Past Events

Come Make Art With Us: October 23rd, 1pm - 3pm

Come Make Art with Us is a free, intergenerational event and all are welcome (supervised children and youth are encouraged to participate). This is a great opportunity to meet, support and learn from these talented Indigenous artists. We’ve got a creative event October 23, 2022 1-3 pm, a collaboration by Music of the Spirit, Feather & Cross,  Thirdspace, Kanata Centre @Luther, and the Eastern Synod. 

Along Her Banks: September 10th

Join Mary Anne Caibaiosai, Water-walker, knowledge-keeper, artist and educator along the banks of the Grand River. She will share knowledge gained from completing a four-year journey with the All Nations Grand River Water Walk, and the collective hope for these beautiful waters.

Please bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on for the teaching portion of the gathering. These teachings will be followed by a clean up of the trail and banks. Please bring your own gloves/ tongs for picking up garbage. Dress appropriately for the weather, the woods and the water. You may want to bring bug spray, sunscreen lotion and boots. Please also bring reusable water bottles instead of plastic bottles. Bags for recycling and garbage will be provided. Please supervise young children near the water.

Event begins Saturday September 10, 2022 at 10 am and ends around Noon

Please meet at Stanley Park Optimist Natural Area 19 Crestview Pl

Outdoor Kairos Blanket Exercise: June 27th (28th if rain)

Join the talking circle from 19:00-20:30 followed by a youth guitar/uke jam session led by six nations guest musician James Wilson from 20:30 to 21:30.

Join us at 22 Willow st, Waterloo - Trillium Lutheran & Elevation Church

Broadening our own awareness and changing the way we educate both ourselves, our children and grandchildren is an important step towards mending broken relationships. The blanket exercise is a unique visual and engaging activity that teaches the story of settlers & Indigenous peoples together on Turtle Island.

Families of all ages welcome

Refreshments provided by Trillium

Youth Jam session led by J&J

Indigenous Land-Based Learning Cont.

Participants followed Nathan through the meadow habitat with tall grasses, bird boxes, newly planted oak saplings, and paw paw to be used for future food sources.

We gave thanks to the cedar trees with a pinch of tobacco and harvested some for tea. A great source of vitamin C, and even more delicious with a bit of syrup made from the White Owl Sugarbush.

Some participants worked in the medicine garden watering plants, pulling weeds, chopping branches, spreading wood chips, and eating strawberries.

Indigenous Land-Based Learning

Many thanks to Indigenous Land-Based Educator Dave Skene and Outdoor Educator Nathan Mantey for leading our Feather & Cross group around Blair Outdoor Education Centre and teaching us about the Food and Medicine garden.

There was a chilly but sunbathed start to the day in a multi generational sharing circle. Thirty participants shared their ancestry. Many were from Germany, Scotland, Poland, England, and First Nations too.

Nathan and Dave discussed their personal journeys of how they came together to teach Land-Based learning and the grounds they care for. Most participated in a smudging,

March 19, 2022 

Many thanks to Indigenous Educator Dave Skene from the White Owl Sugar Bush for giving us a tour of the land and traditions of maple syrup making. For showing our group how to care for and protect the land.

 We thank you for teaching us to acknowledge that the Sugar Bush is a living, breathing member of our community and deserves our respect and attention for the gifts of sap and syrup it yields.

Despite the mud and chilly weather, the sometimes rain, and the unfortunate fact that the sap wasn't running due to the above zero, overnight temperature...I think our very first event of the Feather & Cross group was a success. 

Send me event photos and thoughts to share with others : admin@featherandcross.org with subject Sugar Bush


 Event will be held rain or shine so bring suitable apparel for the weather.  Water bottles, insect repellent and sun hats are suggested. 



Intergenerational and family friendly.  Children are welcomed participants.



Land-Based Learning at Blair Indigenous Food & Medicine Garden

June 18, 2022   

10am to 12noon

Come join Indigenous Land-based Educator Dave Skene and Outdoor Educator Nathan Mantey on a journey through the garden, forest, field, and wetland at Blair Outdoor Education Centre.  Participants will be invited to explore their own relationship with the Land and develop an understanding of the values of respect & reciprocity within an Indigenous framework.  This event includes opportunities for hands-on learning in the Blair Indigenous food & medicine garden as well as an indigenous plant walk.


Celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day!

There's still so much to do.

- Read a children's book | Ex: The Sharing Circle by Theresa "Corky" Larsen-Jonassen

- Adults 15+ | Pick up a DiscoveREAD surprise bag from the KPL | Highlights works by Indigenous authors, creators, actors, etc. | discoveread @ Kpl.org

- Participate in Cultural Learning

- Be an ally

- Reflect on Truth and Reconciliation

- Take time to understand

- Be grateful