Page 26 - Restorative Journey: Indigenous Educational Wellness

Voice Perspective Elizabeth Doxtater Treaty Agreements
Kahswénhta Two Row Wampum
...As long as the sun shines ...As long as the grass grows ...As long as the rivers flow
Wampum beads are made of quahog shell. The quahog shell is purple and white, and the beads are strung together. Some are made into belts with intricate designs
to represent promises to Creator, Mother Earth, and each other. They transcend merely documenting agreements for
the purpose of remembering them. Promises conveyed in wampum carry extra significance and are understood to be sacred and honoured forever.
The Two Row Wampum treaty belt is one of the original agreements made between Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island and Europeans. It is a long white belt with two parallel purple lines. The white represent a very long river.
If you hold this belt horizontally, it resembles a mathematical equals sign.
It is a symbol of equality based on eternal peace and friendship. The purple lines each represent a vessel. One is a canoe, and the other is a European vessel.
They are travelling parallel, as equals, acknowledging the respect for each other’s distinct language, culture, beliefs, governance, and territory.
Figure 11: Two Row Wampum: Vertical Teaching, presented to the Ontario College of Teachers
by First Nations artist, Elizabeth Doxtater
Language Culture Ceremony Governance Territory
18 Commemoration • Education • Healing/Wellness