Walking the Path: A Life Journey of Learning, Leadership, and Anishinaabe Teachings With Larry O’Connor

Larry O'Connor known as (Barn Owl) an Odawa Anishinaabe Knowledge Holder, Eagle Staff Carrier, Firekeeper and Citizen of Sheshegwaning First Nation, residing in Haliburton County. Drawing on my personal learning journey and teachings received along the way, I try to promote understanding of Indigenous cultures, truths, and relationships in Canada.

As a young person, I grew up in Oshawa in a family of twelve with six sisters and three brothers. While the family was aware of their Indigenous bloodline, they never learned first-hand any of their cultural traditions, and ceremonies not even our Anishinaabe language.

Each of us has a life journey to follow, and rest assured that we will have roadblocks, obstacles, and setbacks. The beauty of our Life Journey is that we must live it one day at a time. My life as a young person growing up in Oshawa, meant a dream of work at General Motors, on the Assembly line. Not to ambitious or exciting.

We all know that lifelong learning can be a key to happiness and fulfilment. So, I started to take courses that the Union had to offer. Eventually, I started to write a monthly Political Education column in the Union Newspaper that had a circulation of over 25,000 readers at one time.

Those weekend courses and workshops eventually lead me to be Elected as a Provincial Member of Parliament. Becoming a Member of the Ontario Legislative Assembly at the age of thirty-four, it seemed like destiny was to keep me in public life for 20 years. But that was not before losing my attempt to be re-elected as an MPP.

That setback sent me off in a new direction, municipal government. Municipally elected five times, three times as a Durham Regional Councillor and twice as the Mayor of Brock Township. Then I retired, so I started over again when we moved to Haliburton County.

Community involvement and engagement, along with my passion for helping people made me a great candidate to host a radio program at the local community volunteer radio station, 100.9 Canoe FM. Since the Radion Station Manager knew of my efforts to trace my family’s Indigenous lineage, so she approached me to create an Indigenous Program and “Tales from the Big Canoe” was born.

Eventually my questions about my Indigenous family came out and my father and I we’re, accepted as citizens into the Sheshegwaning First Nation.

During Covid I became an avid beader. Beading for friends and family members. While visiting a Powwow on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I discovered the Woodland Style of Regalia. It took a couple of years to bead my Woodland Regalia and today I have folks describe me, as an incorrigible Woodland Powwow Dancer.

About 6 years ago, Trillium Lakelands District School Board started to invite me into the local schools to teach students to bead and share my cultural knowledge. After sharing the Seven Grandfather and Grandmother Teachings, I received a vision to create an Eagle Staff. I discovered an Eagle carved in 1990 resting in a neighbour’s art studio, it was destined to rest on the top of a Maple staff, both of which visited Fenlon Falls Township Public School. The Banner complete with 13 Eagle Feathers hold the Seven Sacred Teaching which I beaded inspired by pictures from dozens of junior school students drawings.

An Eagle Staff needs to be birth in a “good way” according to Anishinaabe protocols and tradition, which happened at a Youth and Elder Gathering in Michipicoten First Nation on the East shores of Lake Superior. This Eagle Staff, a Teaching Staff, has been present at dozens of ceremonies from Sunrise to Adoptions and more.

Anishnaabe protocols also direct that sacred items need to be feasted several times of the year by those that carry them. After being a helper to a Firekeeper last year, the organizers asked me to be a Firekeeper at this years Youth and Elders Gathering again at Michipicoten.

Life Journey is a mystery that is not always obvious or where we will end up. Accept our challenges and make the best out of every day. Our end goals will change over time and that is a blessing our Ancestors will watch over.