CONNECTIONS - OCTOBER 2022

OCTOBER 2022

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October Is Foster and Kinship Caregiver Appreciation Month

THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO!

ALIGN Association appreciates your ongoing interest in accessing cultural awareness resources to support children & youth in broadening their knowledge, connections to and understanding of their culture and traditions.

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! Also, see fall events & programs for kids & families, as well as caregiver resources.

Autumn

CREE - Takwakin

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

FALL CULTURAL BOOKS

Last Leaf, First Snowflake to Fall

Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall takes us on a dreamlike voyage into nature at that secret moment when fall turns into winter. We find ourselves in a kind of paradise.

Berry Picking in the Fall (English/Inuktitut)

I Play Outside

From the Mountains to

the Sea: We Share the Seasons

Why The Leaves Have Many Colors

Little Moar and the Moon

The Autumn Equinox: Celebrating the Harvest

Fall Foliage: The Mystery, Science, and Folklore of Autumn Leaves

FALL CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

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 have to guess which moccasin it was in. Sticks were used for keeping score. No moccasins? No worries, use your sneakers or slippers.

Fall is harvest time - try these fun fall harvest touchscreen mini-games! Gathering Native Foods Mini-games include clam digging, wild blackberry picking, and salmon catching in ways that honor land and community

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.

AUTUMN FOOD & CULTURE

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)

What better indoor fall activity than cooking some traditional foods together!

Indigenous Fall Harvest Recipes

Food Network's 12 Indigenous Fall Harvest Recipes for the Autumn Equinox See recipes like Buffalo Stew, Cranberry-Pecan Wild Rice Stuffing, Berry Bannock Bread Pudding, Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup and More!

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...

Saskatoon Berry Pudding - Aboriginal Nutrition Network

The Saskatoon name comes from the Cree word misâskwatômina, which means ‘the fruit of the tree of many branches. Check out this recipe and additional recipes, including Redberry Relish,

Saskatoon Berry Pudding, Honey Garlic Moose,

Corn Soup, Birch Syrup Beens and more!

FALL CULTURAL DESTINATIONS

Year-round! Hideaway Adventure Ground (Kikino Métis Settlement, located two hours northeast of Edmonton) Opened in 2018, Hideaway has evolved from a simple campsite to a year-round wilderness retreat for learning, wellness and sharing. Enjoy immersive learning experiences about Métis heritage with family-friendly activities such as animal teachings; identifying, harvesting and using traditional plants; wilderness and survival skills such as small animal trapping, lean-to construction and fire-making; hiking; snowshoeing and more. Or, seek out a solitary retreat in a trapper’s tent or tipi.

FALL SPORTS

METIS NATIONS OF ALBERTA SPORTS AND RECREATION GRANT

REGISTRATION OPENS OCT. 1 HERE Sports & Recreation Grant is returning on Oct.1 for receipts dated July 1 – Oct 31, 2022. Be prepared to apply quickly and easily to get your sports and rec expenses reimbursed

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 across Alberta in the winter.

OCYA ART CONTEST

OCYA is hosting an art contest for ages 5 to 23 to celebrate National Child Day (NCD) on November 20th! Enter Now

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.

14 Facts You May Not Know About Contributions of Indigenous Veterans

INDIGENOUS FALL PROGRAMS

ALEXIS NAKOTA SIOUX NATION

GAMUMU BIG DRUM SINGING CIRCLE Ages 12 - 30 Weds 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Lac Ste. Anne County

BENT ARROW (Edmonton)

Coyote Kids Weekly Program is a free weekly Aboriginal culture program for Aboriginal children or children of Aboriginal ancestry ages of 6-12 years. Coyote kids meets every Mon staffed by the Coyote Pride Program Coordinators and have parent volunteers, Junior Leaders or people from the community who volunteer to help with the programming and supervision.

SUNDAY FUNDAY (Kikosewin FRN) Edmonton 1:30 – 3:00 pm First Sunday of the Month.

Registration is required. Join them in your comfy PJs for a movie and snack!

Hope Group Youth Program (Kikosewin FRN) Edmonton Bi-Weekly Tues 3:30 – 5:00 pm Youth ages 13-17 ‘Aksistooyíípaitapissin’ is ‘the thing that motivates someone to stay alive’. Join us as we build connections, experience indigenous teachings and express! Snacks and journals provided

Around the Hub (Youth) Edmonton Mondays 4:00 – 5:30 PM Youth ages 13-17

Learn life skills, traditional crafting, and support self awareness! “Around the Hub” draws from the unique skill sets of Kikosewin’s staff, and shares these with our youth.

Tween Program (Kikosewin FRN) Edmonton ages 9-12

Twice a month programs are offered for tweens. Join in the fun and learning with recreational activities and Indigenous teachings.

EDMONTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

nêhiyawêwin (Cree Language) Classes in Collaboration with the Canadian Native Friendship Centre: Online

CLOSER TO HOME

THE FAMILY CIRCLE - CALGARY

Wednesday mornings (10:30 – 12:00 pm)This is an opportunity to come and share, build life skills through traditional cultural teachings, meet some other participants and learn to drum and sing.

Do You Have a Fall or Year Long program for children & youth? Let us know! Email starrd@alignab.ca

MISKANAWAH

MISKANAWAH COMMUNITY FAMILY DRUMMING CIRCLE (CALGARY) pdf

Every other Saturday 10 am - 12 pm Sept 2022 – June 2023

For families and children up to 12. Drumming & Storytelling

TRELLIS

The Iiyika’kimaat Program (Calgary)

September through June, Monday through Thursday from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm 12-21 years

An opportunity for youth aged 12 - 21 to reach their full potential through culturally-relevant and leadership-specific components and activities

ABORIGINAL FRIENDSHIP CENTER OF CALGARY

YOUTH & FAMILY DRUMMING (AFC CALGARY) On the 3rd Wednesday of every month, from 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM ages 6-17

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.

YMCA CALGARY

Indigenous Active Life Drop-In Program

Thursdays | 7-10 pm Saddletowne YMCA (Calgary)

Drop in for an active night at the YMCA - for FREE! Join other youth and young adults (between the ages of 12 and 30) for court sports (such as basketball and floor hockey), swimming, cardio, resistance training and more! The Active Life program is available at the Saddletowne YMCA. The program is free, with full facility access during designated times. Grab a friend for some active, social fun.

Indigenous Drum and Dance Mondays | 5 PM - 7 PM YMCA Saddletowne Bring your family for a weekly Drum and Dance drop-in night. Learn or brush-up your skills in Pow Wow dance styles, drumming and Indigenous culture.

7th Generation (Y7G) Visit site for more info regarding dates and times The program will encompass cultural teachings through storytelling, traditional activities, leadership skills, 7 Sacred Teachings, Medicine Wheel Teachings, Elders and cultural field trips.

FOR CAREGIVERS

ALIGN Presents Walking the Children Home Together Summit Edmonton Special Guests Chief Cadmus Delorme & Honorable Murray Sinclair Nov. 4, 2022

MISSED IT?

ALIGN’s 15 Things You Should Know About Residential Schools In Honour of National Truth & Reconciliation Day

NEW REPORT

ALIGN & Policy Wise Report – Defining Well-Being Across The Continuum of Children’s Services Environmental Scan Report 2022

This report marks the end of a year-long collaborative learning journey to better understand and define well-being for use in the child welfare practice in Alberta. Our goal was to describe well-being in a way that resonated with diverse cultural communities and prioritized Indigenous peoples’ perspectives.

NOW AVAILABLE Caregiver In-service Training Calendar for October to December 2022 See All Children's Services Provincial Caregiving Training Here

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 to 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.

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 of please send an email to starrd@alignab.ca Subject Line - CONNECTIONS SUBMISSION