Inspiring Education Series
Each Friday, until mid June, MESC will be profiling outstanding individuals who will share their perspective on education and the importance of reaching personal goals.
Inspiring Education - Esther Makinaw
In this week’s video, we feature MESC Circle of Elders member Esther Makinaw as she speaks about her upbringing, and how Îyinîw Mâmitonehicikan (Indigenous Thought) ekwa Nehiyaw Pimâtisiwin (Cree Way of Life) are interconnected.
Maskwacîsak hold true that Kise Manito (Creator) gifted Nehiyawak (Cree People) with Îyinîw Mâmitonehicikan, which is to have a compassionate mind.₁ To have a compassionate mind is to be empathetic, kind, loving, caring, and selfless. Nehiyaw (Cree) thought originates from the creation stories that have been transferred intergenerationally from our ancestors since time immemorial. Îyinîw Mâmitonehicikan connects Nehiyawak to Kise Manito through song, ceremony, and prayer, which is honored and expressed through Nehiyaw spirituality, traditions, practices, and beliefs.
Nehiyaw Pimâtisiwin is the Nehiyaw way of life, which is to honor, respect, and live in relation to the tenets of the natural laws of Kise Manito. Nehiyawak understand the importance of compassion, reciprocity, and responsibility to Okâwîmâw Askîy (Mother Earth), which is honored through the intergenerational transfer of Nehiyaw protocols, traditions, and ceremonies.
₁ W. Lightning, 1992
Îyinîw Mâmitonehicikan (Indigenous Thought) ekwa (and) Nehiyaw Pimâtisiwin (Cree Way of Life) are two of the four foundational values that are embedded throughout MESC practices and K-12 curriculum.
For more information, please download a copy of the MESC Curriculum Development Guide.
