Elders’ Voices
Many Elders share their life experiences and knowledge on several topics; including residential school experiences, building tipis in their youth, and cultural practices, such as having a “husband,” that differ from the common understanding of what a husband is. One of the videos features Goota Desmarais sharing her knowledge about high Arctic shelters.
Evelyn shares childhood memories of her family, the tipi, and also reflects on the teachings of respect, love, and kinship. This video supports the teachings of Tipi Pole 2 – Respect; Tipi Pole 4 – Love; and Tipi Pole 11 – Kinship.
Marina reflects on the values of the tipi pole teachings by sharing childhood memories. This video supports the teachings of Tipi Pole 1 – Obedience; Tipi Pole 2 – Respect; Tipi Pole 3 – Humility.
Marina shares a very personal example of what cleanliness can mean within the elder stage of life. This video supports the teachings of Tipi Pole 10 – Cleanliness.
Kathleen speaks about how the tipi teaching values were taught to her throughout her life. In this video she directly speaks about faith. This video supports the teachings of Tipi Pole 6 – Faith.
Jason explains the traditional practice of having “husbands and wives;” Jason helps us understand these roles by comparing them to modern day godparents. Elders share their experiences and the roles “husbands” or “wives” traditionally held, including communal responsibilities, providers, and wahkotowin. This video supports the teachings of Tipi Pole 11 – Kinship.
Kathleen speaks about how the tipi teaching values were taught to her throughout her life. In this video, she directly speaks about love and how being in residential school changed some of her perspectives. This video supports the teachings of Tipi Pole 4 – Love.
This video is a compilation of Elders’ reflections and memories of their years at residential school.
Kathleen speaks about how the tipi teaching values were taught to her throughout her life. In this video, she directly speaks about obedience, respect, and humility. This video supports the teachings of Tipi Pole 1 – Obedience; Tipi Pole 2 – Respect; Tipi Pole 3 – Humility.
Herman shares his knowledge about the tipi and reflects on a few of the pole teachings. This video supports the teachings of Tipi Pole 2 – Respect; Tipi Pole 4 – Love; and Tipi Pole 8 – Sharing.
Lillian shares some of her early experiences in residential school and reflects on the early and later personal impacts.
Joseph shares one of his childhood memories of a teaching he received from his grandma about respect. This video supports the teachings of Tipi Pole 2 – Respect.
Goota teaches us about the variety of shelters built in the high Arctic, how they’re built, why they’re built the way they are, and how first contact brought about change.
In this video Lillian talks about family structure, relationships, and kinship from her experiences and memories. This video supports the teachings of Tipi Pole 7 – Family; and Tipi Pole 11 – Kinship.
This video was filmed in September, 2024 and provides some initial perspectives after a first viewing of the work on the Indigenous Culture Based Learning website at that time. This work reflects the Elders’ guidance and collaboration.