Now that K^kwi:te/Spring is here I think of the Medicine Wheel which serves to remind me when I give thanks to the 4 directions; beginning in the east: thanking Ethwatsiha/our older brother the Sun ... that he shine his healing rays on those in Japan, the Middle East and all there to be in peace. Then the south to those in Australia, South America and all there to have peace of mind. Next the west, where California sits on a fault line with it's nuclear plants; and also the north, where the ice caps are shrinking, tar sands are polluting and too many oil wells exist. When I burn the 4 medicines

I ask Sonkwaiy^tisu/Creator for balance and peace in the hope that we will make better choices for humankind.

She:koli ... this is the moon time of Wahta/Maple when we tell the story of how maple sugar was 'discovered'. There are a variety of versions as one might expect for something as ancient as maple. One storybook I like is MAPLE MOON by Connie Brummel where a little boy goes walking in the woods and watches a squirrel sipping sap from a branch. When he also tastes it, he finds it sweeter than any water he's ever drank. He races back home to get a hatchet to try getting more water from the tree. ... I'll leave the story there for you to find out more on your own ;) ... so this photo shows the felt storyboard I've made to go with the story. Maple sap is the first medicine of the new year; it's our 'spring tonic.' We make mention of it in our Thanksgiving Address to acknowledge it as the leader of the trees.

Red Turtle Creations: Bio

Red Turtle Creations: Bio

Bio

She:koli, it's Patsy Day ... an Oneida Turtle Clan member and O. C. T. I share cultural knowledge relative to our own students and the greater population as our blended history and heritage needs to be passed to the next generations. I've studied and taught over the recent 20 yrs. in the region and at Oneida. Born in London to a native Mother who later lost her status through government policies, since overturned [Bill C31] through the long tough struggles of many.

I am honoured to be asked to your classroom to see the bright faces of our future.
I create puzzles, board games, felt board stories and more about Turtle Island/this land we live in and the Hotenoshone/People of the Longhouse and how we use the 28 day Moon Cycle of Ceremonies. Stories and activities are usually about the time of year we a presently living, as would be in our communities. Some language acquisition is also presented from the introduction to main themes throughout ...also social songs and traditional music may accompany.

These are fridge magnets for weather words in Oneida ... there are also word only magnets to match and practice. eg. today's weather word was:

Wa ni sli yo/Nice day! as in lovely outside ;) Wah knee slee yo

Today was also an historical one for me personally, as I was asked to participate in Native Cultural Day at the first school I attended. It was across the street from the orphanage where my mother took me at the time. [cira 1957] We lived two streets over from the school in an upstairs apartment [the kind with steep steps outside the building] but when government policies crashed down on my mother's marital status after separation, she was forced to walk me around the corner to the orphanage. So, ya, a much better day today!

6 Nations symbols

She:koli Swakwe:ku/Greetings Everyone ;) ... what a wonderful Kohsla:ke/Winter we're having! lol ... most have trouble seeing the seasons' gifts, but this one is a time of reflection and development.
Yukhinulha/Mother Earth and creatures are in the re-birthing process. New life is on the way. Ta:ne tho niyotuha:ke ^kwa'nikula
... and so shall our minds be. [Say go lee, Swah gway goo go sla gay you key newl ha ... dah nay toe nee yo' due ha gay oo gwa' nee go la]

The colouring page I'm working on is part of the TRAVEL TURTLE ISLAND Colouring Book. It is an interactive workbook for cultural and language acquisition. This page will use cut-outs to sort symbols relating to Nation designations.

Yaw^ko Teyokokat/Thank you Melissa, for the beautiful Tsyoka/Raven feather. I used the beads you also gifted. Peote stitch on the quill with a leather lace to hang after each use in thanking and cleansing; burning tobacco, sweetgrass, sage, cedar. Onu'hkwat/Medicines ease our way to the spirit world. When we look up to the sky and see the Big Dipper straight overhead, it is time for Tsha'tekohselh^/Midwinter Ceremonies. We thank the Creator for all the gifts we've received throughout the year and ask that we may be blessed with the same in the year ahead.