talking circle
Shared speaking ritual
A talking circle is a group discussion format, originating in Indigenous North American traditions, where participants sit in a circle and speak in turn, often passing a designated object like a feather or stone to indicate whose turn it is.
The practice emphasizes respectful listening and equal participation: We opened the workshop with a talking circle.
The format has been adopted in schools, therapy settings, and restorative justice programs.
- councilAdvisory deliberative group
- indigenousOriginating in a region
- eldersSenior community members
- elder wisdomInsight from long experience
- sharingDividing among others
sacred · sacred space · ceremony · feather · talking stick · peace pipe · speaking · listening · deep listening · open heart · wisdom · gathering · healing · community · tradition · respect · passing · storytelling
- discussionsdiscussion, discussions, forum, roundtable, dialogues
- reconciliationreconciliation, reconcile, reconciled, reconciling, making up
- Indigenous CanadaFirst Nations, Metis, Inuit, Cree, Ojibwe
- Indigenous cultureancestors, ancestry, ancestral lands, ancestral lineage, animal totems
- folk medicinefolk medicine, herbalism, herbal remedies, folk healer, herbal medicine
- indigenous traditionselder council, powwows, totem poles, healing rituals, sweat lodges
talking circledebate
Formal argument on issues
shouting match · argument · interruption · cross-examination · free-for-all
talking circlelecture
Educational spoken presentation
monologue · sermon · dictation · pronouncement · filibuster
talk, talked, talker, talkers, talks, talkative, talkatively, talkativeness, circle