About the Seven Grandfather Teaching Films
On this website, you will find seven short films for children and families. Each of these films represents one of the Seven Grandfather Teachings; respect, bravery, wisdom, truth, honesty, humility, and love. These teachings are primarily thought to have originated as gifts to the Ojibwe, but they have been adopted by many Native communities and are now widely shared from coast to coast. There are many versions and origin stories of these beautiful moral teachings that remind us of our place in this world and our responsibility to it. An animal represents each teaching, and each offers its special gifts to us. All the teachings must be practiced together as they indicate how we are to behave towards each other and all living things.
Each film features, Grandma Darnell, a Blackfoot elder, and her 5-year-old grandson, the bobcat puppet, Igmu. In each film, Grandma Darnell helps her grandson Igmu manage his feelings about some issue that has occurred during his day. These films are designed to show Grandma Darnell modelling good parenting behavior, bedtime storytelling, and the importance of elders teaching values and lessons to their grandchildren. They are also designed to highlight some of the contemporary Native American harvesting and gathering practices of traditional foods, such as camas gathering and maple sugaring. The bobcat Igmu was chosen because it is a wild cat found throughout North America, and because cats are picky eaters, fussy about touch, and generally most like young children with sensory needs. Grandma Darnell models some ways of managing these needs.
For example, in the first film, Igmu’s Tipi Dream, she puts a heavy buffalo blanket over him to calm him after he has a bad dream. These films were produced by a team of Native grandmothers and auntie advisors, Montana PBS and other filmmakers, Native sound designers and songwriters, a screenwriter, and a physician educator. We designed these films to be fun, educational, and with beautiful scenery to inspire children to understand the Seven Grandfather Teachings, manage some of their difficult feelings by relating to Igmu, and connect with the land. Each of the teachings is associated with an animal that is discussed in the film and sometimes featured. We hope that you will enjoy and share these beautiful short films with your family and friends.
Igmu's Tipi Dream
Respect | Buffalo | 10 minutes | Ages 3+
After a bad dream, little bobcat Igmu can't get back to sleep. Grandma Darnell tucks him in and tells the story of the tipi and the buffalo, who gives of himself so the people may live. A soothing bedtime story about respect for all life, including ourselves.
Respect - Buffalo: The buffalo represents respect as he respects the needs of others and gives all parts of himself so that the people might live. You must have respect for all life, including yourself.
Igmu Goes Berry Picking
Bravery | Bear | 5 minutes | Ages 3+
A bee sting leaves Igmu with a "wounded paw" and big feelings. Grandma Darnell comforts him, and as they dream up all the things to make with berries, they talk about the mother bear and what it means to be brave.
Bravery – Bear: To be brave is to step into our fear and face doing the thing we thought we could not do. The mother bear is brave and defends her cubs against all. It takes bravery to do what is right and to live with a solid, strong heart.
Igmu Goes Canoeing and Reseeds Rice
Wisdom | Beaver | 5 minutes | Ages 3+
Igmu can't wait to use his ricing sticks to harvest rice, but this year the rice beds need to rest. Grandma Darnell shows him that wisdom sometimes means setting aside what we want and helping reseed rice instead, so there will be more rice next year.
Wisdom – Beaver: To have wisdom is to understand that knowledge and wisdom are not the same but wisdom is gained through experience and knowledge. To be wise is to discern your gifts, live with vision, and to pass that down the generations.
Igmu Meets Kiwi
Truth | Turtle | 5 minutes | Ages 3+
On a visit to Aotearoa (New Zealand), Igmu's new friend Kiwi doesn't believe in buffalo, because he has never seen one. Igmu worries the buffalo teachings may not be true until Grandma Darnell reminds him that turtles look different in different places, but they are all still turtles, and truth is still truth.
Truth – Turtle: The turtle’s shell holds the 13 moons or 13 times that the sun circles the earth each year and so represents timeless truth and the cycle of creation. To be true to yourself and to always seek the truth.
Igmu Shares Buffalo Meat
Honesty | Sabe or Raven | 5 minutes | Ages 3+
Igmu throws a rock at a raven stealing buffalo meat, then worries the raven's little ones will go hungry. When Uncle asks who threw it, Igmu tells the truth. Grandma Darnell shows him that honesty takes courage, and that the raven will find the food it needs.
Honesty – Sabe or Raven: To be honest and have a strong spirit is to always be honest to others and to ourselves. To face difficulty and pain and speak from your heart. To be truly honest you must keep the promises you made to the Creator, to others and to oneself. To live correctly and with virtue.
Igmu and the Camas Gathering
Humility | Wolf | 5 minutes | Ages 3+
Igmu has made wolf ears and just wants to play, but everyone is busy gathering camas. Feeling left out, he learns from Grandma Darnell that a wolf thinks of the pack, and that humility means pitching in so everyone has enough to eat.
Humility – Wolf: To be humble is to think beyond ourselves, not to be boastful but to care about the pack, our community, our families, our world, and to take our place in helping that pack. To think lower about ourselves than all that sustains us.
Igmu Goes Maple Sugaring
Love | Eagle | 5 minutes | Ages 3+
Igmu eats too much maple syrup and ends up with a tummy ache. While Grandma Darnell soothes him with mint, they talk about the eagle who came to watch over sugar camp, and how love holds the ancestors and all living things together.
Love – Eagle: The eagle sees all things from his great height and knows that love encompasses all the world. He teaches us to love is the highest thing we can do, love ourselves as well as all creation. With love, all things are possible