1203 Mino Nendmowin - Good Minds for Indigenous/Aboriginal literacy and Pre-employment

Mino Nendmowin

Good Minds

and

Pre-Employment Learning

Anishinaabemwin Teg Conference 2012

Agenda

The Team

Mino Nendmowin

Contexts

Pre and Post Test

Program Features

Program Streams

– Family Tree

– Anishinaabemowin

– Path of Life - Miikan

Participant Comments

Dialogue

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The Team

Anishinabemowin/Teachings

– Jennie Blackbird

– Jo – Anne Day

Family Tree/ Genealogy

– Susan Jones

Coordinator/Facilitator/Instructor

– Bryan Loucks

Literacy/High School Credits Instructor

Community Resource People

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Mino = Good

Nendmowin = the mind,

thinking, choice making

Mino Nendmowin

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Participants

o urban and on reserve

o 100 Participants since

2009

o 10-14 participants/

session

o 2 to 6 week formats

o 3-4 days per week

o 3 weeks with levels101,

102

Community Base

– Ontario Works/ Social

Assistance

– Agencies and community

members

Mino Nendmowin

Program

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Participant Context Lack of self confidence/self esteem, Isolated

Limited expectations, lack of goals

Limited experience, skills, knowledge

Lack of opportunity to learn “where we come from in

order to know where we are going”

Untapped resources/resiliency

Community Context Poverty

Lack of opportunity, access

Dependency and Intergenerational Challenges

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Shognoshii Naadziwin

assimilationist models of

learning have offered limited

direct benefit to Aboriginal

peoples.

For generations,

conventional education,

literacy & employment

training programs have

been failing Aboriginal

peoples, in terms of:

• retention,

• graduation,

• employability,

• citizenship.

Learning Context

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Our experience, and the educational and

healing literatures point to the primary

roles of: – Identity

– Relationships

– Language

– Place

to personal and collective, achievement,

health, learning and sustainability.

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What We Know..

Mino Nendmowin contributes to:

• high retention rates,

• high participant satisfaction ratings

• significant outcomes in the area of self

directed learning skills.

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• goal planning

• literacy, essential skills

and high school credits

Pre and Post Test • Increases in motivation to attend the program.

• Increases in the importance of cultural learning to

achieving goals.

• Increases in the importance of healing and

understanding to achieve goals.

• Increases in self confidence, self esteem.

• Increases in personal control to influence life

circumstances.

• Increases in expectations of self.

• Increases in hope for the future.

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Program Streams

The program consists of

three (3) integrated

streams of learning.

– Self/Cultural Connections

– Community Connections,

– Education Development

Cultural Connections & Development

Community Connections

& Development

Education Development

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Spirals of Connections & Development

Family Tree/

History

Self

Anishinabemowin

Community Service/

Education

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Family Tree and History

Old Community Photographs

Family Tree

Connections to Language and History

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Place

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Pottawatomie Mnishening

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Local Animals

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Ferries and Visitors

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Local Commerce

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Homes

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Residential School Legacy

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Sources for Family Tree Research

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Treaty Names

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Anishinabemowin

Mino giizh gat- Good day

Mino gizheb waaban -

Good morning

Maag taa daa - Lets’ start

Bizandaan - Listen, (heart

and mind)

Mino Nendomwin

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Sayings

Geget Sana! – Oh for goodness sake!

Wewiibtaan! - Hurry up (s.)

Taa yah - Oh Heck!, Gee whiz!!

Miin-waa - Again

Be-kaa yaanh - Be quiet (pl)

Boon-taa-daa - Let’s have a break

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Swejwinong - Walpole Island - where

the waters (flow-through)

Chiig biig - upfront – along the river

Aazhwaakwaa - back settlement -

Pottawattamie island

Niisaajwan - near squirrel Island,

Chematogan

Ziibii - River, St. Clair

Chigmi - Body of water, Lake

Bkejwanong Places

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Things

Mi-gi-zi – Eagle

De - Heart

De min – Strawberry

Bgoji beshgoog shiig - Wild horses

Bgoji wawaas koneh - Wild flowers

Ki - Earth

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Endearment

N-da-zaa-gin - I love you,

Da zaa gin ge gii - I love

you too

Jiim-shiin - Kiss me

G-da mes nin - I miss you

N’gii zaad end am - I am

sorry

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Gn ni maagewin - Warnings

Baataashin - Stuck in

a puddle

Gaansmaa - Enable

Shognoshii naadziwin

Gaawin mnikwe sii

gwe sii - I do not want to

drink

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To Resist –Na gaa kiisjige

Gaboontaa sii - Never give up .

Geg waa wii kaa - I never give up (singl)

Ga nizaadzimi (pl) Let’s stay sober let’s

straighten up

Nizaadzin (sl) - Come to your senses

Gam shko wendam! - Be determined!

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Ancestors

Manitowaube, Tecumseh's first lieutenant, who for his devotion

and faithfulness was given a silver medal by the Prince of Wales

(later Edward VII) when he visited Sarnia 1860;

Shawanoe; and other Indian chiefs who fought with

Tecumseh

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Keyoshka,

Minomencr,

Miskokomon,

Thceahyaba,

Nadhee,

Shageemah,

Meness

Nawajigeezhig

Shashaebay

Shaugun

Peetaygeeshig

Mukonce

Auwunausuhway

Thomas Buckwheat

Kaugush

Kuhyaugewash

Manidogaubow

And many more…

Affirmations Nii mshko wendmowin - I have a strong mind

N gii zhendam - I made up my

mind! (Possessive)

Nin dwen daan giiyak

waadziwin - I want honesty

Maamii kwendam

maadziyaa - I am happy to be alive

Nii aanjtoon bimaadziwin - I want to change my life style

Oh Mii-iw - Way to Go!

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Path of Life

Maadziwin - Life

Mino maadziwin - Good Life

Mii-kan – Road

Education - Chi kendaaswin

Finding Harmony

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SEVEN GIFTS

OF THE GRANDFATHERS

ZONGIGE’EWIN—BRAVERY

Strong Heart

To Face the Foe with Integrity

NIBWAAKAAWIN —WISDOM

To Cherish Knowledge is to Know Wisdom

DEBWEWIN — TRUTH

Evident Truth within and without

To Know All these Things

ZAAGI’DIWIN — LOVE

Comes from and emerges from the

heart

To Know Love is to Know Peace

TABASSENINDISOWIN — HUMILITY

Low flying cloud

To Know your Self as one part of

Creation

MANAADJI’INENIMAWIN —

RESPECT

To Honour all Creation is to have

Respect

GWAYAKWAADIZIN — HONESTY

Straight like a tree

Facing a situation is to be Honest

We are warned we must be aware

The Seven Gifts have their

opposites.

Participant Comments

“Learning the Anishinabe mowin – I learned hundred percent more than before, it makes me want to learn more. It reminds me of my mother

who always spoke Anishinabe mowin.”

“I am able to communicate more openly and clearly with family

members and support each other, without yelling all the time.”

“Did not even know that I was empty - the program helped me fill my

bucket…[I]did not have any teachings growing up .”

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“My parents did not speak the language in front of us, even though they could although my grandparents did

– we learned the reasons why our language was repressed.”

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“Hearing Anishinabe mowin had a calming effect on me; it gives me the desire to get outside to get outdoors and be with nature.” “Now I want to help the young people to share my story, to help family and self to move forward”

Comments “The program has helped me focus on how to focus myself in way to

achieve my goals.”

“It provided the inspiration to be grateful for little and big things- our identity, the lessons for life, our land and waters. It gave us

inspiration to resist and protect our lands and waters and futures.”

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“Our history - Tecumseh showed how we were connected throughout the Great

Lakes and we would not be here without the stand that they took. They gave us

many lessons to remember …not to surrender our lands and rights and

lives.”

Contact Information

Naugon Associates Bryan Loucks

Walpole Island First Nation

2026 River Rd. N.

RR#3 Wallaceburg, ON N8A 4K9

[email protected]

519 627-5110

Wiijnokiiying - Walpole Island Ontario Works

[email protected]

519 627-3583

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