Orange Shirt/Indigenous Culture Day

The importance of turtles in first nations culture:

First Nations call the earth "Turtle Island". This is because turtles are as old as dinosaurs and are said to have witnessed Creation...and the Creation story of the Mitche Saagiig First Nations of Ontario says that the world was created on the turtle's back.

Turtles have a relationship with the moon too: Every turtle in the world has 28 ridges around its carapace (top-shell) and there are 28 days between each full moon; and because every turtle has 13 scutes (ridges) on their carapace, and there are 13 full moons every year. Turtles main nesting season is around the first full moon in June; the Strawberry moon.

Finally the turtle is a symbol of Truth, and their 7 parts (legs, arms, tail, head, and shell) correspond to the 7 Grandfather Teachings for living a good life.  

Find more interesting facts about turtles here: https://www.turtleguardians.com/sample-page/ 

Learn about the: Wisdom keeper and the turtle calendar 


Cree word for this month and theme for the year is Kanawayhitowin. It means taking care of each other's spirit.