09/07/2026
The Land is Our First Teacher
An Anishinaabe Teaching
One day, long ago, a young boy looked at the world around him and became troubled by what he saw; violence, hatred and people forgetting how to care for Mother Earth.
Wanting to help, he brought to***co to his Grandfather and asked:
“What can I do to help change the world?”
His Grandfather did not simply give him the answer. Some teachings cannot be learned through words alone. They must be sought, experienced and lived.
He told the boy to return to the land, quiet his mind and listen.
For several days, the boy waited for something powerful to happen. At first, he believed no teaching had come.
But as he became still, he began noticing things he had overlooked before; the warmth of the sun, the songs of the birds, the movement of insects and the quiet presence of the animals.
The land had already begun teaching him.
In a vision, seven animal teachers gathered around him.
The Buffalo brought him respect, and taught him to give, share and serve respect with his people.
The Eagle brought love; reminding him that healing begins with love for himself, Mother Earth and all Creation.
The Bear brought courage, and taught him to have the strength to overcome fear and do what is right.
Sabe brought honesty by teaching him to speak from his heart and remain true to who he is.
The Beaver brought wisdom, and showed him that everyone is born with gifts and that those gifts must be used to help others.
The Wolf brought humility by reminding him that human beings are not above one another or above Nature.
Grandmother Turtle brought truth, and taught him that truth is found by living all of these teachings together.
When the boy returned, his Grandfather offered one final lesson:
Receiving knowledge was only the beginning. The boy still had to choose whether he would live what he had learned.
Learning is more than collecting information.
It requires the humility to listen, the patience to observe, the courage to ask questions and the willingness to put our knowledge into action.
Knowledge becomes wisdom when we use it to help our families, our communities, Mother Earth and the generations still to come.
We are never finished learning. Every person, every experience and every part of Creation may carry something to teach us if we are humble enough to listen.
As a new school year begins, Mishkiki wishes every student the very best of luck on their first day back to school!
Walk into your classroom with confidence, curiosity and pride in who you are. Ask questions, listen carefully and never be afraid to make mistakes, because they are part of learning.
Remember that education takes place not only inside the classroom, but also within our families, our communities, our cultures and upon the land.
May this school year bring you new knowledge, good friendships and many opportunities to discover and strengthen the gifts you carry.
Have a safe, successful and inspiring first day back! 📚🚌✏️🪶👩🏽🏫
Adapted from “A Story of the Seven Sacred Laws,” publicly shared by Nii Gaani Aki Inini—Leading Earth Man, Dave Courchene, respected Anishinaabe Elder and Knowledge Keeper from Sagkeeng First Nation and founder of Turtle Lodge.
Original story: https://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/story-seven-sacred-laws-0
Painting by: Carla Joseph, Hummingbear Cree-ations
Artist Inquiries: [email protected]
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