Posts Tagged "Indigenous Rights"
The North Direction — wolf teachings, wisdom and the sacredness of cedar
June 29, 2026
The final direction of the Medicine Wheel, we turn to the North — a place of wisdom, reflection, gratitude and the teachings that come from a life well lived. The North is often associated with winter, Elders, knowledge, experience and…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Uncategorized
The West Direction — bear teachings, reflection and the sacredness of sage
June 22, 2026
As we continue around the Medicine Wheel, we now move into the West Direction, a place of introspection, healing, endings, transformation and the deep inward journey. The West is connected to adulthood, autumn and the emotional and physical challenges that…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Uncategorized
Listening to the Waters: Reflections on Indigenous Peoples Day
June 21, 2026
As Indigenous Peoples Day approaches, I find myself thinking about water. Not just the water that flows through our rivers, lakes and streams, but the water that lives within us. The water that carried each of us into this world….
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
The South Direction — buffalo teachings, growth and the sacredness of sweetgrass
June 15, 2026
This week, we continue our journey around the Medicine Wheel by moving into the South Direction, a place connected to growth, relationships, emotion, trust and the energy of youth. The South represents summertime, abundance, warmth and the emotional self. It…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
The East Direction eagle teachings, new beginnings and the sacredness of tobacco
June 8, 2026
As we continue our Indigenous History Month journey, we begin in the East direction of the Medicine Wheel, the place of new beginnings, illumination, vision and Spirit. The East is where the sun rises each morning, bringing light into darkness and reminding us…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Celebrating 25 years: justice begins with relationship
June 3, 2026
This July, KAIROS marks 25 years of bringing people together to advance justice, reconciliation and right relationship. As someone relatively new to KAIROS, I recently asked staff a simple question: What is your most memorable KAIROS moment? The answers came quickly. The 2001 Blanket Train. The…
Post filed in: KAIROS 25 Years
Event
Voices from the Rivers of Abya Yala and Turtle Island – KAIROS Prairies North Regional Gathering
Join us on Saturday, September 12 in Edmonton or online for a public gathering that brings together activists from the rivers of Abya Yala and Turtle Island. Through stories, dialogue and shared learning, partners Kelly Paola Téllez Mantilla and Paola…
Walking the circle together: The Medicine Wheel, Indigenous wisdom and our shared responsibility
June 1, 2026
June is Indigenous History Month, a time to honour the histories, cultures, teachings, resilience and ongoing contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples across Turtle Island. It is also a time for reflection. Reflection on truth, relationship, responsibility and…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Uncategorized
Red Dress Day: honouring Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people
May 5, 2026
Every year on May 5, red dresses hang in trees, from windows, along fences and across public spaces. They move gently in the wind, empty yet deeply present. These dresses are not just symbols. They are reminders. They are calls…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
We have the right to say no: Reflections from the Tar Sands Tailings Crisis Conference
April 1, 2026
On March 25–26, leaders, knowledge keepers, community members, and advocates gathered for the Tar Sands Tailings Crisis: Protecting Our Water Conference in Enoch, Alberta. Over two intense days of dialogue, learning, and reflection, one message became unmistakably clear: we have the right…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Human Rights, Indigenous Rights
Water is life: Indigenous women, sacred waters and our shared responsibility
March 19, 2026
For many Indigenous Peoples, reflection on World Water Day does not begin and end on a single day. Protecting water is a daily responsibility, grounded in culture, spirituality and relationship to the land. Water is not simply a resource. It is life…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Indigenous Rights
Honouring the Indigenous women leaders and sacred life-givers this International Women’s Day
March 5, 2026
As we enter into International Women’s Day, I would like to take a moment to recognize all the strong, brave and passionate Indigenous women who take on the role of land defending, taking action for justice all while caring for children, families and communities. As Indigenous Rights Coordinator…
Post filed in: Gender Justice, Human Rights, Indigenous Rights
The beauty and the burden: Indigenous realities at COP30
December 4, 2025
When I think back on COP30, one of the first things that stands out is how often I saw Indigenous words, concepts and teachings being used in meeting titles, in discussion themes and even in the branding of events. And…
Post filed in: COP30, Human Rights, Indigenous Rights
Presenting the World Blanket Exercise at WIPCE 2025 – “A powerful healing ceremony”
November 24, 2025
“A powerful healing ceremony.” That’s how Indigenous peoples describe the World Blanket Exercise (WBE) when I and members of the WBE team delivered a 30-minute presentation on it at WIPCE 2025 (World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education), held in Aotearoa…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, KAIROS Blanket Exercise
Celebrating Indigenous education as I stand in solidarity with land defenders against state oppression
November 19, 2025
Español The big snail shells sound. The drum calls for a gathering. Let’s begin. I think of Darío. A member of the local Mana Whenua tribe from central Auckland gives us the pōwhiri (traditional welcome) in his native language and thus…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
KAIROS responds to Budget 2025
November 6, 2025
Security for whom? Federal Budget 2025 prioritizes economic growth, militarization and border security over justice, equity, reconciliation, sustainability and peacebuilding The federal government finally tabled its long-awaited Budget 2025 on November 4. In our pre-budget submissions to Finance Canada and…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Gender Justice, Human Rights, Indigenous Rights, Migrant Justice, Statements
KAIROS denounces violence against Indigenous partners in Ecuador
November 3, 2025
KAIROS strongly opposes the criminalization of Indigenous leaders in Ecuador who peacefully demonstrate to express their concerns. KAIROS supports their cry: “We are not terrorists.” Ecuador’s armed forces have retaliated against its civilian population for demonstrating peacefully to defend and…
Post filed in: En Español, Global South, Human Rights, Indigenous Rights
September 30: Honouring truth, carrying memory, walking together
September 30, 2025
On September 30, we pause as a country — not to celebrate, but to remember. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day are not symbolic gestures. They are living commitments. They are reminders etched in memory,…
Post filed in: Human Rights, Indigenous Rights, Uncategorized
Honouring the Fall Equinox – September 22nd
September 22, 2025
On September 22, the sun reaches a moment of balance — the Fall Equinox. Day and night are equal, reminding us of the natural cycles that guide our lives. Across many Indigenous nations, the Equinox is a time of reflection,…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters
September 3, 2025
Each year, on September 30th, communities across Turtle Island mark Orange Shirt Day – the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour Survivors of residential schools, their families and the children who never came home. This day reminds us…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Event
Multiple: Draw the Line – National Day of Action
At KAIROS, we believe that real change happens when movements unite—when we stand together across sectors, across struggles, and across borders. That’s why we are proud to support the Draw the Line campaign and call on you to join us…
Indigenous youth as agents of change on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
August 9, 2025
Each year on August 9, we mark the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, a day established by the United Nations to promote and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples around the globe. It is also an opportunity to…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Event
Decolonizing Ourselves: Residential School Tour and Our Future in Treaty
Please join KAIROS Prairies North for a day that will include a tour of the former Blue Quills Indian Residential School building led by survivors/Elders, lunch and learning about Treaty. Location: University nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills Find a map…
Iconic symbols of Métis culture
June 27, 2025
Métis culture is immediately recognizable through its vibrant artistic expression. Some of the most iconic symbols include: The Métis Sash The colourful woven sash (or ceinture fléchée) is more than just a piece of clothing. Traditionally used as a belt,…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Resistance and the Red River rebellions
June 25, 2025
One of the most significant figures in Métis history is Louis Riel, a political leader, spiritual visionary and fierce defender of Métis rights. In 1869, when Canada attempted to take over the Red River territory without consulting its people, Riel…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
The origins of the Métis Nation
June 23, 2025
When we speak about Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island, it’s essential to understand that Indigenous identity is diverse and multifaceted. Among the First Nations, Inuit and Métis, each has their own cultures, histories and experiences. This week, as part of…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit: Inuit ways of knowing the world
June 20, 2025
Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) refers to the rich body of traditional Inuit knowledge developed over thousands of years of life in the Arctic. It includes philosophy, environmental knowledge, values and social structures—everything needed to live in harmony with the land and…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Echoes of the Arctic: The power of Inuit throat singing
June 18, 2025
Inuit throat singing—known as katajjaq—is more than music. It’s a living expression of Inuit history, land and kinship. Traditionally performed by women in pairs, katajjaq uses deep, rhythmic vocal sounds that mimic the Arctic: wind, water, birds and even animals…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
