Culture Shift - Aboriginal Stories

Gloria Knott: My Hometown

Gloria talks about where she’s from – Wasagamack.
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Gloria Knott: My Culture

Gloria talks about her Oji-Cree culture. She didn’t live very culturally while growing up, but is now rediscovering her roots.
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Gloria talks about the Oji-Cree language and says a few words.
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Gloria Knott: Bridging Cultures

Gloria talks about how she thinks others see her - an Aboriginal person.
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Gloria talks about similarities she sees between Aboriginals and Africans.
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Aaron Rae: My Hometown

Aaron talks about growing up on Sandy Lake First Nation in Ontario.
He also talks about the role of the Northern Store on reserves.
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When Aaron was young, his family moved to Winnipeg. Adjusting was difficult at first.
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Aaron Rae: My Culture

Aaron explains what it means to be Anishinabe and the importance of humour to his people.
He also talks about the importance of elders’ teachings in his life.
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Aaron Rae: Bridging Cultures

Aaron talks about growing up in a multi-cultural environment.
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Aaron talks about an encounter he had with someone during a plane ride from Edmonton to Winnipeg. For Aaron, being open to communication goes a long way in understanding new cultures.
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Aaron Rae: All About Me

What Aaron wants to do with his life.
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Tyson Monias: My Hometown

Tyson lives in St. Theresa Point, Manitoba. Hear him talk about the positives and negatives about growing up in his community.
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Tyson Monias: My Culture

Tyson lives his Oji-Cree culture every day. Here, he talks about two important traditions he still practices - the Sweat Lodge and Sundancing .
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Oji-Cree is still spoken in St. Theresa Point. Hear Tyson say a few words in his mother tongue.
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Tyson Monias: All About Me

Tyson knows which career he wants to pursue and knows how that it can help his community, St. Theresa Point. Hear Tyson talk about his aspirations and what he's most proud of.
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Sandy Paishk: My Culture

Sandy talks about two important cultural activities she enjoys participating in: The Pow Wow Trail and smudging.
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The Moccasin Game is a popular game they play in her community.
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Sandy talks about why it’s important to respect elders.
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Thadius Leveque: My Hometown

Thadius talks about his community - Little Grand Rapids First Nation.
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Thadius Leveque: My Culture

Thadius talks about what it means to be Ojibway and to speak his language.
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Grandparents play an important role in Aboriginal cultures. Thadius talks about the important role his grandfather played in his life.
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Thadius Leveque: Bridging Cultures

The first time Thadius met a person of African descent.
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Thadius Leveque: All About Me

The hardest part of his day.
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What he's most proud of - his son.
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He also talks about where he sees himself in ten years.
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Ricky Bittern: My Hometown

Ricky talks about his hometown, Berens River First Nation.
He talks about how there isn’t any racism on his reserve as well as an experience with racism in Winnipeg.
Audio (1:15)

Ricky Bittern: My Culture

Ricky talks about his Ojibway culture and language.
Audio (2:26)

Charlie Bittern was one of the Aboriginal runners who carried the torch during the 1967 Pan Am Games. They carried the torch from Minnesota to Winnipeg but were not allowed to carry it during the final let into the stadium.
Hear Ricky talk about his father.
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Read about Ricky's dad here

Ricky Bittern: Bridging Cultures

Ricky talks about the first time he saw a person of African descent.
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Ricky Bittern: All About Me

Ricky talks the hardest part of his day, what he’s most proud of and where he sees himself in 10 years.
Audio (1:12)

Norma Monias: My Hometown

Norma talks about her community, St. Theresa Point.
Audio (1:28)

Norma Monias: My Culture

Norma talks about her grandfather’s traditions and her own. Norma drums, which isn’t very common for female Aboriginals.
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The trapline is something most families in her community visit.
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Norma has a conversation with her friend, Myrna Flett, in Oji-Cree and explains the strength of the language on her reserve.
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Norma Monias: Bridging Cultures

Norma talks about her knowledge of the African culture.
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Paul Frobisher: My Hometown

Paul talks about his two neighbourhoods - Elmwood and West Broadway.
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Paul Frobisher: My Culture

Paul talks about how he lives his Ojibway culture in the city.
Audio (1:54)

Paul Frobisher: Bridging Cultures

Paul talks about how he thinks others see Aboriginals and the fact that not many Africans come to where he works – Broadway Neighbourhood Centre, an Aboriginal organization in the city's West Broadway neighbourhood.
Audio (0:49)

Paul Frobisher: All About Me

The hardest part of Paul's day.
Audio (0:49)

Jonathan Owens: My Hometown

Jonathan describes his community – Pauingassi First Nation. He says it's just like your typical reserve.
Audio (0:40)

Jonathan Owens: My Culture

Jonathan talks about his Ojibway culture and his pride in knowing how to speak his language. He says Hello in Ojibway.
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Jonathan Owens: Bridging Cultures

The first time Jonathan met a person of African heritage, he noticed similarities with his own culture.
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Jonathan Owens: All About Me

What he’s most proud of.
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Little Bow Bighetty: My Hometown

Little Bow talks about her reserve, Pukatawagan and “the rock.”
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She also talks about the negatives about living there.
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Little Bow Bighetty: My Culture

Little Bow talks about an important ceremony for Aboriginals – the giving of spirit names.
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And what is Little Bow’s spirit name?
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Drumming is one of Little Bow's favourite activities. However, in her community, it’s not allowed. She explains why.
Audio (0:58)

Little Bow Bighetty: All About Me

What she's most proud of.
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Marcia Quill: My Hometown

Marcia talks about her hometown – Sapotaweyak First Nation.
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Marcia Quill: My Culture

Marcia talks about her Cree language.
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Marcia Quill: Bridging Cultures

Marcia says she has had a lot of exposure to the African-American culture because she lived in the United States for a while.
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Marcia Quill: All About Me

Marcia talks about what makes her proud and where she sees herself in 10 years.
Audio (1:40)

Maria Aksic: My Hometown

Maria was born in Thompson, Manitoba but grew up in Winnipeg. Here, she talks about her experiences visiting up north.
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Maria Aksic: My Culture

Maria grew up in a mixed culture. Her mother is Cree and her father is Serbian. Here, she talks about what it means to have both cultural backgrounds.
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A very important aspect of Aboriginal culture is respect.
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Maria speaks a bit of Cree and Serbian – her parents’ languages.
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Maria Aksic: Bridging Cultures

Maria talks about how she thinks others see First Nation people.
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And what does she think of the African culture?
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Myrna Flett: My Hometown

Myrna talks about her hometown – St. Theresa Point and describes her house, which has running water. Not every house does in her community.
Audio (1:16)

Myrna Flett: My Culture

Dancing is an important part of Myrna's life. She enjoys jigging and square dancing.
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Myrna says a few words in her mother tongue – Oji-Cree.
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Myrna is a member of a drum group. As leader, she must take on certain responsibilities. Here, she explains the importance of warming the drum, and respect.
Audio (1:49)

Garry talks about why his hair is important to him.
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Garry Fisher: Bridging Cultures

Garry talks about being exposed to people of African heritage when he was young.
Audio (0:49)

Garry Fisher: All About Me

Garry talks about how first impressions can sometimes be wrong. He also talks about what he's proud of and where he sees himself in 10 years.
Audio (1:00)

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