The Wisdom of Wolves: Learning the Indigenous Meaning of the Pack
Jenny Buckshot Tenasco and Rene Tenasco, Indigenous elders from Kitigan Zibi, reflect on the wolf, what it represents, and what it means to be part of the Pack.
Published: September 29, 2025
By Jenny Buckshot Tenasco and Rene Tenasco
Names have power and deep meaning; carrying a name comes with responsibility.
If you carry the Wolf’s name, you share a special bond and unity.
Wolves represent athletes, students, and the entire Algonquin College community. Everyone is part of the Pack. That makes it important to also understand the animal’s significant meaning to local Indigenous communities.
Campuses in Ottawa, Perth, and Pembroke are all located on the traditional unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Anishinàbe Algonquin People.
For our People, Mahìngan — the Wolf — is a spiritual guardian, guide, and teacher. The animal is deeply rooted in our culture, history, and stories.
Wolves represent many things, including courage, unity, community, loyalty, wisdom, family, and teamwork.
Wolves are predators that help keep balance in the natural world by managing the population of other species. They have control of their environment and excellent survival skills due to intelligence, strategy, and teamwork.
Wolves find their strength in numbers. They look out for one another and their community. They can achieve more together.
Those values have a unique meaning for Varsity athletes every time they don their team uniforms — every time they look upon the trio of animals that make up the Algonquin Wolves logo.
That image itself tells its own story. The black wolf symbolizes leadership, strength, and respect; the loyal gray and the white wolves follow the black wolf. And the whole Pack works together with purpose and pride — following a unique internal structure of commands.
A picture of the Algonquin Wolves logo, as displayed in the Jack Doyle Athletics and Recreation Centre.
In our Creation Story, animals were here first. The Wolf was among those that educated people in how to behave and respect the natural world. They still have much to teach us.
In this College community, Wolves can foster a sense of identity and belonging. The animal offers an opportunity to foster cross-cultural understanding and shared values. Everyone can carry the Wolves’ identity and feel a connection to what it means to be part of the Pack.
Jenny Buckshot Tenasco and Rene Tenasco are Indigenous elders from Kitigan Zibi, the largest Algonquin Nation in Canada.