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About Dana

Dana's Interests:

Policy analysis and research
Philosophical inquiry
Development of skills and experience
Exchanging healing strategies with others
Spending quality time with friends and family
Contributing to the betterment of Canadian society
Amplifying underserved communities and overlooked perspectives
Meditation and exploring nature
Sewing, fabric projects, beading and creative crafts
Community volunteering and hands-on activities

Dana Hickey is an Anishinaabe researcher with a strong background in Indigenous studies, policy, and administration. Holding a Master of Indigenous Relations from Laurentian University, her thesis, "Indigenous Epistemologies, Worldviews, and Theories of Power," explored Indigenous epistemologies of power, privileging Indigenous research methods with elements of grounded theory. The study identified "relationships" as the central category linking themes such as language, sacred sources of power, Indigenous women, and knowledge. Findings emphasized that power manifests through interconnectedness, with humility, harmony, and balanced relationships yielding its healthiest forms. Dana has contributed to academic discourse by integrating Indigenous perspectives with sociological theories, emphasizing reflexive methodologies to advance cultural and social insights.

Her doctoral studies in Social Innovation at Saint Paul University, paused in 2025, centered on "Anishinaabe Ontologies of Reality Construction," a research proposal examining how Anishinaabe relational practices—embedded in languages, stories, ceremonies, and land-based interactions—shape perceptions of reality. This work highlights philosophical inquiry in academia and promotes mutual understanding across cultural contexts.

The Eighth Fire of the Anishinaabe

The Final Fire of Eternal Peace and Love

The first prophet said to the people, "In the time of the First Fire, the Anishinaabe Nation will rise up and follow the Sacred Shell of the Midewiwin Lodge."

The second prophet told the people, "You will know the Second Fire because at this time the Nation will be camped by a large body of water. In this time the direction of the Sacred Shell will be lost. The Midewiwin will diminish in strength. A boy will be born to point the way back to the traditional ways. He will show the direction to the stepping stones to the future of the Anishinaabe people."

The third prophet said to the people, "In the Third Fire, the Anishinaabe will find the path to their chosen ground, a land in the West to which they must move their families. This will be the land where food grows on water."

The Fourth Fire was originally given to the people by two prophets. They came as one. They told of the coming of the light-skinned people. One of the prophets said, "You will know the future of our people by what face the light-skinned people wears. You will know the face of brotherhood, neekon'nisiwin, if they come carrying no weapons, if they come bearing only their knowledge and a handshake." The other prophet said, "Beware if the light-skinned people come wearing the face of niboowin, death. You must be careful because the face of brotherhood and the face of death look very much alike. Their hearts may be filled with greed for the riches of this land. You shall know that the face they wear is death if the rivers fun with poison and the fish become unfit to eat. If they are indeed your brothers, let them prove it. Do not accept them in total trust."

The fifth prophet said, "In the time of the Fifth Fire there will come a time of great struggle that will grip the lives of all Native people. At the waning of this Fire there will come among the people one who holds a promise of great joy and salvation. The promise that comes will prove to be a false promise. All those who accept this promise will cause the near destruction of the people."

The prophet of the Sixth Fire said, "In the time of the Sixth Fire it will be evident that the promise of the Fifth Fire came in a false way. Those deceived by this promise will take their children away from the teachings of the chi'ahyaog, Elders. At this time a new sickness will come to the people. The cup of life will almost be spilled. The cup of life will almost become the cup of grief."

The seventh prophet that came to the people long ago was said to be different from the other prophets. He was young and had a strange light in his eyes. He said, "In the time of the seventh Fire a Oshkibimadizeeg, New People, will emerge. They will retrace their steps to find what was left by the trail. But many of the Elders have fallen asleep. Some of the Elders will be silent out of fear. Some of the Elders will be silent because no one will ask anything of them. The New People will have to be very careful in how the approach the Elders. The task of the New People will not be easy."

It will be at this time that the light-skinned people will be given a choice between two roads. If they choose the right road, then the Seventh Fire will light the Eighth and final Fire - an eternal Fire of peace, love, brotherhood and sisterhood. If the light-skinned people make the wrong choice of roads, then the destruction which they brought with them in coming to this country will come back to them and cause much suffering and death to all the Earth's people.