Spilling Labrador Tea Under Cedar Trees

Season 3: Distorted Path - Indigenous Stories of the Child Welfare System. This season, we are bringing it closer to home and focusing on Canada’s child welfare system. As second generation survivors of the 60s scoop ourselves, we wanted to spend some time sharing stories of folks who have grown up in care or worked in the child welfare system. We know these stories are hard to hear, but it is so important to understand how this system works and recognize the many ways people are resisting and challenging systems of oppression. 

With this season, we will also be trying something new and bringing together some amazing storytellers so we can have some lighter episodes (where you don’t have to just listen to our voices). Do you have a story or poem you’d like to share? Message us and let us know!

Season 3 brought to you and supported by Remarkable Communications! Thanks for the studio space friends!

Did you miss us? We missed you! Season 3 is coming to you very soon (we promise) but FIRST let’s chat and catch up on what Kate and Teacher Madz have been up to!

Kate moved out, met the Prime Minister and completed her Masters of Geography. It’s been a chill few months. Teacher moved across the hall, is adjusting to working from home and welcomed a new kitten. Also chill. 

Hit play to hear about some of our recent adventures and some exciting news in the lead up to Season 3!

And we did it! Thanks everyone for joining us on our journey learning about colonization around the world! We loved hearing what all of our special guests loved about being Indigenous! And while we don’t love that the colonial playbook has been used in so many places, it is so good to hear from friends about the incredible work they are doing in their own communities - we are sooo proud of everyone! It’s a good day to be Indigenous ;) 

Big, big thank you to Canadian Roots Exchange for funding us so we could make season 2 happen!

Stick around for season 3’s theme!! Have any guesses?

Keep that tea hot, as we are travelling to another circumpolar region!! All aboard your flight to Kalaallit Nunaat!! (Greenland). Join us as we chat with Nivi about all things Inuk, and the Danish Kingdom everything in between.

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PS, our distribution platform changed! We don't know how to add in our intro/outro & kettle!

We’re heading back up north to meet our neighbours in Alaska! Meet our new friend Charitie (listen to hear more about our meet-cute moment). Charitie encourages young people to connect and be proud of their culture and has worked hard to pass policy to allow students to wear their regalia at graduations - such a beautiful act of resistance!

Russian exploration in the 1700s introduced colonization using colonial tactics including enslaving Indigenous women. The United States ‘purchased’ Alaska from Russia in 1867 and later in 1885 the US Agent for Education in Alaska divided the territory based on the various religious groups in the region through the Alaska Community Plan. This policy determined which religious order was responsible for establishing schools and assimilating local nations in each specific area and continues to impact communities to this day. 

Indigenous women in Alaska have been at the forefront of resisting colonization and fighting for civil rights. Elizabeth Peratrovich, a Tlingit woman, was instrumental in passing the Anti-Discrimination Act in 1945 to end legal discrimination against Alaska Natives. This was two decades before the civil rights act championed by Martin Luther King - how cool is that?!

So many Indigenous youth around the world are doing incredible and inspiring community work! We are so proud of ourselves and all of you! But also, what would we be doing if we did reach liberation? Spend some time today thinking about what this could look like. Use your imagination and dream big!

We’re crossing the Pacific (ocean) and since there’s so much to talk about, we’re going to bring you a two parter that focuses on Aotearoa (so-called New Zealand). For part 1, meet our good friend and cat auntie India Logan-Riley!

Aotearoa wasn’t colonized until the 1840’s (for context, colonizers showed up in so-called canada in the early 1600’s). However, unfortunately for countries that were colonized later in the timeline, colonization had been widely practiced and perfected in India and the Americas by this point. The British had learned that assimilation instead of elimination was more efficient and cost-effective and being shifted from India to Aotearoroa was seen as a reward for the ‘best’ colonizers (yikes!). This resulted in significant land loss in a very short period of time - which is extra damaging when you live on a tiny land-base without many options of where you can go. 

Māori are known internationally for developing Te Kōhanga Reo (language nests) where children are totally immersed in their traditional languages from a young age. This model is now replicated by Indigenous groups around the globe (Finland, Canada, etc). Maybe our next season can focus on decolonization around the world?!

The journey continues - today we are visiting the African continent and having tea with our good friend Michael Songiso in Zambia. Zambia is a landlocked country in southern Africa with 72 tribes, 73 languages and 7 regional languages (fun fact, Michael can speak 5 out of 7)! 

Zambia was known as Northern Rhodesia during its 73 years of British rule/colonization and gained independence as the Republic of Zambia in 1964. The country is known for being EXTREMELY welcoming and peaceful (but more on that in the podcast).

Using the classic colonial playbook, colonization tried to separate people from their culture and identities but Zambians have and continue to resist. Decolonization is a process of healing and helps us to reclaim and reconnect to our identity through our languages, songs, and stories. This work needs to happen in our own lives, families, workplaces and communities so we can uplift traditional knowledge in schools and government spaces. 

“When you speak the language of the Land, the Land will take care of you”

Hi friends! Keep your bags pack! 

Today, we are traveling south to learn about the colonization of the lands currently known as Mexico. Home to 68 Indigenous Peoples groups, each with their own languages and over 364 language variants, Mexico has and continues to face colonization in many forms including - physical, religious/spiritual, health, biological and environmental. As we’re learning, these really are ongoing processes that continue in many places around the globe.

Mexico was colonized in 1521 by the Spanish (Fun fact! even though the Spanish were able to capture the biggest city, Spain did NOT colonize all Indigenous Peoples at this time). While the country won its independence from Spain in 1821, Indigenous Peoples continue to fight for recognition and to stay connected to their unique histories, cultures and languages.

Welcome to our wonderful and insightful guest Lucero!

“We are our ancestors wildest dreams”

TW: GBV, SA, Torture, & Colonialism. Hi friends! It’s a new year and it is time for us to continue learning about colonization around the world! Today we are leaving the country (at least in our imaginations) and traveling to Korea! Come with us and hopefully we all learn something new along the way!

After years of war and intimidation, Korea was officially annexed by Japan in 1910 beginning 35 years of colonial rule. During the occupation, the Japanese implemented assimilationist policies that attempted to suppress and wipe out Korean culture. Many Koreans who were children at the time grew up only being able to speak and write Japanese. While this colonial period officially ended in 1945 alongside the end of WWII, there are still pieces of land in between Korea and Japan that are disputed and Japan’s influence on Korean culture can still be seen (and challenged) - as you will learn from our guests today!

Welcome Ji and Ahra! Thank you for sharing your stories with us!

Join Kate and Teacher on the couch with some hot coco as they play the 100 question game. If you listen closely you can hear Kate throwing the ones she doesn't like out of the deck. Learn more about their friendship, opinions and of course laughs.

Welcome back! Are you ready for part two of In the North & In Every Major City?? Stay ulaakkut to Paige Kimiksana Kreps, Paige chats with us about being an Urban Inuk in the big city of Tkaronto (Toronto).

We'll give ya a little bit of background Information... Due to many complicated and interconnected factors - housing, availability of education, healthcare and work, etc. (thanks, colonialism) - approximately 30% of Inuit live outside Inuit Nunangat and instead make their homes in cities and towns in southern Canada. Inuit in urban centers continue to face challenges accessing culturally appropriate resources and programs due in part to comparatively small numbers. As distinct people with Inuit specific culture, language, history and specific reasons for moving to urban areas, Inuit deserve access to funding and culturally specific opportunities.

Put on the kettle and enjoy!

Ulaakkuut everybody! Join Kate and Teacher for part one of two, of In the North & in Every Major City. Part one is taking us back up to Nunavut with Katie May Anawak Dunford! Just to get us started Inuit Nunangat are the traditional and current homelands of Inuit people, made up of 53 communities across four regions - the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (northern Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (northern Quebec) and Nunatsiavut (northern Labrador). Fun fact: the northern coast makes up 50% of Canada’s coastline!?! Inuit live across the circumpolar region in countries including Alaska (USA), Chukotka (Russia), Greenland and of course - the country currently known as Canada. Inuit in Canada are the largest non-crown landowners in the country thanks to land claim agreements finalized in 1993 that resulted in the establishment of Nunavut as a third territory. These agreements were a long time coming and many Inuit fought hard throughout the 70’s and 80’s for the return of their land and to protect their rights to hunt, fish and trap. Join us in welcoming Katie May to the show! 

Welcome to episode 1 of Season 2! We are soooo excited to kick off Season Two with the Metis Nation! 

Known for the colorful Métis sash, lively jigs, red river carts and intricate beadwork, the Métis Nation descends from the children of First Nations women and European fur traders beginning in the 17th/18th century who intermarried and established comunities along fur trade routes across the prairies (now known as Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta) as well as parts of Ontario, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. The Métis are one of three federally recognized Indigenous groups in so-called Canada (not that you need the feds to determine if you actually exist or not) and have their own culture, language, traditions, governing practices and communities.

Many (but not all) Métis families trace their history to the Red River Settlement at the forks of the Assiniboine and Red River (currently known as Winnipeg). In 1869, the Métis rebelled/resisted the Canadian government’s expansion west and ultimately negotiated the terms that resulted in the creation of the province of Manitoba. As part of these negotiations, the Métis were promised 1.4 million acres of Land within the province of Manitoba. Canada failed to uphold these promises and instead introduced Métis scrip which was a piece of paper entitling the holder to land. This allowed the government to take over even more land. You will learn more about Métis scrip in this episode.

Our guests today are both proud Métis Nation members raised and living in the province currently known as Alberta. The Métis Nation of Alberta is in the process of voting on a new constitution - an important step in exercising self-government! Everyone welcome Lili & Sekwanacahk 

WooooW!!! We are at our season finaalllleeeee of season 1!! What a wild ride this has been. Listen to Kate & Teacher catch up and reflect on their highlights of creating Spilling Labrador Tea Under Cedar Trees. Hope to see you around for season 2! Stay tuned. 

You're gonna need a mask to listen to this episode, Kate & Teacher have tested positive for the vid. We're locked in for the week and doing our best to stay sane. We've watched everything from aliens to dinosaur documentaries. Listen to us recap the busy month of May and reminisce about being able to breath through our noses.

Sit down with your favourite cup of tea and tune into this episode! Kate & Teacher Madz are joined on the couch by one of our favourite set of siblings, Sheldon (Muskwa) & Shelby (Sekwanacahk) Anderson. They're Cree and Metis from Treaty 8 territory. Listen to the laughs, lessons and medicine that we share with each other. 

This episode is Kate's assignment for Indigenous Geographies, a guided conversation between Kate, Teacher & Jess! Tune in to us share our stories and experiences as Indigenous women in relation to land, community and sovereignty. 

Teacher & Kate run through all the exciting things in their lives, and there is no time for tea in their schedules.

The joke continues of how we are gonna be a true crime podcast at any given moment. Then Kate shares and reflects on her trip to Iqaluit, Nunavut for the first time! 

This time around Teacher and Kate take a dive into what has been going on in their lives. Good luck tryna keep up! 

Join Kate and Madz as they spill tea with Jessica Joseph about her art and Indigenous art as a whole. Learn about about what are inspires and fills our hearts. 

This episode Kate & Teacher dive into names, what they mean and why they are important. Stay tuned for more stories and tea! See ya later. 

This episode Kate & Teacher Maddz dive into politics, because this election really could have been an email, as well they discuss their experiences of being Indigenous in heavy colonial spaces and finally they wrap up with the highly anticipated haikus.