and Little People village which was created.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Not only did youth enjoy learning in nature, but they worked hard to create a classroom based on Medwolf鈥檚 teachings.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The youth involved put a lot of work into a small building, which now houses shelves of medicines and descriptions of what each one is and can do. Additionally a small Land of the Little People display was included. The intention, which Tanya Littlechief, is hoping the White Bear Education Complex will be able to bring the teachings into the school鈥檚 curriculum.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he Land of the Little People鈥� is important the youth with the survival camp told The Observer. According to legend, the Little People came from the upworlds and were stranded here. Although the Little People were stranded here, it was to the benefit of the First Nations who gained knowledge from them including how to take aspirin out of a willow tree and that powerful vitamins in dog bones could be used in casts to fuse broken bones together.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Today the Little People are in hiding, but if you offer them places to play and enjoy, they will come to visit. Midway through the educational pathway a small Little People village has been erected for the Little People.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The trail begins at an ancient sign, three rocks stacked atop each other. The youth then stopped along the way as they pointed out different medicines and legends they had learned, which according to one youth totaled 77 medicines found during their eight week camp.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This included how to pull water from the air, which included a hole, a plastic sheet, rocks to hold the sheet in place and a small rock to pull the centre of the sheet down. Underneath the sheet inside the hole a small bucket was placed and the condensation on the sheet would pull to the middle and drip into the bucket.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Youth pointed to moose scat along the way, explaining the differences between bull and cow droppings.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The youth stopped in a variety of areas along the pathway pointing to different medicines and foods along the way.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 One of the most important plants to the First Nations who lived on the prairies included the cattail. One of the students explained that cattail was used for a variety of reasons: 鈥淐attails were extremely important to our people because we could use every part of it. We would use the cattail root to make flour for bannock or fry-bread or the root could be put in a fire and baked, and it tasted like baked potatoes. The stem was dried and boiled, then salted and buttered, and would taste like corn on the cob. The leaves could be used to weave baskets, duck decoys for hunting, and dolls for children. The cattail fluff was used on deadfall traps to prevent it from freezing to the ground and also in babies diapers.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The youth also explained what each natural medicine was used for by ancestors that they had learned showcasing their expanded knowledge from the summer program.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 River willow was used in a tea for aches and pains in the body. The birch tree leaves were used in a tea to shrink kidney stones, while fungus on birch trees was used for a more powerful tea for kidney stones, pain, headaches, and fevers. Chokecherries were gathered and used in pemmican, while chokecherry tea was used at feasts and gatherings; wild honey would be added to chokecherries to make a thick cough syrup as well.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Wild rose fruit was used in stews due to high vitamin C content and the roots were pounded into powder to create tea to fight scurvy. The powder was also used on open wounds to stop bleeding, while the petals were used to improve evening vision.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Wild celery was also used to stop bleeding and prevent scars when ground up and put on a wound.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Raspberry leaves were made into tea for pregnant women to make childbirth easier, while it could also help with stomach cramps.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The most important medicines, however, were those for prayer which include sage, cedar, sweet grass, and tobacco as these create a powerful smudge to help cleanse ones soul, bring in good spirits, keep out bad spirits, and help take prayers to the other side.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 One of the youth added humour in explaining sacred tobacco which is 鈥渁 way to show respect. We take medicines or we hunt on the land and we return the tobacco as an offering, because Mother Nature doesn't accept credit cards.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 This was one of the most important lessons Medwolf was teaching at the camp, that the Earth is a phenomenal place and that we do not give enough back to what she gives to people. People continually take, but living in harmony with Mother Nature is essential for a happy life.
