UNews - Martha Many Grey Horses

Truth and reconciliation initiatives underway

caroline.zentner — Wed, 25 May 2016 16:58:09 +0000

Over the past year, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge community has had unique opportunities to learn about Aboriginal ways of being and begin the process of reconciliation. In addition to two discussion forums, one with Dr. Leroy Little Bear (BASc (BA) ’72, DASc ’04) and one with Commissioner Chief Wilton Little Child, Dr. Martha Many Grey Horses, director of the U of L’s Iikaisskini First Nations, Métis and Inuit Centre has led many initiatives across campus.

Last October, Many Grey Horses organized a workshop for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community and local agencies on old Blackfoot words with Elder Beverly Hungry Wolf.

“Even though some of us are fluent speakers we are still severed from opportunities to hear these old Blackfoot words. The words are still used but mostly in ceremonial contexts and there’s knowledge connected to the words,” says Many Grey Horses. “The Blackfoot language is gentle; I always say it’s a language of the heart.”

Another workshop focused on First Nations traditional hand games. Working with Mary Ellen Little Mustache, and the oldest Piikani Elder, Alphonse Little Mustache, as co-facilitators, a Fine Arts class learned about popular team games that were known throughout North America. In another workshop, Elders John and Keith Chief Moon explained the origin of some of the old powwow songs and shared stories about the drum and nature.

“Our songs are closely linked to nature and it was revitalizing for students to feel connected to their heritage,” she says. “In all of these workshops, the students were learning a lot about their heritage and it was good for them to get that connection back.”

At Many Grey Horses’ recommendation, Keith Chief Moon also worked with Dr. Janet Youngdahl, a U of L music professor and conductor of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Singers, on a performance that featured choir music and Blackfoot drumming and singing at Southminster United Church.

“Another special initiative was the honour call ceremony,” she says. “That was held during the Meeting of the Minds conference. I worked with the Dean of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Students’ Association and with the Elder Peter Weasel Moccasin. The honour call was to recognize the work of four FNMI master’s alumni.”

Dr. Martha Many Grey Horses

“It’s the first time this particular honour call has been held on campus,” says Lucía Stavig, conference co-ordinator with the Graduate Student Association. “You could feel it. It was so haunting at the same time it was so powerful. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”

Many Grey Horses also organized a session on Blackfoot traditional child-rearing practices with Georgette Fox and Sophie Tailfeathers, two members of the Buffalo Women’s Society. Students in Dr. Janay Nugent’s (BA ’95) Women and Gender Studies class heard about Blackfoot teachings given by the four-legged, the winged ones, the water creatures and the Earth. They also spoke about the residential school experience.

“My students were just hanging on every word. They didn’t want to miss anything,” says Nugent. “You can read about residential schools but to have someone who lived that experience made it more real. Until you can see the expressions on their faces and their body language and hear the emotions in their voices, you don’t really understand how powerful and important traditions are.”

Nugent added the talk also brought home the idea that the entire community has a role to play in truth and reconciliation and understanding the effects of residential schools.

Two additional projects were conducted to show respect for the Métis. Many Grey Horses, along with Rod Mcleod, Métis elder, U of L employee Tara Froehlich (who demonstrated Métis beadwork) and City of Lethbridge inclusion co-ordinator Roy Pogorzelski (who performed a traditional jig), conducted a workshop to commemorate Louis Riel and the role he played in the history of Western Canada. A second workshop gave international students on campus the chance to learn about the Métis people.

In conjunction with the Lethbridge Public Library, Many Grey Horses is also working on developing an FNMI Children’s Literacy program as a pilot project. Partners in the project include the YWCA, Lethbridge School District No. 51, Lethbridge College, elders from the Kainai and Piikani First Nations, Faculty of Education professors Dawn Burleigh and Dr. Robin Bright, along with champions from the Lethbridge Police Service and Opokaa’sin Early Intervention Society. She hopes the project can be in place sometime this fall. Another project under development with the Galt Museum will focus on Blackfoot grandmothers telling stories.

Many Grey Horses also gave a talk about the impact of residential school and internalized oppression at a Women Scholars Group Speaker Series session.

“As I’m speaking, my grandson is born. So, on the one hand I was talking about a deep, heavy subject but on the other hand, there was this joy about new life. What a moment,” she says.

FNMI Centre’s first director links ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and traditional knowledge

caroline.zentner — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 16:42:46 +0000

Dr. Martha Many Grey Horses has come full circle with her appointment as director of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit Centre.

Originally from the Kainai First Nation, Many Grey Horses lived, studied and worked in the United States for many years before returning to Canada and more recently to southern Alberta.

“I feel very excited that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has taken on this initiative. I feel it is a big step forward for the education of First Nations, Métis and Inuit people,” she says.

Many Grey Horses’ duties include managing Iikaisskini, the U of L’s FNMI Gathering Place, and co-ordinating initiatives across the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, with institutional partners and in the broader community.

Her own educational journey has given her experience, insight and wisdom that will benefit U of L Aboriginal students as they embark upon, continue and complete their post-secondary education.

A descendant of Chief Red Crow, she grew up with parents who demonstrated a traditional spiritual life. Her father, Alphonse, was the leader of societies and her mother, Ruth, supported the responsibilities that came with leadership. Her parents were keepers of the medicine pipe bundles and, as a child, she saw many ceremonies taking place in her home and spent time in the company of elders.

The residential school system, which she entered at age five, did not provide a positive association with education. She persisted nonetheless, completing her primary education at residential school and graduating from public high school in Cardston. While her parents encouraged their children to get an education, they also urged them to continue their spiritual development.

“We were living at a time when, as a teenager and even as a child, our personal cultural identity as nations was not nurtured by the government or by the society in general,” she says. “My parents understood that those traditional values were strongly connected to our personal cultural identity and that we must have a strong cultural foundation in order to survive or to function in this world out here.”

After high school, Many Grey Horses didn’t imagine she would go to college. She wanted to be at home where she could devote herself to her two passions — riding horses and sewing dresses. After staying at home for a while, her parents told her it was time to go to college. She began her studies at Mount Royal College and quit during the first semester.

“I went back home and informed my parents I had quit. I thought life would return to normal,” she says. “One day, my father was going to town and I hopped in without asking permission. Then he asked me ‘What are you doing?’ I said ‘I’m going to town with you.’ He said ‘No, you’re not coming to town with me. You decided to quit school. You find your way to town.’”

Her father’s words proved to be a turning point. She thought about them all day and by the time he arrived back home, she had made up her mind to return to school.

After completing two years at Mount Royal, she went on to complete a bachelor’s degree in social work at Montana State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and a master’s degree in social work at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Denver. She also completed a fellowship in Washington, D.C., and another master’s degree in educational administration and human development at National ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in San Diego. Many Grey Horses went on to achieve a PhD in educational thought and social cultural studies from Arbor ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Arizona.

“My education was not handed to me on a silver platter. I didn’t have a lot of money as a student so earlier on in my life I knew that I had to rely on my academic abilities,” she says. “The sacrifices I made through all those years, the loving discipline of my parents as a child — being on task, being on time, listening and completing assignments— all those life-enhancing values kicked in for me.”

Her early negative experiences with education were transformed when she began attending universities in the United States. There, she was greeted by a welcoming atmosphere and, coupled with the pride of identity shown by her American Indian peers, her perception of her cultural identity began to shift.

“To me that was the turning point. I found I had a strong desire to strive for academic excellence,” she says.

Being able to nurture the same desires in today’s students by building a community that brings together academic studies and traditional indigenous teachings drew Many Grey Horses to apply for the position of director at the U of L FNMI Centre.

“The U of L’s emphasis on creating an environment that is conducive to the personal, social, academic and cultural aspirations of students, staff and faculty is broad and very inclusive and that’s what I like about it,” she says.

UNews - Martha Many Grey Horses

Truth and reconciliation initiatives underway

Related Topics

FNMI Centre’s first director links ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ and traditional knowledge

Related Topics

FNMI Centre’s first director links ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and traditional knowledge