Sherry Crawford (White Bear Standing)
My mother was Irish, English and had some Aboriginal lineage, my father's father was German, his mother, Algonkian and English. Growing up, I knew 'we' were Indians, but I did not know our nation, clan or anything that identified who I was. I grew up with no understanding of our Culture. I did not have the 'Spiritual Teachings' or 'Language'. Over the years I have come to find that many people I have met, did not know or recognize that they were Native until later in life. Many of us have or had no connection to our relatives and do not know where to go to find even the beginnings of our Traditional Teachings and Spiritual beliefs. Over the years I have been humbled to attend many ceremonies I am pleased to be able to share a few of these beginnings with you! Most of the information I share is from the Ojibwe culture, and please be aware that the teachings will vary from community to community. Please 'take' the Medicine that will help you and 'leave' that which does not. These teachings that I share, I value and feel will help others to begin to 'Pick up their pieces' and to perhaps connect a little further to our Mother Earth and all our relatives on this great Turtle Island.
Sherry Crawford is a Metis, Social Service Worker, Energy Worker, Teacher, Artist, Wife, Mother, Sister, Daughter, Niece, Cousin, Auntie and so much more. Sherry loves to 'make things with her hands' and creates - one of a kind items such as Talking Sticks, Healing Sticks, Medicine Wheels, Dream Catchers and Ink Drawings. When you are 'creating' you are closer to spirit! That was a quote that she felt truly expressed the 'Medicine Tool' creation process! She discovered that each completed 'Talking stick' offers a tiny glimpse into the personality of the person who created it! She feels honoured to be able to share this 'Medicine' with you!
Sherry's Journey
Sherry began her quest for enlightenment many years ago when she decided to seek help for grief after her mom crossed over in 1993. She studied with Spiritualist Reverend Eleanor Brown at the Delphi Retreat in Bethany, weekly for quite some time. She learned how to meditate and was amazed at the Past life regression she experienced. She was similarly thrilled with the OOBE she finally experienced after many weeks of practice. She gained understanding of 'Healing' through the Canadian Holistic Nurses Association were she took courses in Healing Touch.
Although she is Metis, she attended her first 'Native' information workshop facilitated by Elder Vera Martin in 1996. This was the first glimpse into her past and she knew she had to experience more of her culture. Vera was instrumental in pointing her in a new direction along the Good Red Road. She also studied with many other wonderful Teachers, Helpers, Healers and Elders in her community. She did not grow up with 'Traditional Teachings' and has been humbled and enlightened while picking up the pieces of her Spirituality / history / culture. Sherry has attended many info sessions and loves the 'Simplicity' of these POWERFUL teachings.
In 2004, Sherry volunteered her time to Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabe-kwewag Services Circle in Peterborough, offering Energy (Hands on/off Healing) sessions to many wonderful women who were healing from past hurts and painful memories.
In 2005 she was honored to sit on the 'board' as a Circle Member.
In 2005, Sherry also returned to school for a two year Social Service Worker diploma course through the First Nations Technical Institute and St. Lawrence College. She was gifted with two of the most caring, wonderful teachers,Vera Martin and Audrey Caskanette. She has great respect for both of these ladies and will always be grateful for the Love, time and energy they put into the NGIG training program. Those two years in school were in addition to her working two jobs, sitting on Circle at Niij., fulfilling the requirements of 300 volunteer hours each year and also her 'full' time job being wife, mother, housekeeper, etc. Looking back, she feels she had the strength to carry it off because she enjoyed,valued and accepted each of the choices she had made.
School consisted of many experiences and helpers to whom she is eternally grateful. Mark, Wendy, Robin, Myrna, Taachi, Justin, Janet, Ron, to name a few. Sherry is especially appreciative to Jack and Audrey for sharing their home, forest and those great lunches!
"I was honoured to meet a Healer/Helper named Patrick, who gave so much to me, in such a short period of time. Meegwetch Patrick. I'll never forget your humour, kindness and invaluable teachings!"
Sherry graduated from St. Lawrence College in Kingston, in 2006, with a degree in Social Work, with specific (NGIG) training in the Ojibwe culture. Much of her training was hands on, in the woods, exploring and participating in Ceremony. Over the years she has been honoured with many special experiences such as Sweat Lodge, Full Moon Ceremony, Creation Story Ceremony, Fire Medicine Ceremony, and Shaking Tent Ceremony. It was through this ceremony that she received her native name - White Bear Standing (Waabskigopowiik).
During school she joined others in the woods, cutting and gathering poles and lancing them together to construct a Sweat Lodge. She feels it is important to pass on the teachings that she has come to 'know' and shares a mere handful of this invaluable information in her new, informative, creative and fun workshops! The White Bear Standing Healing Lodge & Creative Centre does not offer Sweat Lodge Ceremony or Naming Ceremony.
Sherry is grateful to have the opportunity to share a bit of her story and a few of these Traditional Teachings from the Ojibwa culture. She is learning more about her Algonquin roots as well and believes that sharing knowledge is an important step in the healing process for all races.
About Our Business!
We are devoted to promoting healing and healthy lifestyle choices through education, expression and creation! Our mission is to help native and non-native community members have a better understanding of our First Nations & Metis people.
We share with our students how to create "Medicine Tools" such as Talking Sticks & Medicine Wheels. We encourage the use of the 'Talking Stick' in livingrooms, classrooms, boardrooms and bedrooms !
Seven Grandfather Teachings .... Simple and powerful, ...
Love, Respect, Wisdom, Truth, Honesty, Bravery, Humility!
"The things we make with our hands" - Medicine Tool Creation Workshops
2 hour Smudge, Talking Stick $ 50.00 / person
2 hour Smudge, Medicine Wheel $ 50.00 / person
2 hour Smudge, Pre-Colonization Demo, Drumming Journey $ 50.00 / person
5 hour Smudge, Talking Stick, Medicine Wheel, Pre-Colonization Demo, Drumming Journey
$150.00 / person
Our classroom workshops are educational and Lots of Fun! The students are taught how to make their own 'Talking Stick’, a 'Medicine Tool' that can be used in several different ways. The children learn about the Traditional meaning and use of the Talking Stick and then enhance their sticks with various items such as Deer hide, snake skin, birch bark, porcupine quills, beads, yarn and of course, Feathers! The Talking Stick is used to teach respect for everyone’s Sacred viewpoint and allows each person to share their thoughts without interuption. Each item brings specific medicine and the students are shown over 20 various types of feathers!
Teachers, VP's, Principals and Secondary School Students are offered an extended workshop that may include Medicine Wheel Teachings and how Native communities were affected by the Residential School System. Workshops can be modified to fit classroom schedules and each 'Teaching' can be presented as a 2 hour segment, or combined!
Reduced rates for Classrooms!
The Traditional Teachings we share are FREE, you cannot put a price on Wisdom !
"The Things we make with our hands" workshops require the following things to be made available to you!
Workshop Develpment & Delivery
Gathering & Cleansing of 'Authentic' Materials
Sticks, Grapevines, Shells, Gemstones, Quills, Deer Hide, Antler buttons, Rabbit Fur, Snake Skin, BirchBark & Feathers
Purchasing / Accounting
Advertising / Promotion / Website Development-Updates
Travel, Material Handling!
Medicine Wheel
4 Colors represent 4 Races
4 Directions (white - north, yellow - east, red - south, black - west)
