Skip to main content

back

To learn more about the history and the future of the Four Directions Teachings project,
please click here


About Four Directions Teachings

The goal for the project was to create an engaging site where people could experience Indigenous knowledge and philosophy and where educators could incorporate the site into their curriculum. FourDirectionsTeachings.com honors oral traditions by creating an environment where visitors are encouraged to listen with intent as each elder/ traditional teacher shares a teaching from their perspective on the richness and value of cultural traditions from their nation.

The elders and traditional teachers represented on the site are:

  • Dr Reg Crowshoe and Geoff Crow Eagle -Blackfoot Teaching
  • Mary Lee -Cree Teaching
  • Lillian Pitawanakwat -Ojibwe Teaching
  • Tom Porter -Mohawk Teaching
  • Stephen Augustine -Mi’kmaq Teaching

Each of the elders and traditional teachers who have shared a teaching on this site were approached through a National Advisory Committee of Indigenous people concerned with the protection and promotion of Indigenous knowledge. This committee was formed directly for the purposes of this website to ensure a community based approach that was respectful and accountable.

Our advisors:

Dr. Marie Battiste is Mi’kmaq, a member of the Potlo’tek First Nation in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. She is Academic Director of the Aboriginal Education Research Centre in the College of Education and co-author of Protecting Indigenous Knowledge: A Global Challenge (2000). Dr. Battiste has served as a United Nations expert and co-chair for the UN Workshop on Indigenous Heritage in Geneva, Switzerland.

James [SÁKÉJ] Youngblood Henderson is Professor and Research Director at the Native Law Centre of Canada, College of Law, University of Saskatchewan. He is a noted international human rights lawyer and an authority on protecting Indigenous heritage, knowledge, and culture. He is currently a member of the Sectoral Commission on Culture, Communication and Information of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, and of the Experts Advisory Group on International Cultural Diversity.

Dr. Reg Crowshoe is a well-known Piikani Blackfoot Elder who is also Executive Director of the Oldman River Cultural Center in Alberta. Dr. Crowshoe has pioneered and initiated cross-cultural programs for many organizations and institutions across Western Canada, and recently earned an honorary Doctorate in Law from the University of Calgary.

Diane Hill (Katsitsawaks) is a member of the Mohawk nation, Bear clan, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. For the past 20 years, she has been consulting in various Aboriginal education initiatives internationally and working to promote culturally-based educational strategies in the field of social work and in the area of portfolio-assisted prior learning assessment with the First Nations Technical Institute. Currently, Diane is completing her Ph.D. in Adult Education with a focus on Aboriginal approaches at the University of Toronto.

Sylvia Maracle is Mohawk from the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, and a member of the Wolf Clan. Ms. Maracle has been involved in Aboriginal Friendship Centres for over thirty years, serving as the Executive Director for the Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres (OFIFC) for much of that time. Ms. Maracle has also served as the Vice President of the National Association of Friendship Centres, President of the Native Women’s Resource Centre and Co-Chair of the City of Toronto Taskforce on Access and Equity.

Project Credits:

  • Jennifer Wemigwans: Producer
  • Doug Anderson: Content Developer / Director and Curriculum Supervisor
  • Winston Bromley: Lead Technical New Media Director
  • Deepa Kanal: Publicity Coordinator
  • Marlene Finn: Curriculum Consultant and Advisor
  • Alexei Romanov: Flash Programmer / Designer
  • Stefan Valent: Graphic Design / Background Imagery
  • Tim Thompson: Animation / Vector Artist
  • Andjelka Jovanic: Photography
  • James Rohr: Audio Production Consultant
  • Wolfgang Webb: Sound Design
  • Susan Gorbet: Interface Consultant
  • Ilona Posner: Usability Consultant

Narrators:

  • Doug Anderson, MetisIntroduction to site
  • Lawrence Bayne, Metis Blackfoot Teaching
  • Lorne Cardinal, OjibweMohawk and Mi’kmaq Teachings
  • Monique Mojica, Kuna-Cree and Ojibwe Teachings
  • Rappahannock

We also want to thank the following people for their belief and faith in the project:

Mary Barroll, Jacquie Carpenter, Nancy Cooper, Kari Dehli, Sara Diamond, Chris Hamden, Tal Henderson, Lorre Jensen, Susan Kennard, Ningwakwe, Caitlin O’Donovan, Diane Pujen, Myriam Rafla, Albert Resnick, Gabe Sawhney, Maria Vasilodimitrakis, Leah Visser and Rinaldo Walcott.

Chi Miigwetch!


Four DirectionsTeachings.com was made possible through the Canadian Culture Online Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Canadian Culture Online Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage
Canada
Produced in association with:
National Indigenous Literacy Association
Produced by:
Invert Media.com

FEEDBACK

We are always aiming to make our sites the best they can be and would like to hear your feedback on this educational and interactive site.

Send us an email by clicking here to let us know what you like, dislike, feel we should expand upon, etc.