Doodem ( Clan ), who is standing , is a 5-year-old sorrel stallion from Kichi Noodin off Ishkote . His genetically matched breeding partner , seen in the foreground , is Aazadi ( Cottonwood Tree ). Because the ponies are critically endangered , careful DNA testing must be done before the ponies can be bred to ensure their preservation . Photo credit : Shuana Niessen
of the most urgent concerns affecting many First Nations communities across Canada ." Angela views her work in educational psychology as " a perfect fit " for the research in which she is engaged . She says healing and learning are inseparable : " You can ' t have healing without learning , or learning without healing ."
Since completing her doctoral research , Angela has been seeking to understand how cultural connectedness can be developed through , what she calls , " real-world experiences ," which include strengthened relationships with the land and all its " more-than-human " creatures , particularly the Lac La Croix Indigenous Pony . Broadening health research to include the more-than-human world is important to Angela because , she says , " We need to situate well-being within a larger network of social relations , with both the human and more-thanhuman worlds . We need to focus beyond the individual and extend our understandings about health and wellbeing to living in relation to all else , not just for the present but for future generations as well ."
With her expertise in psychology and her passion for the preservation of the Lac La Croix Indigenous Pony breed , Angela is perfectly situated to bridge , in her words , " often seemingly conflicting world views ... I understand Western mental health perspectives , but this work requires an understanding of Indigenous perspectives of holistic wellness to fully understand the role of the ponies in the resilience process ." Angela likens the loss of contact with Indigenous horses experienced by Indigenous communities to the loss of family members : " Part of their family has been ripped away ," she says . Reconnecting Indigenous youth and adults with Indigenous horses brings about " indescribable moments ," says Angela . These moments spark the ' I remember when ...' stories told by Elders about the ponies and traditional ways of life and are , Angela believes , charged with healing potential . " These are moments that could potentially change someone ' s life . To see that happening in front of you , it ' s a privilege ." Angela felt especially privileged to hear of the repatriation of the Lac La Croix Indigenous Pony to Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation , from which her partner , Cullan , originates . She says , " I was completely moved by the return of three black geldings to this community ." During a recent visit to see the community ' s ponies , Cullan had opportunity to meet the geldings for the first time . Angela says , " The reunion of these family members was so powerful — an emotional reuniting . The bond between the geldings and Cullan was instant . It ' s a culturally specific relationship that dates back to pre-Colonial contact . This type of relationship can ' t be replicated with any other breed of horse ."
Family Reunion . The three Lac La Croix Indigenous Ponies from Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation gather around Cullan ( Waabinaanikwad ) McGinnis at first meeting . Photo credit : Angela McGinnis
Reunions such as these lead to the beginning of relationships with the more-than-human world , and are what Angela calls a " doorway to the culture ," which can help youth make other cultural connections , such as ceremony . For instance , Angela and Cullan ' s
. relationship with the Lac La Croix Indigenous Ponies at the Sanctuary has meant that they have sought guidance from local traditional Elders and engaged in horse-specific traditional ceremonies held in communities , such as the Horse Dance . Angela would like to share the doorway experience with her Educational Psychology students : " I want to help students step through that doorway . That ’ s how we understand how to help others , by experiencing it ourselves . And in return we help the ponies . That ’ s the whole mutual helping process , helping the horses in their fight against extinction . We need the Lac La Croix Indigenous Ponies as much as they need us ," says Angela . She plans to start bringing her students out to the Sanctuary for classes in Spring . A 20-foot tipi will be raised as Angela prepares to bring her students in contact with the ponies and the land .
Master ' s student Kelsey Moore , who received a B . Ed . in Indigenous Education from First Nations University of Canada , is now undertaking her M . Ed . in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Regina under the supervision of Dr . McGinnis and the mentorship of Life Speaker Noel Starblanket . Kelsey is Métis and grew up in Yorkton . Her lifelong passion for horses began with several summers spent working with youth at horse camps and riding stables and continued with her experience of getting to know the Curly Horse breed at her inlaws ' farm . Her thesis research question perfectly intersects with Angela ' s interest in understanding and offering evidence-based research to explain how and why Indigenous youth benefit in both educational outcomes and mental health , through establishing relationships with horses and how Equine Assisted Learning programs can be successfully culturally adapted .
Kelsey and Angela are amazed to have found each other . Angela says , " What are the chances of me finding a student who wants to work with Indigenous horses ?" The two researchers are working toward the same ends as those involved in language revitalization : " We are all tackling a shared goal : Cultural
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