The Heart of a Caring Community
Sep 19, 2017 | Canadore College
Grandmother-in-Residence, Lorraine Whiteduck Liberty, is an Ojibwe Grandmother and cultural carrier and water advocate from Nipissing First Nation.
Lorraine’s journey towards spirituality and community involvement started shortly after her youngest moved away from home. Wanting to stay active, she found purpose and inspiration through the North Bay Indian Friendship Centre.
She attended cultural programming and felt encouraged to seek out Indigenous spirituality. The more she attended, the more Lorraine became involved. For the next two decades, Lorraine traveled to different communities and on the pow-wow circuit studying the roles and responsibilities of women.
“I started to understand my responsibility as an aunty, as a grandmother… responsibility in the ceremonies and with young girls. My first gift was an eagle feather.”
In the early 90s, Lorraine asked Canadore if she could assist in the Indigenous Wellness and Addictions Prevention program. She soon became an advocate for the women who needed support, both emotionally and spiritually. Since that time, Lorraine has been instrumental in developing many of the programs and supports now seen at Canadore and is an activist for creating more land-based learning within the mainstream curriculum. She believes that most Indigenous students learn better when they are out on the land.
As Grandmother-in-Residence, Lorraine shares a wide range of traditional teachings to support strong spiritual growth for all students and faculty alike. Water teachings, women’s hand drum teachings, full moon ceremonies, life stage teachings, vision quest and berry fast, medicines are just a few of her responsibilities.
#Indigenous #First Peoples' Centre #Indigenous Studies #Program Development #Student Life #Student Success Services