First Nations Centre @ NAHOLe Centre des Premières Nations de l’ONSA

220 Laurier Avenue West, Suite 1200Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5Z9

Tel: (613) 237-9462Toll-free: 1-877-602-4445

Fax: (613) 237-1810E-mail: fnc@naho.ca

www.naho.ca/fnc

©2008

Our Healthy JourneyA Collection of First Nations Children’s Perspectives

Book title: Our Healthy Journey, A Collection of First Nations Children’s Perspectives

© Copyright 2008 National Aboriginal Health Organization

ISBN: 978-0-9809579-4-5

Date Published: April 2008

OAAPH [now known as the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO)] receives

funding from Health Canada to assist it to undertake knowledge based activities including

education, research and dissemination of information to promote health issues affecting

Aboriginal persons. However, the contents and conclusions of this book are solely that of

the authors and not attributable in whole or in part to Health Canada.

The National Aboriginal Health Organization, an Aboriginal-designed and -controlled body,

will influence and advance the health and well-being of Aboriginal Peoples by carrying out

knowledge-based strategies.

This book should be cited as:First Nations Centre. (2008). Our Healthy Journey: A Collection of First Nations Children’s Perspectives.

Ottawa: National Aboriginal Health Organization.

For queries or copyright requests, please contact:National Aboriginal Health Organization

220 Laurier Avenue West, Suite 1200

Ottawa, ON K1P 5Z9

Tel: (613) 237-9462

Toll-Free: 1-877-602-4445

Fax: (613) 237-1810

Email: naho@naho.ca

Website: www.naho.ca

Disclaimer: This resource is intended for use by educators, health practitioners and families to promote

health among the young people they work with. The content of the resource is under no circumstances

to be used as medical opinion or advice. The First Nations Centre at the National Aboriginal Health

Organization is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis or assumptions made by a user based on

the content of this information resource.

This book belongs to:

Our Healthy JourneyA Collection of First Nations Children’s Perspectives

About Our Healthy Journey

Our Healthy Journey is a national project that was coordinated by the First Nations Centre at the National Aboriginal Health Organization. This book is designed to introduce health issues to First Nations children through a user-friendly information resource.

Our Healthy Journey promotes an understanding of health that encompasses the holistic and balanced development of individuals and communities. It highlights ways to be healthy using a variety of examples from the four seasons, and promotes healthy habits using references to nature and activities in our lives.

To ensure that First Nations children were engaged in the project, an art contest was held to collect illustrations for the book. The art contest received numerous entries from young artists across Canada. Our Healthy Journey has been shaped by the art submitted. Young artists shared with us their perspectives on health; we have developed the book based on these perspectives.

This resource can be used by educators, health practitioners and families to promote healthy lifestyles among the young people they work with. It is the hope of the project’s development team that it provides years of enjoyment for young people and their teachers and caregivers.

Hands | Janelle Johnson, Calling Lake

Being Healthy is ImportantGood health is important. Being healthy means taking care of our body,

mind and spirit. Health is the most valuable gift we can give to ourselves

and our families.

There are many reasons we should be healthy. When we are healthy,

we help our families to be healthy. Healthy families help to make our

community healthy. A healthy community is a good place to live.

To be healthy, we must take care of ourselves and each other.

1

Shayla Halcrow

Learning About HealthWe can learn about health from many things and people around us.

Our parents, grandparents, teachers, friends, family, and even nature,

show us how to be healthy. When we take care of ourselves everyday

we can be healthy all year long.

There are four seasons in one year. We can learn how to be healthy

through many things that happen during each season.

Let’s explore how each season can teach us how to be healthy.

2

Shayla Halcrow

SpringSpring is here! The snow is melting, making big puddles that are

good for splashing.

Spring is when new life begins and is welcomed to Mother Earth.

The trees start growing new leaves. The smell of flowers and

green grass fills the air. The birds are singing and making their

long journey back to their homelands.

We begin our journey here in the springtime. Let’s listen to what

spring has to teach us about living a healthy life.

3

Nóká Bédard

Spring | Darian Southwind, Temiskaming First Nation

4

Raven & Man Speaking | Tejas Collision, Haida Gwaii

5

Sharing & ListeningDuring spring, Mother Earth begins to awaken many sounds.

Birds are singing songs to each other, making beautiful sounds. Water is

running, making dripping and splashing sounds. These sounds help the

animals find food, shelter and water.

We learn from spring that sharing and listening are important. We learn

about things that help us to be healthy by sharing and listening.

People that we can share and listen with are parents, grandparents,

teachers and each other.

6

Ashley McDonald

Roles & ResponsibilitiesMany animals are born in spring. This is the first time they meet

other animals and walk on Mother Earth. Once they are welcomed,

their family teaches them the things they need to do to keep

themselves healthy. They also learn what they have to do keep their

families healthy and safe.

This teaches us that we have to do things to keep ourselves

healthy too. We must brush our teeth and wash often. We must get

enough sleep to grow healthy. There are many things that we should

do to keep ourselves, our family, and our community healthy.

7

Zarleigh Lagrelle

Walking Out Ceremony | Meagan Ottereyes, Waswanipi Cree First Nation

8

Summer | Darian Southwind, Temiskaming First Nation

9

SummerSummer has arrived! The wind is warm and the days are long.

It is the time of year when we spend most of our time outside with friends.

Summer is a good time for playing sports and games all day. It is fun to

swim and play with friends and family. Summer is a very busy time of

year for our community.

Let’s learn what summer can teach us about being healthy.

10

Sammy Gliddy

ExerciseSummer days are long and warm. They are good for exercising.

Exercise is good for your keeping your body healthy.

There are many fun ways to exercise. Sports like baseball, basketball,

soccer, cycling and swimming are all fun ways to exercise.

We can also exercise by dancing at powwows or celebrations.

There are many powwows and celebrations that happen in summertime.

Dancing is really fun and good for your health.

11

James Cloud

In Motion | Kaylyn Dunphy, Quesnel

12

Community Health Centre | Nikita Paul, Edmonton

13

Health CentreThe community health centre is where many people go when they

need help staying healthy. At the health centre there are nurses and

medicine to help people feel better when they are sick. There are

also some medicines that help keep people healthy and prevent them

from getting sick.

Sometimes there are doctors, dentists and other people that may come

to the health centre to help people stay healthy. Other times, the nurse

at the health centre helps us to make an appointment to see a doctor

at the hospital.

14

Deanna Gray

Environmental HealthSummertime is a very busy time for the earth. Everything around us is

growing quickly. Taking care of the earth is important to our health.

The food and water that we use to stay healthy comes from the earth.

Many communities have Earth Day during summertime. Earth Day is a day

where communities spend the day doing activities that help keep the earth

healthy. Some activities can be cleaning the parts of the earth that we use,

like yards, roads and beaches. Reusing and recycling are good ways to keep

the earth healthy all year long.

15

William Tremblay

Rock and WaterfallBrandon Kabestra, Fort Severn First Nation

16

Fall | Darian Southwind, Temiskaming First Nation

17

FallFall has come! Leaves are changing colour and the wind is getting chilly.

There are many beautiful colours to see during fall. Fall is the time of

year when we begin to prepare for the long winter months coming.

When fall comes it is time to return to school. It is also the time of year

when we prepare for winter by hunting and gathering food and supplies.

Let’s learn what fall activities can teach us about being healthy.

18

Nóká Bédard

LearningLearning is very important. We are learning new things all the time

during every day and every season. We return to school in fall.

School helps us learn things that we use to be healthy. Math class

teaches us to use numbers to count and measure things. Language

class teaches us how to share and listen. Science class teaches us

how things work.

There are also many good things we can learn from our Elders. We can

learn about how to make fishnets and snowshoes. We can learn about

healthy medicines from the land. We can learn about how to survive in

the bush. We can learn many things about being healthy from our Elders.

19

Mélina Stanger

Grandma Teaching | Pinákwí Bédard, Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg

20

Fruit Bowl | Kay-Lynn Nayassit, Waswanipi Cree First Nation

21

Healthy DietFall is the time of harvest. Many healthy foods are grown in a garden

and are ready for us to harvest in fall. A healthy diet is very important

for our health. A healthy diet includes eating the right amounts of

vegetables, fruit, grains, dairy, meat, fish and poultry.

There are also many healthy foods we can harvest from the land.

Berries, wild rice, nuts, fish, and wild meats are some healthy foods that

come from the land. These foods are an important part of a healthy diet.

22

Karly Chevrier-Wabie

Hunting & GatheringFall is the time when hunting begins again. Hunting is an activity that

has been done by people for a long time. A long time ago, animals gave

families the food, clothing, shelter and tools they needed to survive.

Today, many hunters still use animals to make food, clothing and shelter

for their families.

Fall is also the time to collect the things you need for the winter.

Many families collect firewood during fall. The firewood helps the

family home stay warm during the cold winter months.

23

Tyler Ottereyes-Eagle

Bush Camp | Adrian Neeposh-Gunner, Waswanipi Cree First Nation

24

Winter | Darian Southwind, Temiskaming First Nation

25

WinterWinter has arrived! The snow is falling, making hills fun to slide on.

Winter is the time of year when we spend a lot of time inside with

our families.

Families and friends are people that we spend most of our time with.

It is important that we are doing things to make sure our relations

are healthy.

Winter is a good time to think of the things we are thankful for.

It is a good time to make sure we are doing the things we need to do

to keep our spirits healthy.

26

Nóká Bédard

Family & RelationshipsOur family helps us to be and stay healthy. When we need help and support,

our family and close friends are often the people we ask. It is important

for us to do things to help keep our family healthy.

There are many ways to keep our family healthy. Spending time with our

family helps us get along better. Sharing our feelings and thoughts with family

members is good. It is also good to listen to others when they want to share

with us. When we listen to our family, there are many good things we can

learn from sisters, brothers, aunties, uncles, parents, grandparents,

and many other relatives.

27

Mélina Stanger

Family Star | Aliyah Rodominski, Merritt

28

ReflectionsJulian Kootenay,

Edmonton

29

Spiritual HealthIt feels good to take care of our spirit. It is good for us, our family

and our community to have healthy spirits. For many generations we

have always given thanks for good food, shelter, family and health.

Giving thanks can be done in many ways. When we give thanks, we think

of the many teachings we have learned and the good things we have.

Some people like to do their thanksgiving with others, some like to do it alone.

It is good to be thankful for our good fortune and our blessings.

30

Nicole Stoney

A Healthy Life is a Happy LifeWe have learned that being healthy is important. We have also learned

that there are many ways to be healthy. When we are taking care of

our body, mind and spirit we are healthier people. It is important that we

continue to learn more ways to be healthy all the time.

To be healthy, we must take care of ourselves and each other.

We must continue to learn about health from our parents, grandparents,

teachers, and friends. We must also share with them how we can all be

healthier people by taking care of ourselves.

Living a healthy life is a good life.

31

Ashley Dokis-Bélanger

Title

Closing story text

Cheese!Nolan Coté, Temiskaming First Nation

32

33

Acknowledgements

The First Nations Centre at the National Aboriginal Health Organization would like to thank everyone who contributed to the development of Our Healthy Journey. This resource would not have been possible without the efforts and contributions of the following individuals:

Project Development Team: Winona Polson-Lahache, Rachel Olson and Victoria Tenasco;

Art Contest Winners: Janelle Johnson, Nóká Bédard, Pinákwí Bédard, Karly Chevrier-Wabie, James Cloud, Tejas Collison, Nolan Coté, Ashley Dokis-Bélanger, Kaylyn Dunphy, Sammy Gliddy, Deanna Gray, Shayla Halcrow, True Halliday, Meagan Icebound-Ottereyes, Brandon Kabestra, Julian Kootenay, Zarleigh Lagrelle, Ashley McDonald, Kay-Lynn Nayassit, Adrian Neeposh-Gunner, Tyler Ottereyes-Eagle, Nikita Paul, Aliyah Rodominski, Darian Southwind, Mélina Stanger, Nicole Stoney, and William Tremblay;

Art Contest Submitting Artists: Isaac Ashfield, Diom Blacksmith, Sammy Blacksmith, Victoria Chevrier, Griffin Chief, Karlie Chief-Chevrier, Joan Commanda-Fitzmaurice, Jayden Gauchier, Zoey Goodon, Lilian Gouda, Brittney Halcrow, Raven Halcrow, Shicoby Halcrow, Chanze Halcrow-Yellowknee, Desirée Hunter, Trinity King, Tristan King, Noah Kitchen, Jonah McLaren, Serena McLaren, Dana McLeod-Hunter, Shane McLeod-Hunter, Andy Millette, Hayley-Jean Morris, Kylah Pagé, Nika Paul, Quinton Polson, Raven Polson, Robbie Polson, Shawna Polson-Wabie, Jasmine Porter, Mark Renaud, Destiny Robinson, Angelique Roy-Wabie, Tristen Saganash, Zoey Scott, Lana Thivierge, Preston Thivierge, Andrew Varty, Connor Viau, Cody Wabie-Delorme, the students of the CSMEC Grade 4 Class at Kasabonika School, and all other young artist that submitted to the Drawing Our Way to Health First Nations Children and Youth Drawing Contest; and,

Uqsiq Communications & Beat Studios.

First Nations Centre @ NAHOLe Centre des Premières Nations de l’ONSA

220 Laurier Avenue West, Suite 1200Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5Z9

Tel: (613) 237-9462Toll-free: 1-877-602-4445

Fax: (613) 237-1810E-mail: fnc@naho.ca

www.naho.ca/fnc

©2008

Our Healthy JourneyA Collection of First Nations Children’s Perspectives