Elder Melody Crowe is an Ojibway woman from the Alderville First Nation, where she has lived all her life. Melody is an Eagle Feather Carrier and for more than 25 years she has taught the Ojibway language and culture to children, youth, adults and elders. She is the recipient of many awards including the Honouring our People Award Sept 2015 from the Ogemawahj Tribal Council and a Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in the Preservation of Language and Culture from the Union of Ontario Indians in 2007. Melody holds an Honours BA in Indigenous Studies from Trent University and, as a student, was the recipient of both the Joyce Moonias Award and The K. E. Kidd Awards from the University. She has worked as the First Nation Liaison for the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board since 2001.

Last week Melody gave an absorbing and moving workshop for Northumberland Festival of the Arts on Resilience, Revitalization and Reconciliation. This episode of Word on the Hills is a repeat broadcast of a programme Melody made with us in the fall of 2021.

Part 1: