A live recording of an episode for Elder Duke’s podcast, discussing the overall Festival theme – Back to the Future | Forward to the Past – with an exciting lineup of special guests, including SummerWorks’ Artistic Director, Michael Caldwell.

Elder Dr. Duke Redbird from the Saugeen Ojibway First Nation welcomes us into the Indigenous worldview of All Our Relations—the sacred web connecting all life.  He shares that this way of seeing is more than words—it’s a lived practice of respect, courage, and responsibility toward every being, from the tallest trees to the smallest roots.

Guiding us through the seven canopies of the food forest, he reveals the Seven Ancestral Teachings our ancestors passed down:

Wisdom – from the towering nut and maple trees, teaching patience, endurance, and clarity.
Courage – from fruit trees, giving despite vulnerability.
Respect – from berry bushes, thriving together in diversity.
Honesty – from open, visible plants like squash and lettuce.
Truth – from plants that require discernment, reminding us to look deeper.
Humility – from root vegetables, growing in unseen places.
Love – from vines and creepers, connecting across differences.

These teachings aren’t just history—they’re a roadmap for how we can live and work today. By planting these values into our daily lives, we can grow a healthier future—for ourselves, for each other, and for all our relations.