The Value of Elders

An elder is a male or female adult who has earned a reputation for wisdom and spiritual knowledge. Elders perform traditional ceremonies, are respected as teachers and are often sought out as healers. Some achieve this status because they have spent a lifetime studying a particular aspect of their people’s culture and traditions; others achieve it because they are members of sacred societies or holders of sacred objects. Still others are respected as elders for their kindness and generosity. Elders’ contribution to education is enormous because they possess specialized knowledge about First Nations, Métis or Inuit history, society, and spirituality. Elders seldom announce their status or position but are known to their communities. Education is our Buffalo p. 32

Elders are considered vital to the survival of Aboriginal cultures, and the transmission of cultural knowledge is an essential part of the preservation and promotion of cultural traditions and their protocols. Elders are always to be treated with great respect and honour. The roles of elders vary greatly from community to community, as do the protocols and traditions they teach. As noted in Our Words, Our Ways (Alberta Education 2005), elders often perform such services as • giving prayers before meetings, • describing or performing traditional ceremonies, • sharing traditional knowledge, • giving spiritual advice to individuals, • demonstrating traditional crafts and practices and • teaching the community’s protocols.

The best way to approach an elder and learn the proper protocols is to ask contacts in the community, such as Aboriginal liaisons in the school system, parents or Friendship Centre staff. Community members will provide the names of respected elders and can help teachers determine which elders would be appropriate visitors to the school or classroom. When approaching a First Nations or Métis elder, protocol usually requires an offering of tobacco, a traditional sacred plant that is used to open the door to consult with elders. An Aboriginal liaison worker or elder’s helper can guide you in the appropriate protocol for your community. Education is Our Buffalo p. 40