Tuesday May 28 2024
2023-2027/102
On National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21, we celebrate Indigenous cultures, traditions, and wisdom. It is also the summer solstice, a time of renewal and connection.
As we try to survive a broken world, the summer Solstice is an opportune time to reflect on the possibilities for a better, more sustainable home. A key to our wellness is to multiply connections with each other and also, with the natural world.
The work of art below, “Bark at the Moon”, by Harry Wylde, reminds us that the wolf is a locus of wisdom, resilience, and interconnectedness, in Indigenous teachings.
“Ma’iingan” meaning “wolf” in the Anishinaabe language, embodies essential teachings about community, cooperation, and balance. A wolf pack has a social structure where each plays a vital role in the pack’s survival. This communal way of life reflects Indigenous values of reciprocity, respect, and harmony with all living beings.
The wolf is a guardian and protector of the land. Wolves are seen as caretakers of ecosystems, maintaining balance and ensuring the health of natural environments. In this way, they remind us of our responsibility to steward the earth with reverence and care. As Sister Meagan Goudreault frames it:
How we walk in our community and how we take care and interact with one another is really tied with our wellness. If we honour the wolf by putting these teachings into practice, we not only enhance our lives, but we enhance our community.
As we celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day, let’s honour the wisdom of the wolf and the Indigenous peoples who have safeguarded this knowledge for generations. May we draw inspiration from their teachings of interconnectedness, resilience, and respect for the earth as we strive to build a more harmonious and sustainable future for all.
In Solidarity,
Coleen Jones
2nd National Vice-President