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In this episode, Winter Dawn and Kieran explore the significance of names and how names are not just identifiers, but how we’re connected to our ancestors. Through their reflection, they share their own naming journeys and the differences in how their names honour their identities. Together, they share how their naming ceremonies have grounded them as 2SLBGTQ+ Anishinaabe people in identity, community, and direction. 

This episode is not intended to replace ceremony, traditional protocols, or time spent with Knowledge Keepers and Elders. Instead, it offers personal reflections and lived experiences from our own journeys as Anishinaabe and two-spirit people. We acknowledge that naming protocols, teachings, and practices may differ depending on your Nation, community, clan, gender, and personal relationship to the land and Spirit. We encourage listeners to seek out guidance through ceremony and with Elders in their own nations and territories.

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In the return of When the Frogs Sleep, Winter Dawn and Kieran rewind to May 2024 to unpack the weight of expectations — from the ones we set for ourselves to those others place upon us. They explore how appearances, pressure, and performance shape our choices, our self-image, and the way we move through the world. It’s a candid reflection on learning to create space for authenticity, to make peace with what we can’t control, and to redefine success on our own terms.

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After a long year of life changes, new jobs, and adventures, co-hosts Winter Dawn Lipscombe and Kieran Davis return to hosting and storytelling on When the Frogs Sleep. Join the frogs as they reflect on their time away and the importance of self-care in a world that prioritizes the hustle and burnout culture.

Please note this episode touches on mental health themes, we encourage you to press pause and seek support if you need to.

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Join co-hosts Winter Dawn Lipscombe & Kieran Davis for this week's episode of When the Frogs Sleep where they reflect on the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty #3, visiting Treaty #3, and the mystery of the missing Lac Seul Adhesion.

In the spirit of National Indigenous Peoples Day, they highlight the importance of celebrating Indigenous culture and delve into what it truly means to uphold and honour treaty relations. 

Chi-Miigwetch to a fellow WTFS supporter, Sarah Whorpole, for gifting When the Frogs Sleep with tonight's bedtime story, Kits, Cubs, and Calves: An Arctic Summer  written by by Suzie Napayok-Short and illustrated by Tamara Campeau. 

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In this special episode commemorating Pride Month, Kieran Davis and Winter Dawn Lipscombe take the opportunity to share their personal stories and reflections on gender and identity. They both recount their own journeys, navigating through self-discovery and expectations.

Through stories, the co-hosts  open up about their experiences, highlighting the significance of community, advocacy, and allyship, and the importance building supportive networks.

As the episode concludes, Kieran and Winter invite listeners to join them in honoring and embracing diversity. Through sharing their own stories and advocating for change, they inspire listeners to embrace their own identities and stand as allies in the ongoing pursuit of equality.

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In this episode, co-hosts Winter Dawn and Kieran reflect on their experience attending the Tournament of Hope gala and discuss the importance of role models and visibility for Indigenous youth. Throughout the episode,  Kieran and Winter Dawn highlight the leaders and role models that shaped their journeys and helped in reclaiming their own identities. 

Tonight's bedtime story is "Go Show the World: A Celebration of Indigenous Heroes" written by Wab Kinew. 

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As the snow and ice melts, the frogs croaking at night signals the change of the season. But with the beginning of spring here, so is the start of fire season. In this episode of "When the Frogs Sleep," co-hosts Winter Dawn and Kieran reflect on their favourite memories of spring growing up and Kieran's return to firefighting. 

Indigenous communities have long held traditional eco-knowledge about the responsible use of fire, illustrated in tonight's bedtime story, The Fire by Thomas Peacock. 

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In this week's episode, Host Kieran Davis welcomes his Kokum, Florence Sanderson, to When the Frogs Sleep as the podcast's first guest where they talk about how stories as a young girl impacted the adventures and travel of Florence throughout her life. Florence shares stories about her favourite travel memories and experiences with her family and Kieran reads his favourite bedtime story, Goldilocks and the Three Bears. 

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Nanabozho, or Nanabush, is a great spirit in the Anishinaabe culture, known for being a shapeshifter and a trickster, and is an important figure in Anishinaabe storytelling where his experiences were used to provide guidance and teach moral lessons. Tonight's bedtime story comes from the book, Braiding Sweetgrass,  and shares how Nanbozho walked the four directions to learn from the earth and be human.

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In this episode, hosts Winter Dawn Lipscombe and Kieran Davis take a trip to Thunder Bay where they discuss how their recent travel for work also provided an opportunity to visit family and how exploring the region has been an opportunity to rest from their busy schedules. One of the highlights of their trip was learning about the importance of Mount McKay to the Anishinaabe people and their visit to Old Fort William, tonight's bedtime story is Thunder Bay from Gii-Nitaa-Aadisooke: Ojibwe Legends from Lac Seul written by Patricia Ningewance.