Episode 11: Nourishing the Body, Feeding the Mind — with Joe Pitawanakwat
“The more of these relationships that we have, the healthier that we are, the healthier that our environment is.” — Joe Pitawanakwat
What changes when we begin to see the plants around us as friends—each with gifts to share and each deserving of our care?
In this episode of Rekindling the Fire, host Rachel Robinson welcomes Joe Pitawanakwat, founder of Creator’s Garden, for a conversation about plant medicines, Anishinaabe knowledge and the relationships that nourish physical and mental wellness.
Beginning with the stories his grandmother shared, Joe traces a journey of learning that grew into teaching in communities across Anishinaabe territory and beyond. He explores the reciprocity at the heart of harvesting medicines, how relationships with plants can help young people find belonging and purpose, and why asking questions can deepen our understanding of cultural teachings.
For those living in cities, Joe offers another way to connect: birds. Through teachings about loons and other species, he shares how the natural world can help us understand grief, express our emotions and find connection wherever we live. He also discusses his approach to plant medicines and the relationship between physical health and mental wellness.
In this episode:
- Learning about medicines through family stories and time with knowledge holders.
- Understanding the ecological responsibilities behind harvesting protocols.
- Supporting young people through relationships with plants and the land.
- Exploring birds as accessible teachers, including in urban environments.
- Bringing Indigenous knowledge and Western scientific research into conversation.
About Joe Pitawanakwat
He is Ojibwe from Wikwemikong First Nation and the founder and director of Creator’s Garden, an Indigenous education business offering outdoor and online learning. His work explores plant identification, harvesting practices that help plant populations flourish, and the linguistic, cultural, ecological, edible and medicinal significance of plants. He has learned from hundreds of traditional knowledge holders and delivered programming in more than 150 First Nations communities and hundreds of institutions.
Fast Four Reflections
- Hope: The renewal of life each year and our role in caring for the land.
- Belonging: The boreal forest.
- Meaning: Sharing time and energy.
- Purpose: Teaching others how to be in a good relationship with plants.
Credits
Rekindling the Fire is produced for the First Peoples Wellness Circle by David McGuffin and Graham McGuffin of ExploreProductions.ca
Music by Nagamo Publishing.
For more on the work of the First Peoples Wellness Circle, please visit FPWC.ca.
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Listener Care Notice
This episode includes discussion of suicide, children’s exposure to traumatic events, grief, loss, anxiety and the impacts of colonization and enslavement. Please listen with care and take breaks as needed.
Support Resources
- Hope for Wellness Helpline: 1-855-242-3310 or online chat at hopeforwellness.ca.
- National Indian Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419.
- 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call or text 988