Have you just recently heard of your indigenous heritage, or maybe you're just wanting to
start reconnecting with your cultural roots?
Watch this video to find out where to start, and how you can begin reconnecting with your
indigenous cultural roots.
I'm Mallory Graham Anishnaabek-kwe from tribaltradeco.com.
Be sure to subscribe and hit the bell for new videos every week on smudging, the indigenous
culture and native teachings.
When I left my childhood home, I found myself answering tons of questions about my heritage,
life as an Anishnaabek-kwe, and as an Ojibwa woman of Curve Lake First Nation.
Have you just recently heard of your indigenous ancestors, or maybe you want to revisit traditions
and cultural practices from your childhood?
As I shared stories and information with friends, family, teachers, classmates, even total strangers,
it made me feel closer to my heritage.
Now, Tribal Trade Co offers people a chance to learn and connect with the indigenous culture
through online native teachings and other resources.
One of the most common questions that we receive from people who want to reconnect with their
indigenous cultural roots is, where do I start?
Luckily, we've helped thousands of people in discovering and reconnecting with their
indigenous heritage, and just what they need to do to get started.
So, we've put together three quick steps for you, if you don't know where to start with
reconnecting with your indigenous culture.
The first step for reconnecting with your indigenous ancestry is to learn about your
nation.
There are more than 500 indigenous nations in North America, alone, all with their own
unique practices and traditions.
Just like knowing what country you're from, knowing which nation that you are a part of,
can help you more deeply connect with your heritage, and give you a clear image of the
history of your ancestors and your elders.
Growing up in Curve Lake First Nation meant spending a lot of time at pow wows, learning
traditional teachings from my grandparents and other elders, and spending lots of time
with my family.
Because I was able to learn and experience so much of my native heritage I then carry
those teachings and keep them close to me whenever I'm away from home.
By learning about your nation, it will help you to discover more of the specifics about
your tribe, or the group of people that you come from, including the language, or the
specific teachings and protocols that they follow.
As well as if they're known for any specific kind of hunting, trapping, or gathering of
any kind.
Or if they're known for any certain types of cuisines, or recipes.
Just the experience alone of learning about your nation can help you feel more connected
with who you are, with your family.
And when people ask you about yourself, and your heritage, you can feel much more confident
about sharing information with them.
Now, the second step for reconnecting with your indigenous culture is to learn about
smudging and the sacred medicines.
If you grew up around indigenous people, or you've ever explored anything relating to
the indigenous culture, then you've likely heard of something called smudging.
Smudging is a traditional process of cleansing your mind, body, spirit, and your environment.
And has been used by indigenous people around the world for centuries every day, and in
ceremony.
Once you discover your nation from step one, and the community that you come from, the
smudging protocols and ceremonies, as well as the sacred medicines that are most significant
and important to your people will become known as well.
For most North American people, smudging involves burning sacred medicines to create smoke.
This helps to cleanse and purify a person's thoughts, their surroundings, and their spirit.
While smudging is used for a variety of purposes, like cleansing harmful airborne bacteria in
a room, or creating positive energy, it can also help you to reconnect with your indigenous
heritage.
To learn more about the smudging process.
Watch this video right here, or download our sacred medicines and smudging guide at the
link in the description below.
We believe that the sacred medicines were gifts given to us from The Creator and from
Mother Earth, and can help us connect more closely with the spirits and with ourselves.
Did you just recently learn about your indigenous ancestors, or maybe you want to revisit your
traditions and your culture from your childhood?
Please share with us in the comments below.
So, now, we've looked at the first two ways on how you can reconnect with your indigenous
cultural groups, which is one, to learn about your nation and two, learn about sacred medicines
and smudging.
Now, the third step for reconnecting with your indigenous culture is to study the medicine
wheel.
The medicine wheel is the basis for many indigenous beliefs and ways of life.
It is a very important symbol and part of the indigenous culture.
If you've never heard of the medicine wheel before, then watch this video right here on
what is a medicine wheel.
Learning to interpret and use the medicine wheel can help you to live in accordance with
indigenous beliefs, and help give you a deeper, more personal understanding of your ancestors.
The medicine wheel is most commonly known for being a circle divided into four equal
parts.
The number four has a particular significance in the indigenous culture.
Each of the quadrants represent a variety of different things, like one of the four
directions, or the four states of being.
Each of the quadrants depend on one another, and one cannot exist without the other three.
They need each other to maintain that balance.
By carefully studying the medicine wheel, you can begin to develop a reconnection with
yourself and with your indigenous culture, and form a new level of health and wellbeing.
As an indigenous person looking to reconnect with your heritage, the medicine wheel could
offer some answers to your questions.
And you could discover some missing parts of yourself along the way.
Now, these are just three of the quick steps for how to get started with learning the indigenous
culture.
If you're wanting to learn even more, there's so much more resources and native teachings
to learn.
Such as the Seven Grandfather teachings, other native symbols and teachings surrounding the
indigenous worldview.
Now, after watching this video, you can get started with reconnecting with your indigenous
cultural roots.
And you will feel much more confident when people ask you about the indigenous culture.
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Tell us what you liked about it in the comments.
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Thanks so much for watching, guys.
We'll see you next time.