Cindy Crowe

Since 1994, Cindy Crowe has been bridging gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and communities with her expertise in community liaison, community engagement and community development. Cindy Crowe is familiar with and comfortable speaking at the board room level or the grass roots level. Cindy’s insights and reconciliation guidance comes from her 30+ years of consulting experiences traveling to the Treaty 9 First Nations, Treaty 3 First Nations, as well as the First Nations of the Anishinabek Nation along the shores of Lake Superior and Lake Huron. Her direct connections with these communities together with managing five provincial contracts across Ontario provided her with an intimate understanding of their connection to the land, sense of community, traditional languages, and culture which are important aspects of Indigenous identity. Cindy is offering this opportunity to consider how crucial it is for individuals to participate in the reconciliation process, including reconciliation with Mother Earth.

When an individual or an organization is considering their action steps towards reconciliation, there is much to consider. The term reconciliation that is being used commonly throughout this land known as Canada, is a result of the truth and reconciliation process and subsequent report delivered in 2015 with 94 calls to action: instructions to guide governments, communities, and faith groups to reconciliation. Of those 94 calls to action, only 13 of them have been completed and 20 of them have not been initiated. It is vital to the economic survival of this land as well as to the First Peoples that reconciliation needs to be front and centre in all business and community planning and activities. In other words, invite the Indigenous people and communities to be part of your planning and engagement processes.

First and foremost, it is crucial that your consideration include cultural awareness or cultural appreciation professional development and/or coaching. If you are invited to participate in an Indigenous gathering or ceremony such as a sweat lodge or pow wow, Cindy Crowe is suggesting that you attend. Ask questions, be respectful and ensure that you are following the protocols of the rest of the group. By participating in the Indigenous way of life, you will have a better understanding of what is important to them, and you will be able to see firsthand how the dominant colonial society has interfered with their traditional practices and culture. Some of the contributing factors to this disconnect: Indian Act; confining people to small reserves; Indian Residential Schools (last one closed in 1997); proposed Rights White Paper 2.0 (“Framework for Indigenous People”); introduction of health concerns such as smallpox, tuberculosis, and diabetes; and lack of clean drinking water to name a few.

Cindy Crowe has dedicated her career to bridging the gap between Indigenous folk and non-Indigenous folk. Cindy was one of three Finalists across Canada for the “Social Change Award: Regional Impact 2021” for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards. Her passion is inspiring people concerning her understanding and practices of the ‘circle’ and how all people regardless of their ethnicity or background and other ideologies, belong in the circle.

Whether you are a ‘settler’ to this country known as Canada or perhaps you are a newcomer or visitor, there are crucial matters that you should be aware of concerning the First Peoples or the Indigenous people to this land known to them as Turtle Island. Since contact, the dominant society stole many aspects of the Indigenous people including their land, resources, ways of life, language, culture, children, and their dignity. However, the Indigenous people are powerfully resilient and carry strong energy and Spirit and their ways of life and culture are being re-energized. They are picking up their sacred bundles and moving forward with a better understanding of their identity and purpose. This focus will provide you with an introduction to the Indigenous community and their ways of knowing and worldview. One of the highlights will be an introduction to the pedagogy of ‘All My Relations’.

It is important that you are informed and receive guidance about Indigenous relationship fostering and relationship building principles. Through Cindy Crowe’s Anishinaabe ancestry and her experience and connections through her award-winning Northern Ontario businesses she can walk you through these steps. This attention will endeavour to improve your diversity consciousness as well as break down stereotypes and debunk myths. What is the distinction between cultural misappropriation and aligning with the Indigenous people and their culture? Tips will be shared on how you can impact the dialogue in an authentic way.

Cindy Crowe is of Anishinaabe ancestry and an expert when discussing Indigenous identity. Since 2005, Cindy has been the Executive Director for the Blue Sky Community Healing Centre that is an Indigenous-led, community-led organization and she has known since 2007 that she is a Lodgekeeper as informed by Elder Albert Mandamin of Shoal Lake First Nation. These experiences have provided her with an intimate understanding of their connection to the land, sense of community, traditional languages, and culture which are important aspects of Indigenous identity. Therefore, it would be beneficial for your organization to create a respectful land acknowledgement. Cindy Crowe can provide some tips on land acknowledgements.

Perhaps you are preparing to visit a reserve or do business with an Indigenous organization. Cindy Crowe can introduce some of the initial protocols such as whether to bring tobacco ties and other gifts for the individuals you are meeting with. What is the proper and respectful way to make tobacco ties? How can you make a medicine bag as a gift? Or, perhaps you have been invited to a ceremony such as the sweat lodge or pow wow and are wondering what is expected of you. Cindy can also introduce you to more foundational philosophies such as the medicine wheel teachings, seven grandfather teachings, and animal spirit guides. Cindy can also provide teachings and protocols on how to care for your hand drum.

Cindy Crowe’s openness and dedication to the ‘circle’ are embodied throughout her speaking engagements. Her honesty and courage provide non-Indigenous people with a deeper understanding of the intricacies of the Anishinaabe culture and ways of life. Her non-judgemental style of sharing offers a comfort and confidence level for her audience that perhaps they haven’t experienced before. Cindy’s understanding is that her Spiritual guides such as waabi-ma’iingan (grey wolf) and makwa (bear) support her with the encouragement and inspiration to share these important foundational teachings.

Cindy Crowe respectfully acknowledges that sacred space as being within the traditional territory of the Binesii-Wiikwedong (Fort William First Nation) and loves to welcome people to the land of her ancestors. Niibing (pronounced nee-bin) Tribal Tours is an example of land-based experiential learning in Northwestern Ontario on the most westerly point of Ktichigaming (meaning big lake for Lake Superior). It is the manifestation of a family vision comprised of Cindy Crowe and her five adult children (two daughters and three sons). Now her grandchildren are also able to participate. It is bringing together the age-old practices such as building a teaching lodge with modern folk looking to reconnect with Mother Earth and their own Spirituality.

Cindy Crowe will share her land-based experiential teaching opportunities with her audience wanting to have a deeper understanding of reconnecting with ‘all my relations’ while participating in the Anishinaabe culture. Cindy will discuss various examples and experiences with her visitors and clients on her 135 acres in Neebing, Ontario, Canada. This sacred land has a tributary that runs through the length of the property and provides refuge for many animals. It includes provincially significant wetland and the mighty tamarack provides shelter and medicines.

The experiences on the land are predominantly the same. When the visitors arrive, you can see their excitement for the day and how amazed they are by the beauty and peacefulness of the land. You can observe how the calming sense of Mother Earth and the comfortable environment provided through Cindy Crowe’s Anishinaabe lens washes over her visitors and clients. Individuals can choose the land-based experiences they would prefer, and Cindy’s team does their best to accommodate. At the end of the day, Cindy Crowe is a witness to the life-altering experiences that her visitors have and how these experiences impact their understanding of the ‘circle’.