Teachings In The Air is an Indigenous health and wellness podcast hosted by Elder Saa Hiil Thut Gerry Oldman aiming to inspire, motivate, and empower Indigenous peoples to be sound in mind, body and spirit – because that’s what healthy means. In the podcast, Elder Gerry explores issues relating to Indigenous men’s health and wellness, such as healthy masculinities, relationships, parenting, addictions, intergenerational trauma and healing, resilience, innovation and much more. Join Teachings In The Air as they go into a 6th season titled “The Healing Road”, a constant and never-ending path where Elder Gerry, through his experiences and teachings, echoes what he has picked up along the way. Be sure to follow the podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest episodes.
Elder Saa Hiil Thut Gerry Oleman is a member of the St’at’imc Nation from Tsal’alh (Shalalth B.C.) and has been involved as a change agent for First Nations communities and agencies since 1976. His experiences include providing counselling for individuals, families, and groups, and providing leadership politically and administratively to his community and Nation. Elder Gerry came to the realization that all First Nations in Canada have the same suffering and challenges; all challenges are man-made therefore they can be healed and fixed using Indigenous traditions and laws that worked for us for thousands of years. Over the past 34 years, Gerry has facilitated hundreds of workshops across Turtle Island. In 2017, Elder Gerry started Teachings In The Air as an Elder-Led Indigenous youth-supported podcast on Indigenous health and wellness.
Elder Gerry shared words about hosting this upcoming 6th season of Teachings In The Air: “This series of podcasts are going to be on healing for the mind, body, and spirit. When our mind, body, and spirit are damaged or hurt we weaken and our lives can become unmanageable. Once we are in trouble mentally, physically, or spiritually we must go look for help, so we can live life to the fullest…Healing is in ceremony, music, good food, counselling, meditation and positive activities. Our healing strengthens when we support others on the Healing Road.” Listen to the first episode below titled “Let the Healing Begin”, this episode is an introduction to the new season and Elder Gerry shares his definition of healing, as well as personal stories of his healing journey, from looking at the earliest wounds up to current days.
Elder Gerry reminds us that when we decide to change, that’s when the healing begins. With Teachings In The Air, Elder Gerry has been able to share his experiences with healing and changing from staying stuck in old feelings, thoughts, and negativity to a journey of forgiveness and learning how he has the ability to change his mind, as well as help others to change theirs. Elder Gerry shares his stories and experiences on how he wants to remain on the Healing Road and goes in depth about his many journeys in life, with healing and wellness being a constant, even in the most difficult times. You can also share you own healing journey, Teachings In The Air encourages everyone to share their teachings with some basic lessons on Podcasting at Home using a simple and informative iconographic.
There are so many ways to do a podcast. You can do it with others, virtually, digitally, or over the phone! You don’t need a fancy recording studio to create excellent content, and there are free digital tools you can use to make that happen. Below find some digital tools to create your own podcast:
- Vocaroo tries to make it as simple as possible for users. Their minimalist design features a button that says, “Click to Record.” If students have a piece of audio they’d prefer to upload, another smaller button says, “Or upload?”. The editing options are limited, but it serves as a simple, entry-level online recording tool. Once a recording is completed, download the recording directly to a hard drive, or Chromebook.
- TwistedWave is an online tool that offers more in terms of uploading, recording, and editing options, but it does require users to make an account if they want their files saved. Its editing options can be loads of fun for creative students, though it might be challenging. Still, its ability to import or export to multiple sources, like Google Drive, makes this a potential winner for accessibility.
- Voicethread promises to take your conversations to the next level, capturing your presence, not just your comments. Users can do more than just speak into a microphone. VoiceThread allows them to annotate directly on the screen, add videos and pictures, and share documents. This free digital platform offers a unique tool for creating more than just a podcast, but a multimedia experience.
- Spreaker provides a simple, web-based platform for students to record their own podcasts. It requires an account to get started, and its free plan offers 15-minute daily broadcasts, plus five hours of storage and basic analytics. Their editing tools provide a rich mix of options for students to get creative. The platform also supports its community of podcasters, giving students an opportunity to see how others are podcasting.