Aki As Teacher: Land Acknowledgement as an Act of Truth and Reconciliation

October 25, 2025, marks the first day of a four-day professional development series spanning seasons in the 2024-2025 school year. Teachers and educators will learn from the “Aki as Teacher, Land Acknowledgement as an Act of Truth and Reconciliation” series developed by Language and Culture Coordinator Geraldine Campbell and the Language and Culture team with MFNSS. The first session of the series was held at Bird’s Hill Provincial Park, where over a dozen teachers joined the teaching.

Elder and Knowledge Keeper Philip Paynter shared the value of medicine teachings and gifted medicines to participants, including valerian and sage. Teachers then proceeded to harvest medicine in the Cedar Bog, located within the park, by picking cedar boughs from the colossal trees in the bog.

The four-day teaching series continues on December 5, 2024 with Dr. Ellen Cook leading teachings on Oral Cree stories and Gift Giving at Fort Whyte Center, Winnipeg, MB. The following teachings will occur on March 20, 2025, with Spring Solstice teachings and on June 5, with lessons on the Seven Teachings and Summer Solstice teachings.