Presentation Description

Birds are incredible teachers, teaching us how to live in this part of the world. Understanding Indigenous Taxonomy of Birds is a great tool to unlock the teaching potential of birds. We will look at the many different factors involved in the naming of birds in the Anishinaabe language. Different than scientific taxonomy in the opportunity for the names to not only be focused on positive identification using physical features (Red Tailed Hawk, bobolink, Catbird) but also utilizing other unique behaviors like:
- Nesting behaviors (Winter Wren)
- Food Acquisition behaviors (Shoveller, Northern Flicker)
- Flight behaviors (Rough Legged Hawk, Kingfisher, Grackle)
- Calls (Common Nighthawk, red winged blackbird)
- Epitomize their environment (Bittern)
- Environmental functions/responsibilities (Vulture, Rails)
- Mourning rituals (Loon, Cuckoo, Red-Eyed Vireo)
- Weather (White Throated sparrow)
- Hunting (Common Raven)
Throughout this presentation Joe will also be speaking to the vastness of knowledge generated by Indigenous bird observation. Every bird holds incredible teachings and it is through careful observation and interpretation of various bird behaviors that we are able to extrapolate teachings that facilitate our opportunity to live in this part of the world.

A brief autobiography of Joe Pitawanakwat:

"I am Ojibway from Wiikwemkoong, married with one daughter. I am the Founder & Director of Creators Garden, an Indigenous outdoor, and now online, education based business, focused on plant identification, beyond-sustainable harvesting, and teaching every one of their linguistic, historical, cultural, edible, ecological and medicinal significance through experiences. My lectures and intensive programming is easily adaptable to make appropriate and successfully delivered to a variety of organizations. Including over 100 first nations communities, 20 Universities and 12 colleges and dozens of various institutions throughout Canada and the United States and beyond. I am currently a Masters Student in the MES program at York University, but have learned from hundreds of traditional knowledge holders and uniquely blending and reinforcing it with and array of western sciences."

You can learn more about Joe's work by following him on Facebook @creatorsgarden or Instagram @creators.garden and by reading this CBC article about his work.

Check out this interview with Joe from The Warblers podcast by Birds Canada.

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