Our Teachings
Keeping our wisdom, our ways
and our stories alive for future generations
Welcome / Tawâw
Our Teachings is a resource for members, educators and our Mikisew family around the world. It is a place for our knowledge-keepers to commit their wisdom and memories to a digital format for prosperity, and our hope is that you find a deeper connection to our Nation through sharing in this knowledge. Thank you to language experts Terry Marten and Julia Gibot for your help. Check back often as we continue to add and evolve our resources.
The resources housed here are designed to educate and inspire in classrooms, homes and communities where people have a desire to learn about the Mikisew people including:
Our Sacred Virtues
Items of cultural significance
Stories and memories from our Elders
The Cree language
Our Teachings was created and is maintained by Elder Rita Marten
Rita has spent her life as an educator and advocate for Indigenous culture and language preservation. She is a survivor of Holy Angels Indian Residential School and was elected as Mikisew's first female Chief in 1986. Today, she leads Mikisew's Culture and Language Revitalization department.
Read more about Rita's life storyThe Sacred Virtues
Our Sacred Virtues help us to live a life enriched by positive interactions and experiences. To put it simply, they show us how to be good people. They also help us foster empathy and a deeper understanding of the animals we share the land with and the lessons they can teach us.
Cultural Item Questionnaires
Items which were once common and important in our community are becoming increasingly rare, some are no longer used at all. We set out to document these items by photographing them, talking about them and naming them in Cree to ensure they are not forgotten. These questionnaires can be used as teaching resources or as a way for community members to document these items for their own family.
