Ininiwak Elder Philip Paynter shares his COVID-19 vaccine experience and encourages others to take it. This message is Part 6 in a series from the Turtle Lodge Elders and Knowledge Keepers,

Ininiwak Elder Philip Paynter shares his COVID-19 vaccine experience and encourages others to take it. This message is Part 6 in a series from the Turtle Lodge Elders and Knowledge Keepers, addressing COVID-19, vaccines, and traditional medicine.

The series features various Elders, including Dr. Dave Courchene, Grandmother Mary Maytwayashing, and Chief Dr. Harry Bone, who discuss their perspectives on vaccination, spirituality, and balancing modern and traditional medicine. Watch Philip Paynter's message (also available in French) here: https://youtu.be/dq9oo5vH0R4. Additional parts of the series are also available online.

Elder Dave Courchene (Nii Gaani Aki Inini – Leading Earth Man), an Anishinabe Nation Elder and Spiritual Advisor for the Indigenous Leadership Initiative, served as Ceremonial Witness at the

Elder Dave Courchene (Nii Gaani Aki Inini – Leading Earth Man), an Anishinabe Nation Elder and Spiritual Advisor for the Indigenous Leadership Initiative, served as Ceremonial Witness at the First Nations’ National Guardians Gathering 2019.

Invited by the Heiltsuk and Squamish Nations, Elder Courchene offered concluding remarks at the gathering, held March 12-13, 2019, in Vancouver.

A full video of the gathering is available at ilinationhood.ca.

COVID-19 serves as a critical wake-up call, underscoring the paramount importance of education. This includes learning about First Peoples' profound relationship with the land.

Our mothers,

COVID-19 serves as a critical wake-up call, underscoring the paramount importance of education. This includes learning about First Peoples' profound relationship with the land.

Our mothers, as our first and most important teachers, instill the foundational values essential for life.

Elder Nii Gaani Aki Inini (Dr. Dave Courchene), a respected Anishinaabe Elder and Knowledge Keeper, shares a vision of hope for Mother Earth and Humankind. He emphasizes ancient teachings,

Elder Nii Gaani Aki Inini (Dr. Dave Courchene), a respected Anishinaabe Elder and Knowledge Keeper, shares a vision of hope for Mother Earth and Humankind. He emphasizes ancient teachings, particularly the Seven Sacred Laws, as a foundation for living with kindness and fostering a change of heart.

As the founder of the Turtle Lodge International Centre for Indigenous Education and Wellness and Chair of the National Turtle Lodge Council of Knowledge Keepers, Elder Nii Gaani Aki Inini promotes reconnecting with the Earth and ancestral knowledge.

Learn more about the Turtle Lodge and the National Turtle Lodge Council of Knowledge Keepers by visiting their website: www.turtlelodge.org. Follow them on social media: Facebook (@turtlelodge), Twitter (@turtlelodge), and Instagram (@theturtlelodge).

David Meslin, a Community Catalyst, explores why more people don't engage in local politics, despite its

David Meslin, a Community Catalyst, explores why more people don't engage in local politics, despite its direct impact on their lives through issues like schools, zoning, and elections.

Meslin argues that this lack of involvement isn't apathy. Instead, he identifies it as a complex "web of barriers" that actively reinforce disengagement. He advocates for collaborative efforts to dismantle these obstacles.

"Join those who have found their heart."

Elder Dave Courchene (