Kookoonaan helps a child understand the importance of family, a strong community and the foundation of our peoples' teachings.

Q. Is it important to have a family?

A. Yes it is. For us it is everything. Family is all powerful.

Q. What kind of power?

A. Families make up clans and we have seven, same as the Seven Teachings:

The Turtle is Truth. The Sabe is Honesty. The Wolf is Humbleness. The Beaver is Wisdom. The Eagle is Love. The Bear is Courage. And the Buffalo is Respect. 

Each and every clan keeps these teachings close to their hearts. They are like arrows.

Together all these calms make up a strong community. For example when someone from the bear clan marries someone from the turtle clan the community grows in strength and wisdom; and all the clans inter marry all the time. With all their teachings coming together they protect the most powerful teaching which is Love. Love is the Eagle that flies high above us with those arrows in his talons, watching over us and ready to fight to protect that love.

So, family is love and that's why we keep it close to our heart and protect it.

Thank you Kookoonaan.