About Nishnawbe-Gamik Friendship Centre
In the late 1960’s two different groups of people of more than 200 miles apart came up with the same idea – the Rotary Club in Sioux Lookout and leaders of the First Nations in the north. The Rotarians thought Native people residing in or visiting the town should have a drop-in centre. The Native leaders also wanted to have a place to get together when they were in Sioux Lookout – the transportation, administrative, and social services centre for remote Northwestern Ontario.
Native leaders had another concern – that Northern First Nations communities should have a communication system through which they could contact Sioux Lookout and also communicate with each other in their own language. These two groups got together in the summer of 1970 to discuss their mutual interests. Out of that 1970 meeting, the Sioux Lookout Fellowship and Community Centre was born.
Our 7 Grandfather Teachings
To know love is to know peace. Love is strong affection for another forming out of kinship or personal ties. Love is an attachment based upon devotion, admiration, tenderness, and kindness for all things around you. To love yourself is to live at peace with the creator and in harmony with all creationGrandfather Teaching 1, LOVE
To honour all creation is to have respect. Show regard for the value of all persons or things through courteous consideration and appreciation. Honour our traditional roles and teachings. Honour our families, others, and ourselves. Don’t hurt anything or anyone on the outside or the inside.Grandfather Teaching 2, RESPECT
To face life with courage is to know bravery. Use personal strength to face difficulties, obstacles and challenges. Have courage. Make positive choices. Stand up for your convictions. Show courage in communicating and decision making.Grandfather Teaching 3, BRAVERY
To walk through life with integrity is to know honesty. Be truthful and trustworthy. Tell the truth. Accept and act on truths through straightforward and appropriate communication.
Grandfather Teaching 4, HONESTY
To accept yourself as a sacred part of creation is to know humility. Reflect on how you present yourself. Express or offer in spirit of deference and submission. Use a balance of equality with all life. Recognize the human need for balance in life.Grandfather Teaching 5, HUMILITY
To cherish knowledge is to know wisdom. Use sound judgment and the ability to discern inner qualities and relationships. Use good sense and form a good attitude and course of action. Listen and use the wisdom of elders, tribal leadership and spiritual leaders.Grandfather Teaching 6, WISDOM
To know of the heart is to know the truth. Faithfully apply the teachings of our Seven Grandfathers. Trust in the Creator. Be sincere in action, of character, and in utterance. Be faithful to fact and reality.Grandfather Teaching 7, TRUTH