1. Cultural and Wholistic Practices
In Early Childhood Education working with children, youth and families.

2. Presented by: Faith Hale Kahentiiosta Yen Naomi Wilson
SKA:NA FAMILY LEARNING CENTRE
Presented by: Faith Hale Kahentiiosta Yen Naomi Wilson

3. Two Row Wampum Belt

4. Two Row Wampum Belt
The Two Row Wampum Treaty, also known as Guswenta or Kaswhenta and as the Tawagonshi Agreement of 1613 or the Tawagonshi Treaty, is a mutual treaty agreement, made in 1613 between representatives of the Five Nations of the Iroquois(Haudenosaunee) and representatives of the Dutch government in what is now upstate New York.
The agreement is considered by the Haudenosaunee to be the basis of all of their subsequent treaties with European and North American governments, and the citizens of those nations.
The treaty is spiritually and culturally revered and widely accepted among the Indigenous peoples in the relevant territories, and documented by the wampum belts and oral tradition.[1] However, in more recent years the authenticity of the later, written versions of the agreement have been a source of debate, with some scholarly sources maintaining that a treaty between the Dutch and Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk Nation) did not take place or took place at a later date

5. Meaning of the rows on the Wampum Belt
The two Purple rows of beads represent two peoples.
Between them are three White rows of beads that represent: Friendship, Trust and Peace.
This Treaty shall last as long as the grass grows and the waters flow

6. Guswenta, River of Life, two row wampum belt is a treaty of the Vessel and the Canoe.
The Vessel represents the Colonizers and the Canoe is the Five Nations
The Vessel would take care of their people with their own laws and culture
The Canoe would take care of their people with their own laws and culture
Each were equal, but separate
River of Life

7. Working Together
Living in an Urban area and having to navigate a system with many facets and dynamics can be a challenge for families in obtaining services.
SFLC philosophy towards family engagement is based on four important themes: affordability, accessibility, quality, and responsiveness

8. Working Together
Ska:na Family Learning Centre (SFLC) strives to provide a wholistic approach in serving children, family and community by:
building an integrated agency plan with local organizations rooted and grounded in positive relationships
maintaining communication and guiding progressive good work through our cultural practices
performing participatory action research in the community which informed the foundation for our “Journey Together Project”.

9. 7 Grandfather Teachings

10. The Medicine Wheel
Naomi

11. Problem Analysis Wheel
Evaluate
Did it work?
DO IT!
Doing
Action Plan
Who -What
When - Where
Why - How
Problem
What is it?
Building
Awareness
Choose
A way and plan for it!
Goal
What is preferred?
Naomi
Struggle
Approaches
How can we overcome?
Obstacles/Challenges
What is stopping us?

12. Wholistic View
The four parts of self represent the four parts of one’s being:
These are gifts from the Creator.
Each person is responsible to maintain a healthy balance.
Neglecting one part leads to an imbalance of the whole self.
Mind (Intellect)
Physical (Body)
Emotional (Heart)
Spritiual (Soul)
Naomi

13. Journey Together: Ontario’s commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous People
In an effort to reconcile, Ontario has partnered with Indigenous people by:
Learning about the legacy of Residential Schools
Closing Gaps and Removing Barriers
Creating a Culturally Relevant and Responsive Justice System
Supporting Indigenous Culture
Reconciling Relationships with Indigenous People
Journey Together will focus on licensed child care spaces and family programs.
These programs will be delivered in urban Indigenous organizations, working with municipal licensed child care services.
These steps are towards a broadening licensed child care spaces and early learning years strategy for indigenous communities in Ontario. They are connected to the government’s vision where children and families are supported by a system of responsive, high-quality, accessible, increasingly integrated programs and services.
By working with children and families, we have developed a tool to ensure that we are following The Good Life framework while working with children.
This tool is being used as a guide for developing strategies that will improve the lives of children, give parents a better understanding of strengths they possess, and empower the family to move towards a better life. After filling out the tool we use the & stages of a Good Life as a guide.
Using the 7 stages of the Good Life we find the gifts the children are born with such as Kindness, Truth, Generosity, and Strength.

14. The Good Life Truth: the quality or state of being true.
Generosity: the quality of being kind and generous.
Kindness: the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
Strength: a good or beneficial quality or attribute of a person or thing.

15. The 7 Stages of the Good Life
MINO BIMAADZIWIN
The 7 Stages of the Good Life
Kindness ~ Generosity ~ Truth ~ Strength

16. MINO – BIMAADZIWIN The 7 Stages of the Good Life
The Good Life – birth to age seven
The Fast Life – Ages 7 to 14
The Wandering/Wondering Life – Ages 15 to 21
The Truth Life – Ages 21 to 28
The Planting/Planning Life – Ages 28 to 35 years
The Doing Life – Ages 35 to 42 years
The Teaching/Elder/Power of Life – Ages 49+

17. Reason to come together
“Mino Bimaadziwin” The Good Life Relationship Wheel
PHYSICAL
MENTAL
EMOTIAL
SPIRITUAL
Reason to come together
KINDNESS
GENEROSITY
TRUTH
STRENGTH

18. SFLC Collaboration Using the cultural Practices SFLC:
Researched both communities through the Journey Together Project
Provided documentation to municipalities
Provided research to our Indigenous communities
Journey Together report submitted
SFLC Community engagement
Community partners identified
Ceremonies performed – Laying of Tobacco, Pipe Ceremony
Developed culturally relevant procedures, processes and tools
Programs, positions, policies developed
Additional tools, forms and procedures developed
Ongoing research, feedback, reflection – PLAN, DO, REVIEW

19. SFLC Collaboration with two municipalities Journey Together – EarlyON
Through research and projects, funding has been accessed for:
Indigenous EarlyON Lead
One in Windsor and one in Sarnia
Indigenous Culture and Language Specialists
One works directly in the childcares and one provides training to community organizations
Licensed Home Child Care Visitor
EarlyON Indigenous Advocate

20. SFLC Service Partnerships
Talk 2 Me Speech & Language Program
Early Childhood Spanish Classes – Children ages 3-7
SFLC Volunteer Program
College and University Student Placements
Spanglish Classes for Adults
Parenting Workshops
Pop Up and Mobile services for childminding and events
EarlyON events throughout our communities
Indigenous teachings in classrooms
Professional training about Indigenous Culture