The Medicine Wheel: Stories of a Hoop Dancer
by Teddy Anderson & Jessika von Innerebner
Description:
Publisher's description (Medicine Wheel Education Inc, 2016):
The Hoop Dance and the Medicine Wheel are powerful symbols of unity, cooperation, and harmony. In his performances around the world, Teddy Anderson uses these symbols as lenses through which young and old alike can examine the past, and plan for the future. The Medicine Wheel's four colour - black, red, yellow and white - represent the various nations and people of the earth. In Teddy's first book, he shares his vision of a world where knowledge guides our steps on a path of love, where all people see themselves as members of ONE FAMILY.
Creator biographies (Medicine Wheel Publishing and Strong Nations):
Teddy Anderson or Yeíl S’aghi is an internationally recognized hoop dancer who has performed in thousands of places around the world. He has brought his motivational message of love and unity to more than 20 countries, inspiring children and youth everywhere to see themselves as members of one human family. Teddy received special permission to learn the hoop dance from Lakota Elder Kevin Locke. Teddy’s rich cultural experience, combined with his passion for the arts makes him unique in delivering the message of unity and inclusion.
Jessika von Innerebner loves creating! Especially when it inspires others to make the world a kinder place. Fun, laughter and silliness are a huge part of her everyday life. Jess started her career as an artist at 17 and is self-taught. Illustration is a big passion and she's always finding ways to up her game. Jess lives in sunny Kelowna, Canada with her talented man Cale. In spare moments she can be found dancing, long-boarding, traveling to distant lands, chasing adventure and laughing with friends.
Resource format: Picturebook
Age recommendation: grades K- 6
Keywords: hoop dancing, kindness, Seven Sacred Teachings, Grandfather teachings, Elders, Medicine Wheel, drumming, singing, regalia, kinship, family, Tlingit, Kevin Locke, adopted, learning from elders, sharing, teachings, pow wow, powwow, Mooshum, Cree, friends, learning through story, harmony, hope, love, friendship, heritage, mother earth, equality, equal, unity
Year of publication: 2016
Publisher information: Medicine Wheel Education Inc
Teaching and Learning Ideas
Our team collaborated with new teachers, alumni of the Werklund School of Education’s Bachelor of Education program, to create teaching and learning plans for texts in this website. With audiences ranging from Pre-Kindergarten to Post-Secondary, lesson plans across this resource address a wide range of school subject areas, inclusive approaches, and Indigenous education topics, such as the revitalization of Indigenous languages. As this website was designed with Undergraduate Programs in Education instructors, as well as teachers in mind, connections to UPE courses have been flagged on each lesson plan. These lessons are intended as a starting place for educators, to help you envision ways in which you might bring Indigenous literatures, as well as ways of knowing, being, and doing, into your teaching contexts. Please adapt, use, and share these lessons in ways that are generative for your teaching practice. We offer our sincere thanks to the dozens of new teachers who gifted us with these creative ideas!