b'THINKING: GRANDMOTHERS MOVEMENTOne example of this activity relates to keeping a garden, or more specifically Grandmothers sharing their knowledge of taking care of a garden. A lot of people would love to have a garden, but theyve never had the knowledge. Most of the GrandmothersWhen you can find had knowledge of working the garden, Whitlow says. Imagine 13 Grandmothers who have gardening experience. We used that knowledge to create a garden. Or it could be any other thingthat something that thats missing in your community. [Its about] helping to plant seeds of change, seeds that will help the betterment of our globe.The groups teachings include seed songs, planting songs andmakes you feel so excited, ceremonies tied to traditional foods. The Grandmothers share their knowledge about these robust, historic traditions withwanting to know more, others. Its a cycle of caring and helping that has a far reach. When the strawberries ripen, we have our strawberry dance and our raspberries, and then we go through and do our beanwanting to be a part of dances, says Whitlow. For all of these things, we have a cere-mony, and then we have our harvest at the end. We have so much blended into our culture right now and thats what has sustainedwhatever is being created, and kept us going forever.Whitlow has been working together with Renee Thomas-Hillthats kind of what rules since 1985. In the early years, they were considered trailblazers as they moved the pendulum in new directions. We challenged the system and did things that at the time werent consideredthe world right now. normal, Whitlow says. We got put down because we were doing things a little differently than people expected, but we didnt falter.One of Whitlows mentors was the late Confederacy ChiefGrandmother Gail WhitlowJake Thomas, a respected Elder, educator and conservator of Iroquoian languages and culture who would share stories and teachings with people at his home. He would talk about our stories in such a beautiful way, our teachings, Whitlow says. You kind of left with tears because it was so profound, how beautiful our culture is. I always used to think: Why cant we share this? IIt always made me feel really good to be part of who I am and said if everybody knew the beauty of who we are as people, wellwhere Im from. So, from that perspective, its important that then maybe theyd look at us differently.we keep that momentum going and simply share our know-Today, people are finally starting to look at Indigenous culturesledge, she says. In doing so, Ive learned so much about so through that different lens as they awaken to everythingmany other people, so many different nationalities and so Indigenous traditions have to offer. Whitlow says many peoplemany different practices.have told her during her travels around the world that your people have what the world is waiting for. Whitlow still remembers the time she participated in her first sweat lodge, in North Dakotaa practice that is not traditional among her own people. I felt so good; there was just something so special about that, she says. We take SAVETHEDATE! what we need from each of our experiences, and if it makes us feel good, thats the important thing. I would always keep that in the back of my mindI wanted to help people to NationalIndigenousfeel better, to have the tools that they need for their own Diabetes Association healing journey. Conference 2023 Through her travels, a whole world of diverse Indigenous practices has opened up for Whitlow, and she feels that sharing those practices is important for the larger global November 21 st- 23 rd , 2023 Indigenous community. Our whole life path is about love, she says. When you can find that something that makes you feel so excited, wanting to know more, wanting to be a part of For more information,whatever is being created, thats kind of what rules the world visit www.nada.ca right now. If we can pass that on in a humble and a good way, well, thats kind of where we need to be. 18Spring/Summer 2023'