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OCTOBER 2021 If Graphics Are Not Displaying View as Webpage

October Is Foster and Kinship Caregiver Appreciation Month THANK-YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO! ALIGN Association appreciates your on going interest in accessing cultural awareness resources to support children & youth in broadening their knowledge, connections to and understanding of their culture and traditions. Click to visit the AFKA website to view a special video message from the Honourable Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Children's Services AFKA 47th Annual It's All About Kids Conference October 28 - 30, 2021

SPOTLIGHT CULTURAL ACTIVITIES FOR AUTUMN FUN & LEARNING

Autumn is upon us and that means change. Kids, youth and caregivers can find themselves restless as the cooler days set in so this month's SPOTLIGHT is all about fun and entertaining indoor and outdoor activities to do this autumn that incorporate traditions and culture!

October Full Hunter’s Moon (or Harvest Moon)

This full Moon corresponds with the time of harvesting corn. Tradition October Moon Names • Harvest Moon • Leaves Turning Moon • Mating Moon • Moon of Brown Leaves • Moon When the Rice is Laid Up to Dry • Rutting Moon • Yellow Leaf Moon

FUN FALL INDIGENOUS GAMES!

Fall is harvest time - try these fun fall harvest touch screen mini games! Gathering Native Foods Mini-games include clam digging, wild blackberry picking, and salmon catching in ways that honor land and community On a windy, cool day this a great indoor fun! Try the MOCCASIN GAME - This was a guessing game. A small object (like a ball of buffalo hair or a small pebble) and four moccasins were used to play. The object was hidden in one of the moccasins. Others had to guess which moccasin it was in. Sticks were used for keeping score. The person with the most correct guesses was the winner. (You can adapt the game by using shoes or slippers if you don't have Moccasins) ALSO... Try Mikan an online game inspired by the traditional moccasin game, available for mobile and PC and Mac.

Set out on an adventure to find your rocks and make your own set of Story Stones: An Indigenous Game With Many Lessons (T8GP) Decorate your rocks with paint or felts and then lay them out to tell your story. Get outside and explore! We've shared this before and it was very popular so if you missed it check out Spirit North Nature BINGO pdf Challenge yourself to nature bingo!

FALL CULTURAL EVENTS

GET YOUR TICKETS! (Telus World of Science,Edmonton) Legends of the Northern Sky tells traditional Plains Cree stories projected in high definition in the Telus World of Science’s Zeidler Dome Directed by Perry Shulak, the 22-minute film continues a rich tradition of oral storytelling that honours the legends and wisdom passed down from generations of Indigenous people. Narrated by Julian Black Antelope, the film blends animation and technical expertise to share the tale of Ocek, the fisher, who’s joined by a band of animal friends on a perilous journey in pursuit of summer, and Mista Maskwa, the giant bear who carves a path of destruction until a fortuitous run-in with a brave group of seven birds. Their constellations are reflected in the changing seasons and the ever-shifting night sky.

DON'T MISS OUT! First Annual Red Deer International Pow Wow on October 22-24, 2021  JOIN IN! AFC Calgary Youth & Family Drumming Program On the third Wednesday of every month, from 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM, youth aged 6-17 years come together with their parents/guardians to learn the fundamentals of the drum and to learn how to sing and drum as part of a group. Closer To Home The Family Drumming Circle lead by Darcy Turning Robe, where participants can share, build life skills and form relationships with other participants. Lunch and on-site childcare is provided. UPCOMING SESSIONS Thursday Afternoons (1:00 – 2:30pm) Oct 21 & Oct 28, 2021 Workshop for All Ages - Hands on History Reclaiming Landscapes Craft and learn the Niitsitapi words for prominent locations in southern Alberta with the Galt's Blackfoot Interpreter Blanche Bruisedhead. Hands-On History is an interactive program for adults with children of all ages. REGISTER NOW! Lethbridge November 20, 2021 10 am, 11 am, noon, and 1 pm.

FALL CULTURAL BOOKS & LEGENDS

The Hunting of the Great Bear

The Autumn Equinox: Celebrating the Harvest Fall Foliage: The Mystery, Science, and Folklore of Autumn Leaves Rainbow and the Autumn Leaves Why The Leaves Have Many Colors

FALL ART ACTIVITIES

These would make great birthday or Christmas gifts if you have a child who enjoys art! Colouring Pencils from Native Northwest Design on Pencils - Eagle by Haida artist, T.J. Sgwaayaans Young. Set of 12 double-ended colouring pencils 24 colours to choose from Sketch books “Everlasting North” by Anishinaabe artist Donna Langhorne A set of two small art sketchbooks from Coloring it Forward, collaborating with Indigenous Artists and Elders

Coloring and drawing are great indoor activity for those chilly fall afternoons or evenings when it's too "brrrr" for outdoors! A Collection of 34 FREE Indigenous Colouring Pages (pdf) Family Art Adventures with Lance Cardinal A youtube channel created by Lance Cardinal, an Indigenous artist from the Treaty 8 Bigstone Cree Nation territory in Northern Alberta, that teaches children about Cree culture and art.

TRADITIONAL FALL RECIPES

What better indoor fall activity then cooking some traditional foods together! Classic Métis Soup - Louis Riel Institute Sauté ground or chunks of meat with diced onions, celery, carrots and potatoes, when cooked, add water, a bit of macaroni, a can of tomatoes, a bit of salt and pepper and simmer for another half an hour... Smoked Meat Bannock Pizza from Kid Food Nation! Fast and easy to make!Prep time: 25 min Bake time: 20 min Serves: 6 to 8 Berry Bannock Bread Pudding Keep this recipe in your back pocket anytime you have leftover bannock. The texture of the bread lends itself beautifully to a sweet and comforting bread pudding... For those little ones who want some harvest vegetables for their play house or to play with while you cook! Kids Wooden Native North American Vegetable Set of 5 (Louise Kool & Galt) is perfect! Wooden vegetables representing native North American species that were staples of many indigenous peoples. Play Set includes squash, corn, mushroom, lettuce and green onion.

Do you know the 8 Native American Traditional Food Principles? 1. Food is at the center of culture 2. Honor the food web/chain 3. Eat with the Seasons See all 8 Native American Traditional Food Principles (White Wolf Pack)

FALL CULTURAL DESTINATIONS

Year-round! Mahikan Trails (Canmore) From making plant-based medicine to learning bush craft survival skills or mastering the art of crafting moccasins, Mahikan Trails will guide you to explore the world from a different perspective. Year-round you can join Brenda and Mahikan Trails in the boreal forest (just 30-minutes from Banff or 70-minutes from Calgary) to see the world of the woods through an Indigenous lens.

FALL REGISTRATION FOR HOCKEY

REGISTER NOW! Registration now open for 2021-22 First Shift Program Do you have a child aged 6-10 years who is ready to fall in love with hockey? The NHL/NHLPA First Shift program is designed to ensure a positive experience for new-to-hockey families by offering a low-cost entry program to hockey offered in eleven locations across Alberta in the winter

ALIGN CULTURAL SOLUTIONS 101

ALIGN IS HOSTING CULTURAL SOLUTIONS 101 How do I understand the recommendations of the Truth and Recommendation Commission (TRC) or the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)? How can I apply these directions to my own life, and to my work with Indigenous people? How do I act as an ally? What does that look like? If you are thinking about these things, we invite you to join us on a learning journey December 01 – 03, 2021

Nov. 8th is National Aboriginal Veterans Day

November 8th is National Aboriginal Veterans Day. It is a time to remember and commemorate the contributions of Indigenous veterans in the First and Second World Wars, as well as the Korean War.    Over 12,000 Indigenous peoples volunteered to fight shoulder to shoulder with Canadians in all three wars. First Nations, Inuit and Métis enlisted despite not being eligible for conscription. Indigenous peoples were not eligible because they were not recognized as Canadian citizens and did not even have the right to vote until 1960.   It is important to remember Indigenous veterans on this day (as well as Remembrance Day), not only for their contributions but also for the battles they continued to fight upon their return: disenfranchised as indigenous people, denial of benefits, loss of Indian Status, and expropriation of their land 14 Facts You May Not Know About Contributions of Indigenous Veterans

COVID-19

CWLC The Strength of Family and Connections Reaching Out to and to Support Indigenous Children and Youth & their Families During COVID-19 This publication provides guidance on how front-line practitioners, foster families, alternative caregivers, and governments can reach out to and support Indigenous children and youth and their families during this difficult time. CWLC Online Learning Events Webinar Impacts on our brain during traumatic events Nov 4, 2021 11:00 AM Webinar Joining the Village to Raise Up a Child Nov 10, 2021 12:00 PM

SUBMISSIONS

CONNECTIONS is here to provide cultural resources and activities to those who are caregivers of Indigenous, Metis & Inuit children and youth and we hope the kids and teens enjoy it as well! Some of you will be less familiar with cultural teachings than others, but there's always something new to learn and what better way to experience it then by sharing time learning together with the kids you care for! You don't have be a formal caregiver or individual in care; anyone of any age who wants to learn more about cultural awareness will benefit from these great resources. If you are a supervisor or service provider offering kinship/foster/group care, don't forget to remind the caregivers that CONNECTIONS is here to assist them in their efforts to ensure Indigenous, Metis & Inuit children and youth are learning about their traditions and culture while in care. Enjoy and share! SEE MORE CONNECTION ISSUES HERE or SUBSCRIBE HERE

SUBMISSIONS - If you have a cultural events, program, activity or resource that you'd like to share or if you'd like to suggest newsletter content ideas or things you'd like to see more off please send email to starrd@alignab.ca Subject Line - CONNECTIONS SUBMISSION KIDS/YOUTH & CAREGIVERS If you have a child or youth or are a child or youth and tried some of the arts & craft activities or recipes from CONNECTIONS and you'd like to submit a picture to be included in the newsletter - please attach it to an email to starrd@alignab.ca with Subject CONNECTIONS SUBMISSION and include "permission to share" in the text of the email. Note - no picture of or with actual people in the photo will be accepted for privacy purposes.

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