Judith M. Doucette

After moving from an all-French Indigenous community to the English community of St. George's when he was a little boy, Poppa's life as a young man was very sad. He was treated badly by his schoolteachers and some other children in the town.

Years later, when his grandson wants to bring him into school to play his drum for the class, Poppa is nervous but goes anyway. He is relieved to see he is welcomed and even encouraged to share his knowledge of the traditions and customs of his Mi'kmaw culture.

Thankfully, times have changed from Poppa's generation, and he is pleased to have reconciled with the bad experiences he had when he went to school. Indeed, there is strength and wisdom in Reconciliation!

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 5 to 12.

This is the first book in the Poppa series.

Additional Information
36 pages | 9.00" x 9.00" | Paperback

June 21 is celebrated all over Turtle Island (North America) as National Indigenous People’s Day. François and his friends are excited to celebrate their first public commemoration of this day with Poppa. They will host a morning sunrise ceremony, including Poppa’s teaching on the Seven Lessons of the Mi’kmaw Medicine Wheel.

In this third book of the “Poppa” series, Poppa celebrates his first National Indigenous People’s Day with his Mi’kmaw Community of St. George’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. He can finally do so without fear of discrimination or oppression. After many years of having to hide his Indigenous ancestry, due to the colonial assimilation of his generation, Poppa’s grandson, François, invites him to his school as a respected Mi’kmaw Elder.

Poppa realizes with much joy that his Indigenous culture is bursting with revitalization and renewed pride in a heritage he feared would be lost and forgotten forever. He does not have to practise his cultural ceremonies in private any longer.

Come, join us as we rediscover the teachings of our Mi’kmaw Medicine Wheel and how our ancestors depended on it as a valuable teaching tool for our Peoples. The lessons of the Medicine Wheel are deeply profound and rich with Indigenous spirituality. The Medicine Wheel begs the utmost respect for the Creator as well as every other living creature in existence.

We are all connected in this great circle of life, and we are encouraged to share in each other’s life journey with the help of our Spirit Guides and ancestors’ guidance. Poppa invites us to participate in celebrating the joy of this day with him. Let’s all seek to find our own balance and reconciliation with love and acceptance that can be found within the realms of our own Mi’kmaw Medicine Wheel.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 5 to 12.

This book is part of the Poppa Series.

Additional Information
32 pages | 8.50" x 8.50" | Paperback

After being invited into his grandson’s school to share his wisdom and knowledge of his traditional Mi’kmaw culture in Poppa and His Drum, Poppa is happy to return as a respected Indigenous Elder and Knowledge Keeper.

In this second book of the Poppa series, we find Poppa giving his next gin’masuti (lesson in our culture) to his grandson, François, and his friends, Paul and Joe.

The boys have an important art project to complete for school and are not sure what to do. While spending the afternoon on a beach adventure with Poppa, the boys get to learn about the Sacred Kitpu (Bald Eagle) and why it’s so important to our Indigenous People.

Poppa engages the children with eager imaginations of how the Sacred Kitpu is not only a powerful spirit guide, but also represents the Spirit of the Creator among us. It is the messenger between Mother Earth and the Spirit World, whispering to the Creator our prayers, touching the face of the Creator with its wing.

Poppa teaches the children through mystic wonder how we use the Sacred Kitpu feather in many different cultural ceremonies. He embraces their eagerness to learn and shares the tradition of smudging, using the Kitpu feather along with Sacred Medicines that burn in a smudge bowl to purify our body, mind, and spirit.

The children delight in discovering Poppa’s never-spoken-of regalia treasures that once belonged to his grandfather and decide to commemorate their art project to the Sacred Kitpu.

Poppa is invited back to the class to award the winning medal to the winners of the arts project. He is proud to present the medals to happy children who truly understand and appreciate the importance of the role the Sacred Kitpu plays in our Mi’kmaw culture and heritage. Poppa and the Sacred Kitpu will delight and surprise the reader with fun and teachings given by the love of a Poppa who is cherished by his community for being such a wonderful Mi’kmaw Elder.

Educator & Series Information
Recommended for ages 5 to 12.

This book is the second book in the Poppa series, following Poppa and His Drum.

Additional Information
9.00" x 9.00" | Paperback