Halfway through National Indigenous History Month, Grandmother’s Voice has been sharing daily reflections through our “Did You Know?” campaign.
Some posts have focused on teachings: gratitude, land-based learning, food as medicine, ceremony, water, language, justice, Seven Generation Thinking, community care, and belonging.
Some have named harder truths: Indian hospitals, stereotypes, alcohol and stigma, microaggressions, racism, child welfare, health inequities, urban Indigenous realities, and the ongoing impacts of colonization.
Some posts may have felt gentle.
Some may have felt uncomfortable.
Some may have invited recognition.
Some may have opened a wound.
Some may have asked readers to sit with something they had never been taught before.
That is part of why this campaign matters.
Learning about Indigenous Peoples cannot be limited to a few familiar stories, a few cultural symbols, or a few historic moments that are easier to place safely in the past. Indigenous knowledge, history, leadership, grief, brilliance, culture, resistance, love, and resilience are much fuller than that.
They are alive.
They are current.
They are still shaping this land.
They are still shaping our communities.
They are still asking something of us.
The “Did You Know?” campaign is not simply a collection of facts. It is not trivia. It is not a checklist. It is not meant to offer small pieces of information that can be consumed and forgotten.
It is an invitation into relationship.
It asks us to slow down and consider how Indigenous teachings can change the way we understand wellness, community, justice, leadership, responsibility, family, land, water, and belonging.
It asks us to notice what has been hidden.
It asks us to listen for what has been dismissed.
It asks us to recognize that many of the truths now being shared publicly have been carried privately by Indigenous families for generations.
For many people in Canada, this learning is new.
For many Indigenous Peoples, it is not new at all.
That difference matters.
Residential schools are now more widely known, but they are only one part of a much larger story. Indian hospitals, forced relocations, the Sixties Scoop, child welfare removals, anti-Indigenous racism in health care, barriers in housing and employment, lack of cultural safety, and everyday casual racism are also part of the truth.
These are not distant stories.
They are family stories.
Community stories.
System stories.
Present-day stories.
When these realities are left unnamed, the harm continues.
Silence allows people to believe that colonization is over.
Silence allows systems to avoid accountability.
Silence allows stereotypes to survive.
Silence asks Indigenous Peoples to carry the burden of memory while others enjoy the comfort of not knowing.
Truth-telling interrupts that silence.
But truth-telling is not about guilt for its own sake. It is about responsibility. It is about understanding how the past lives in the present, and how the present can be changed when people are willing to listen, believe, and act differently.
That is why simple learning can matter.
A post about gratitude can remind us that wellness is not only personal, but relational.
A post about water can remind us that the natural world is not a resource to use up, but a relation to respect.
A post about food can remind us that nourishment is connected to land, culture, memory, and community.
A post about language can remind us that words carry worldview, identity, history, and belonging.
A post about microaggressions can help someone recognize a harmful comment before they say it.
A post about urban Indigenous life can help someone understand what it means to feel caught between worlds, navigating systems that do not always see you fully.
A post about justice can help people imagine accountability as something deeper than punishment.
A post about self-determination can remind us that reconciliation is not real if Indigenous Peoples are still denied authority over their own lives, lands, children, cultures, and futures.
The lessons are not small.
They ask us to look again at the things we thought we understood.
They ask us to consider that Indigenous knowledge is not an addition to western knowledge. It is not a side note. It is not something to be brought in only for ceremony, symbolism, consultation, or special occasions.
It is a way of knowing.
A way of seeing.
A way of living in relationship with land, water, community, Spirit, Ancestors, and generations still to come.
If we take these teachings seriously, they change the questions we ask.
Instead of asking, “How do we include Indigenous voices?” we might ask, “Why were they excluded from decision-making in the first place?”
Instead of asking, “How do we help Indigenous people fit into existing systems?” we might ask, “How must those systems change?”
Instead of asking, “What can I learn this month?” we might ask, “What responsibility will I carry after this month ends?”
Instead of asking, “How do we celebrate Indigenous culture?” we might ask, “How do we protect Indigenous rights, lands, languages, children, and futures?”
This is where learning becomes more than awareness.
Awareness can remain comfortable.
Awareness can be passive.
Awareness can say, “I did not know,” and stop there.
But responsibility asks more.
Responsibility asks what we will do with what we now know.
It asks how we will speak when racism shows up in a conversation, a workplace, a classroom, a comment section, or a family gathering.
It asks how institutions will change when Indigenous people name harm.
It asks how communities will support Indigenous-led work, not only applaud it.
It asks how we will move from respect as a feeling to respect as action.
That is the deeper purpose of this campaign.
Not performance.
Not a seasonal gesture.
Not a month of posts that disappear into the feed.
But a steady invitation to listen more deeply, learn more honestly, and move with greater humility.
National Indigenous History Month gives us a place to begin, but it cannot be where the work ends.
The learning must continue in workplaces, schools, health care systems, justice systems, child welfare systems, community spaces, families, friendships, and everyday conversations.
It must continue when the posts stop.
It must continue when the hashtags fade.
It must continue when truth becomes uncomfortable.
Because reconciliation is not built through one month of attention.
It is built through changed relationships.
It is built through courage.
It is built through accountability.
It is built when people are willing to let what they learn change how they live.
At Grandmother’s Voice, we believe learning is part of healing. We also believe that healing is not only personal. It is relational. It belongs in community. It belongs in systems. It belongs in the way we speak, gather, listen, decide, repair, and remember.
This campaign matters because each reflection is an opening.
A doorway.
A question.
A teaching.
A chance to pause before scrolling past.
A chance to recognize that Indigenous Peoples are not only part of history. Indigenous Peoples are here, leading, teaching, creating, protecting, remembering, healing, and shaping what comes next.
So, halfway through this campaign, we offer this reflection with gratitude:
May every teaching open a door.
May every truth make room for healing.
May every question lead us closer to responsibility.
May every person who reads these reflections understand that learning is only the beginning.
What we carry forward is what matters.
Presented by Samantha Doxtater
Presented by GRANDMA RENEE
In a world seeking direction, Indigenous teachings offer clear and enduring policies for how to live in harmony with one another and the Earth. This workshop invites participants to explore the profound lessons of the Two Row Wampum Belt and other wampum belts as frameworks for mutual respect, environmental care, and collective well-being. These belts, created long before colonization, embody ancestral agreements that guide humanity on how to coexist with honor, dignity, and reciprocity.
Led by Grandmother Renee, this session emphasizes the importance of relearning and honoring the policies established by our ancestors, rather than creating new paths disconnected from this wisdom. Through the teachings of the belts, participants will uncover the principles of self-care, stewardship of the land, and respect for all beings. This is not about inventing something new—it is about rediscovering the instructions that were always there and committing to uphold them.
Key Takeaways:
Through this workshop, participants will be reminded that the wisdom of the belts is not only a guide for Indigenous communities but a path for all of humanity to walk together in respect and care for one another and the Earth.
Presented by Grandma Gail and Angela DeMontigny
Ceremony is more than tradition—it is a deliberate practice rooted in wisdom, responsibility, and foresight. This workshop explores the “science of ceremony” as a guide to living with intention and accountability for the next seven generations. Our ancestors used ceremony to prepare for the future, ensuring that their actions would benefit not only their own time but also those yet to come. Now, it is our responsibility to carry that practice forward.
Led by Grandmother Gail, this session will examine what has been lost and the actions we must take to restore, respect, and reclaim the ceremonial practices that ensure the well-being of future generations. Participants will be encouraged to reconnect with ceremony as a means of healing, reflection, and renewal, building a foundation of responsibility to guide us in restoring balance and harmony.
Key Takeaways:
Through this workshop, participants will rediscover the transformative power of ceremony as a pathway to healing, accountability, and preparation for a sustainable and harmonious future. Together, we will reaffirm our responsibility to the generations to come.
Presented by Asha Frost
Join Asha Frost, an Indigenous healer, teacher, and bestselling author, for a transformative workshop rooted in traditional teachings and the power of self-discovery. Asha’s work often centers on reconnecting with ancestral wisdom, embracing one’s authentic self, and creating pathways for healing and empowerment. Drawing from her Anishinaabe roots, she weaves stories, teachings, and practical tools to inspire participants to reclaim their power and align with their purpose.
Through her signature blend of traditional healing practices and modern insights, Asha guides participants in understanding how to honor their own journey, navigate challenges with resilience, and embrace the interconnectedness of all beings. This workshop is an invitation to explore the sacred within and around us, fostering personal growth and collective transformation.
Key Takeaways:
Whether you are seeking personal healing, professional inspiration, or a deeper connection to traditional wisdom, this session with Asha Frost promises to be a profound and enriching experience.
Presented by Allen Sutherland
The Seven Fires prophecy, as shared by seven prophets across different time periods, offers profound guidance for humanity’s path forward. According to Anishinaabe oral tradition, these teachings speak to the choices we face when the world has been polluted, and the waters turned bitter by disrespect. The prophecy teaches that humanity must choose between materialism and spirituality—one path leading to survival and the other to destruction.
In this workshop, Mishoomis Allen will guide participants through the teachings of the Seven Fires prophecy, exploring its relevance in today’s world and its call for spiritual renewal. Additionally, he will share his Canadian Indigenous Historical Timeline, providing a broader context for understanding the cultural, social, and spiritual significance of these teachings.
Key Takeaways:
This workshop offers an opportunity to reflect deeply on humanity’s collective responsibility and the transformative power of choosing a spiritual path for the survival of future generations.
Presented by Thohahoken Michael Doxtater
In this session, Thohahoken Michael Doxtater explores the ongoing impact of Canada’s colonial policies on Indigenous communities and the historical journey toward Truth and Reconciliation. He examines the systemic attempts to erase Indigenous identity, from residential schools to the suppression of cultural practices, and highlights Indigenous resilience and legal resistance. The presentation also delves into the concept of the “Canada Rafter,” a historical agreement acknowledging Canada’s adoption into the Indigenous Longhouse, raising the question: Has Canada truly upheld its responsibilities in this relationship?
