Medicine Wheel Teachings

Prepared and presented by Sharon Meyer 2014

Sacredness of the Circle

- Representation of Mother Earth- Flows in one direction- Inter-connectedness- The evolution of Mother Earth

around the sun

The circle is very sacred for traditional First Nation people.All that is done is through ceremonies, celebrations, and gatherings within a circle format.

This is science!

Science

4 Directions

South

West

North

East

The Creator provided 4 directions on Mother Earth This is science!

4 is a scared number forFirst Nation people

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

4 Seasons

The Creator provided 4 seasons on Mother Earth This is science!

The Creator rooted the plant people on Mother Earth First Nation Spirituality

ScienceThe Plant World

Trees

Grasses

Flowers

Berries

Trees

The plants are divided into 4 groups This is science!

The Creator saw that Mother Earth was overcome with plants and needed to create something to balance the overgrowth of plant life so animals were created.

ScienceAnimal World

Legged Ones Animals

Crawlers Insects

Winged Ones Birds

Swimmers Fish

The animals are divided into 4 groups like the plants This is science!

Trickster

Cree – WisakechukInuit – AmaguqLakota – IktomiOjibwe - Nanabozho

West Coast – RavenBlackfoot – NaapiAnishinabe - Witiko

After the plants and animals were on Mother Earth the Trickster was sent to prepare for the coming of humans. The trickster has different names for cultural areas but purpose is the same

Turtle Island was inhibited by First Nation families from many culture groups

4 parts of the body

Mental

Spiritual

Emotional

Physical

Creator created the human with four parts to their being.The plants and animals were instructed to help the human to keep in balance.

Sage

TobaccoKinikinik

Sweetgrass

Cedar

4 Sacred Plants

The 4 sacred plants were provided by the Creator to helpkeep the human in balance and connected to Mother Earth

Trickster lived with the plants and animals to prepare for the coming of the humans.The First Nation people(s) were taught through oral teachings that the plant and animal Stories were taught to them by the Trickster. The oral stories provide the direction of howTo live in harmony with the plant and animal world in co-existence and co-habitation of Mother Earth.

The First Nation People were gifted the drum to remind them of where they come from and toalways remember that the animals and plants were here first. The drum is made from two materials: the plants (wood) = drum frame and the animals (hide) = covering of the drum.The heartbeat is the rhythm of the drum to honor the beat of life = heartbeat.The drum is considered female and it is to teach the men to honor the giver of life = women.

It was predicted that other brothers would join our Turtle Island.

First Nations invited early brothers to share our Turtle Island.

(need circle ½ white and ½ red)

Our medicine wheel changed to add all of our nations Living on our Turtle Island

Europeans

Asian

First Nations

African

As settlers grew from early farms to town Settlements they planned a railroad. Slaveswere brought in as laborers. New brothers joined life on Turtle Island.

Rainbow People

Europeans

Asians

First Nations

Africans

Now a new nation has joined us – the Rainbow people. This is part of the Seventh generation –the healing generation. Our leaders with new relationships and understanding.

Let’s see how teachers are using the medicine wheel in the classroom.

Need to visit Medicine Wheel Teacher Examples Power Point

E’Kosi – I am doneKinanaskomitin – Thank you to one personKinanaskomitinawaw – Thank you to morethan one person

Sharon MeyerNorth East School DivisionFirst Nation and Metis Instruction Consultant (306) 401 - 7848