Seven Seeds
Indigenous Foundation Course
Hosted by: Manoomin Learning
A course created for everyone that can be taken by anyone!
The course is now open for continuous enrollment, start when you’re ready and learn at your own pace.
About
The Seven Seeds Indigenous Foundation Course will empower people with the knowledge of Indigenous people, ways of knowing, science, and perspectives.
By the end of the course seven seeds of knowledge will be planted, and through the course activities you will start to nurture these seeds. Upon completing the course you will be awarded with a certificate.
Please note this course has been designed, developed, and will be delivered by Indigenous people. All information presented is done so with respect and reciprocity, and is appropriate, authentic, and considerate.
Certificate of Completion Provided
A certificate honouring the work that you have completed and the foundation you have built for understanding Indigenous people, ways of knowing, science, and perspectives will be awarded upon course completion.
Certification requirements
Watching all 7 virtual modules
Completion and submission of at-home reflection work
Course Format
Seven Seeds is a fully online asynchronous course that you can begin at any time and complete at your own pace. The course takes approximately 12-14 hours to complete and is organized into seven modules, each containing videos of lecture content, guided reflections, and educational resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
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We will explore topics of Indigenous people and history of Turtle Island, the Indigenous Lens, what Indigenous science is and how it can inform the way in which we interact with the environment, colonization of the Northeastern woodlands, assimilation policies like Residential schools, reconciliation, and current Indigenous changemakers.
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This course is designed for anyone and everyone. Whether you live in Ontario, Canada, the United States, or anywhere in North America , even the world, this course will leave you with a foundation for understanding Indigenous people, and will give you the tools and skillset to venture off and learn more about the original and present inhabitants of Turtle Island.
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The Seven Seeds Indigenous Foundations course was created with everyone in mind and will be totally accessible. If you have any questions about accessibility needs please email admin@manoominlearning.ca
Course Syllabus
In this course we will be planting seven seeds, each seed is a learning outcome of a foundational aspect in understanding Indigenous Peoples, ways of knowing, science, and perspectives. Each online module will also be tied to and inspired by one of the Anishinaabe Grandfather Teachings.
Session 1: The People Atop a Turtles Back
An Introduction to Indigenous People of North America and Terminology associated with them
Let us explore and learn the honest truth of Indigenous people of Turtle Island (including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis). We will build a competency for understanding what binds us together as Indigenous people and what makes us unique from one another. We will discuss terminology associated with Indigenous people to give you the confidence to speak about Indigenous people.
Honouring our Grandfather of Debwewin ‘truth’. Which Anishinaabemowin means ‘to speak only to the extent, we have lived or experienced.’ Represented by the spirit of the Turtle.
Session 2: Seeing in Circles
Understanding the Indigenous Lens and Worldview
Whether we know it or not, our culture, background, education, and lived experience all greatly inform the way in which we walk, and the glasses through which we look at this world. In this session, we will discuss the Indigenous lens. The lens that Indigenous people walk with is guided by thousands of years, and hundreds of generations of wisdom. We will also explore how this compares and contrasts with the Western/Euro-Canadian lens.
Honouring our Grandfather of Nibwaakaawin ‘wisdom’. Which in Anishinaabemowin means ‘to live with vision.’ Represented by the spirit of the Beaver.
Session 3: An Agreement to Partnership or Property?
We all know that agreements about the land were made between Europeans and Indigenous people. But were these about partnership or property? Long before the Europeans arrived on this land, some say since time immemorial, Indigenous people had Nation to Nation governance. These were traditional treaties called Wampum, which are still honoured by Indigenous people today. We also had out first treaty, and this treaty was about acknowledging all that sustains us. In this session we will look at treaties both from the Euro-Canadian perspective and the Indigenous Perspective.
Understanding Treaties and Wampum
Honouring our Grandfather of Dabasendiziwin ‘humility’. Which in Anishinaabemowin means ‘to think lower of oneself in relation to all that sustains us.’ Represented by the spirit of the Wolf.
Session 4: STEMories of a Respectful Science
An introduction to Indigenous science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM)
If I can sum up the big difference between Indigenous science and Western science it would be a matter of respect, of reciprocity, of sustainability. In this session we will explore Indigenous science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM), and compare Indigenous science with Western science. We will learn how our Mother the Earth, informs, influences, and instructs our science with respect at the core.
Honouring our Grandfather of Manaaji’idiwin ‘respect’. Which in Anishinaabemowin means ‘to go easy on one another and all of Creation.’ Represented by the spirit of the Buffalo.
Session 5: Building a Timeline of the Colonization of North America
Honest History of the Colonization of the Northeastern Woodlands from 1492- 1867
Often, the history of the land we live on is clouded by mistruths and is told from only one perspective. In this session, we will be building a timeline of the colonization of the Northeastern Woodlands. Delving into how the relationship between Indigenous Peoples and European colonizers changed over the colonization period from friends to foes. We will speak to the extent of the lived experience of Indigenous people past and present and we will tell the truth about colonization.
Honouring our Grandfather of Gwayakwaadiziwin ‘honesty’. Which in Anishinaabemowin means ‘to live correctly and with virtue’. Represented by the spirit of the Sabe ‘Sasquatch’.
Session 6: Beyond Words and Towards Action
Making Change Happen from Reconciliation to ReconcilAction
Reconciliation is all about the restoration of friendship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. But what is true reconciliation, and how do we turn our reconciliation into reconciliACTION? It is said that true reconciliation will never occur unless we are all first reconciled with the Earth. We not only need to love each other as humans, but love all beings, and the mother that nurtures us all, the Earth.
Honouring our Grandfather of Zaagi’idiwin ‘love’. Which in Anishinaabemowin means ‘unconditional love between one another including all of Creation, humans and non-humans.’ Represented by the spirit of the Eagle.
Session 7: Indigenous Innovators in Action Building a Brighter Future for All
Indigenous Changemaking at the Nation, Organization, and Individual Level
In spite of what we will learn about how Indigenous people have faced tremendous colonization, assassination, assimilation, and cultural genocide, there are still numerous Indigenous Nations, organizations, and people who are living with bravery and making significant changes in politics, art, environment, social, and sports spaces.
Honouring our Grandfather of Zoongide’ewin ‘bravery’. Which in Anishinaabemowin means ‘to live with a solid, strong heart.’ Represented by the spirit of the Bear.
Course Fee
The course fee is $300 per person, plus HST. Payment will be accepted through PayPal and the payment link will be sent to you once you have signed up for the course.
Start Your Journey With Us
If you have any questions please contact admin@manoominlearning.ca
After learning more, if you are interested in signing up please click on the button below. It will take you to a Google Form with further information regarding registration.