She:kon, sonwakwe:kon! Konkwehon:we Kanienkeha. Dawn T ionkiats. Hello, welcome! I am a Mohawk originating from the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory near Belleville, Ontario.
I am presently at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto in the Adult Education, Counselling Psychology and Community Development department where I am completing my Masters of Education in the Aboriginal Education focus with an emphasis on Iroquois Storytelling. I recently spent four months teaching kindergarten (through the Queen's Aboriginal Teacher Education program) in my community. While there, I found that there was little Iroquois/Mohawk curriculum, and what did exist was not holistic, nor did it have direct significance to the lives of the students.
I took it upon myself to research the Three Sisters story. I found alot of information, both oral and written, all of which I had to sift through and prepare lessons on my own. I took the story and simplified it into a book with illustrations: I have included it in this site.
I took the story and created lesson plans in math, english and art. I adapted the lessons to include some of the teachings of the Seven Grandfathers, which are from Anishinawbe teachings, but which I believe are universal concepts. I also included Multiple intelligences and adapted the lessons to fit grade one skills within the new curriculum. (I did this as the new kindergarten curriculum was not yet released from the Ministry of Education.)
Please check out my web other web site: a curriculum unit for all parents or teachers. It is on the Iroquois Creation story. More work on this is to come as well. This is my first web site, so there is still much work to be done. I welcome any comments or suggestions, especially new stories to add to my list (which I intend to expand in the future). I am especially interested in Iroquois Creation Stories, and stories about the Three Sisters or other food often used by the Iroquois.
Relevant Sites
Iroquois Creation Story Curriculum Unit by Dawn T Maracle
Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory
Tsi Ronterihwanonhnha Ne Kanien'keha Ne Kanehsata:ke
Kanienkehaka Language Home Page
Aboriginal Teacher Education Program, Queen's University
SchoolNet's First People's Curriculum Resources
Libraxus - Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples
Resource List for Anishinaabe Educators - Woodland Cultural Centre
Aboriginal Science for Classrooms
Canadian Native Women Writers
National Aboriginal Day
I is not for Indian
Indigenous People's Literature
Manitoba Education and Training
Zhooni's Site of Life: J Mallons adventures at Maori education Institute, NZ