Almost two years has passed since my last post, time that has held constant and crucial learning for me, as someone who is committed to decolonization as a primary purpose in my life and work. I am grateful to now have had the opportunity to also learn through Poo’miikapii: Niitsitapii Approaches to Wellness at the University of Calgary Werklund School of Education, building upon my first year in the Indigenous Education: A Call to Action program. I am forever grateful to respected Elder Ninna Piiksii (Mike Bruised Head), Ahstanskiaki (Sandra Manyfeathers) and their communities, for the teachings, wisdom and support they have offered since last summer. I hope to sustain the relationships with them, classmates and community in Blackfoot territory, in reciprocity for the transformative learning I experienced.

I have now started the culminating third year for the completion of a Masters of Education building upon these focus areas, and looking toward the hopeful prospect of future studies, along with continued learning and teaching in many directions. This website has been a holding space with very little traffic, but I am about to start using it in earnest to bring a coherent online presence to my many roles and responsibilities. The structure and content will undergo transformation that reflects my own. Whenever we grow, we must also find space and time for synthesis. This is the phase I am entering.

For info about the photo below, here is my social media post from April, as I returned home and stopped to greet and thank Omahkai’stoo. See this link for context and stories from Ninna Piiksii.

Tired but hopefully wiser – nine months, a million miles, listening, reading, dreaming and a couple hundred pages of writing, so much love. Now finished my incredible learning sabbatical visiting the beautiful Niitsitapii lands and people. I’m so grateful to the professors, Ninna Piiksii and Sandra Manyfeathers, the amazing classmates and community, and to Marco and Alexia for their support and patience.

I have greeted and thanked Omahkai’stoo so many times as I passed. It won’t be quite so often now, but always joyful.

“Niitaissatsii’p Miistakiists Niitaksimkatoop Nahkai’sts (when I look at the mountains, I think about going home)” posted years ago by Cuts Wood School is true today, and has been all year. But now I also know more. Yes, I feel at home in the mountains, but now I know that the mountains have names, medicines, cultural and vision quests sites to be returned to the Niitsitapii people. Their home. Land back. Life back. Niitsii (truth). Poo’miikapii (unity, harmony and balance). Thank you for your stories and teachings. I will think of you and visit often, and happily connect and collaborate in between!