Have you heard of the Seven Grandfather Teachings? Watch this video for the original story of the Seven Grandfather Teachings that have been passed down to us from our Anishinaabe elders. I'm Mallory Graham, Anishinaabekwia from TribalTradeCo.com.
Be sure to subscribe and hit the bell for new videos every week on smudging the Indigenous culture and Native teachings. If you've never heard of the Seven Grandfather Teachings, before, or if you want to know more about the importance of these seven teachings to Indigenous people, then we're here to share the teaching of the seven grandfathers that is so important to the Anishinaabeg nation. The Indigenous people of North America have different stories and traditional teachings amongst the different tribes and nations.
The Ojibwe teaching tells us that there were seven grandfathers that were given the responsibility by their creator. to watch over the people on Mother Earth. These seven grandfathers were very powerful spirits.
They recognized that life was not good for the people on Mother Earth. The people on Turtle Island were living in a negative, unhealthy way, and the grandfathers wanted to help them. The seven grandfathers decided to give the gift of these seven teachings, or gifts, to an innocent young child.
who hadn't been corrupted yet and still could learn how to live a good life. A young child was chosen to take on the role of receiving these gifts and first met the seven grandfathers who were all sitting in a lodge that was said to be the source of all knowledge. The teaching tells us that when the gifts were given to the child, he didn't know what they were.
The child had to travel the earth for an entire lifetime to learn what each of these seven gifts were. And every seven years, the child met a spirit animal that explained to him what one of the gifts was and what it meant. The first gift of the seven grandfather teachings was the gift of wisdom. Wisdom means to cherish knowledge and to know what is true and what is right.
It is the ability to think and to act using knowledge. The teaching tells us to use your own gifts wisely and to live your life by them. Recognize your differences and those of others in a kind and respectful way.
The second gift of the seven grandfather teachings was the gift of love. To love means to care for yourself and care for others. Once you know how to love and to love others, then you will truly be at peace.
To feel love will also show you the balance of life and for all creation. The third gift of the seven grandfather teachings was the gift of respect. Respect means to honor all creation.
Do not waste things and be mindful of the balance of all living things. It teaches us to share. and to give away what you do not need.
Respect also means to treat others the way that you would like to be treated. Have you guys heard of the seven grandfather teachings before? Please let us know in the comments below.
The fourth gift of the seven grandfather teachings was the gift of bravery. Bravery means to face life with courage. Defend what you believe in and what is right for your community, your family, and for yourself. Make positive choices and have conviction with your decisions. Face your fears and allow yourself to live your life.
The fifth teaching of the seven grandfather teachings is the gift of honesty. Honesty means to go through your life with integrity and to be honest with yourself. Recognize and accept who you are. The teaching tells us to not seek to deceive others or yourself. The sixth gift of the seven grandfather teachings is the gift of humility.
Humility means to be humble, to live life selflessly and not selfishly. Try to have a modest view for how important you are in the circle of life. The teaching tells us to respect your place and to carry your pride with your people.
and also to praise acknowledgements of everyone around you. Now, the seventh gift of the seven grandfather teachings is the gift of truth. Truth means to show honor and sincerity in all that you say and do.
Be true to yourself and to all other things. Truth gives us the ability to act without regret and to live with The facts of reality. The seven grandfather teachings teach us that in order for people to be happy and healthy they must seek to develop themselves spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally.
The teaching demonstrates that each one of us represent the child in the story, going through this journey of discovery and personal development. Now you know the seven grandfather teachings that are so important to the Anishinaabeg nation and other indigenous people. If you're wanting to learn more about the indigenous culture and the smudging process, then download our free smudging guide at the link at the end of this video.
in the description below. Thank you so much for watching. We'll see you next time.