That is, everything is alive, everything is “living.” It’s just a matter of how we “read” that energy that becomes our “living literacies.” But first a bit of background on how what I’m about to present to you came to manifest itself physically.

Introduction/Background
I have been so truly blessed in the past fifteen years that I’ve worked with Aboriginal literacy practitioners and Learners. It is through their sharing from their Hearts and Spirits with me that I have been able to make a few observations as to print-based and print-related ways to take a holistic approach to literacy – I say print-based because, to date, that’s what the funders expect. It is my sincere desire that I do justice to the words and the hard work of the practitioners and Learners in what I am about to share.

I have come to understand literacy as being more than the written word in the two official languages of this country – English and French. I have been encouraged in this understanding through my frequent interaction with Elders, practitioners, and Learners.

The framework that I am about to present to you is really a story of a number of different literacies coming together.

In 1996, I was asked by Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) to write a second book on Aboriginal literacy. My first one, Empowering the Spirit, written in 1991, described what programs in Ontario were doing. MTCU suggested that it was time for an update, and that this second booklet look at programming outside of Ontario.

I found out that Parkland Regional College in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, had put together an advisory committee of Aboriginal literacy practitioners from across Canada. They were overseeing the development of a multimedia kit for Aboriginal literacy. I realized that this group was just about to have a meeting in Saskatoon. I invited myself to their meeting, because I felt these people could give me some good insights into which programs to visit for inclusion in the booklet.