Residencies with Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers and community members are offered first to classes with self-identified Indigenous students, as it is their birthright to access these learning opportunities that foster a sense of identity, pride, and belonging. Each residency targets particular grades as they connect with specific curriculum expectations. 

Due to limited space, classes with Indigenous students will be offered the opportunity to attend residencies first. If program spaces remain open after those classes have registered they will be offered to all other teachers in the board, via the grade-based Google Classrooms. 

Fall 2025 & Spring 2026  - Indigenous Games
Winter 2026 - Winter Indigenous Games & Snow Snake

​Kahnyen’kehàka (Mohawk), Turtle Clan from Six Nations of the Grand River, Dallas Squire is a former professional Lacrosse player who has been sharing culture and games for over a decade. Creating a safe and positive environment for learning, Dallas encourages participants to experience the culture through traditional games (Bone & Toggle, Peach Pit, and Lacrosse) and storytelling. 

February - March 2026

For 2026, our Sweetwater program will be supported by Naokwegijig (Tim McGregor) and Cheryl May. Tim is a member of Whitefish River First Nation, located on Birch Island in Northern Ontario. Cheryl May is originally from Treaty 3 and now lives in Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory. Tim & Cheryl will share about traditional teachings around Sweetwater and each session will reflect both Indigenous and western tools, technologies and perspectives. Tim & Cheryl are only available for some of the Sweetwater sessions, with the rest being led by Akinomaagayegaamikoong staff. Priority will be given to classes with self-identified Indigenous students to attend the sessions with Tim & Cheryl. 

Spring 2026

Joseph Pitawanakwat (Ojibway from Wiikwemkoong) is the founder and director of Creator's Garden, an Indigenous outdoor education business focused on plant identification, beyond-sustainable harvesting, and plant linguistic, historical, cultural, edible, ecological, and medicinal significance through hands-on experiences. Joe and his fellow land-based educators offer land-based education on Indigenous plant knowledge and Indigenous bird names and knowledge. Their goal is to shift conventional paradigms of how we see and understand and manage the Great Lakes region. They see the high value of Indigenous knowledge as an opportunity to increase human and environmental health, simultaneously. 

Spring 2026 - Indigenous Arts, Beading & Wiigwaas Baskets

Naomi is an Indigenous Artist, Maker and Educator from Neyaashiinigmiing (Chippewas of Nawash). She has for over 20 years shared traditional teachings with various communities and groups. Her work focuses on the ways of the Indigenous people of the Great Lakes region from a historical and contemporary perspective often through the story of beads. Naomi's artwork embraces ancestral designs using quillwork, beadwork and other indigenous methods and materials. She has exhibited her work across Canada and internationally.

Artist statement:
"Honouring our traditions is my voice within and beyond my Culture and Community. Traditionally there is no word for "art" in Native languages yet artistry and visual expression are critical in defining who we are as Indigenous people. It is this path I wish to exemplify through my teachings and my work."

Spring 2026

Wild Ontario is an environmental and science education program in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Guelph. Through our educational activities both on-campus and in the community, we work to foster connections with nature and an interest in science. Their presentation at Akinomaagayegaamikoong will enable students to see and interact with real birds of prey and learn about their characteristics, needs, and habitats as well as the importance of protecting habitat for all species.

Winter 2025 & Spring 2026

Jennifer Parkinson (Métis) and Leslie Anne Muma (Métis) will be at Akinomaagayegaamikoong at Island Lake Conservation Area to teach grade 7 students in the UGDSB about Métis games, with connections to hunting and trapping. The students will learn about the skills and strengths taught by each game and how these skills were important for the Métis way of life. Students will have the opportunity to play each of the games, learn about traditional skills, touch real animal furs and visit with Leslie and Jennifer as they cook bannock over the fire (1.5h).

Photo of Jennifer Parkinson (middle) credit of Metis Nation of Ontario: https://www.metisnation.org/news/building-metis-community-through-school-outreach/

April 2026

In this land-based workshop, K.C. Adams will teach students about the history and technology of clay pottery made by the Indigenous Peoples from the Ancient Lake Agassiz region.  They will have an opportunity to work with clay collected from the Missinnihe ("trusting creek"), also known as the Credit River.

Artist Statement:

"I am Anishinaabe, Inninew and British descent, living in Winnipeg, and my name is flying overhead in circles eagle woman, also known as KC Adams. I am a relational maker, a creator whose work connects to Indigenous knowledge systems of relationality––recognizing my role as an educator, activist, community member and mentor. I create work exploring technology and its relationship to my Indigenous identity. My process is to start with an idea and use a medium that embodies my conceptual intent. I work in adornment, clay, drawing, installation, painting, photography, printmaking, public art, video, AR, and VR. "

Photo of K.C. Adams credit of K.C. Adams: https://www.kcadams.net/
Photo of Missinnihe credit of CVC:  https://cvc.ca/discover-our-parks/terra-cotta-conservation-area/