Tag Archives: social justice

Module 3- Post 2: The Indigenous People of the Caribbean

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As I continue my ETEC:521 journey with renewed purpose I had to drop by http://www.culturalsurvival.org again with a different agenda this time as I am gathering information on indigenous people of the Caribbean. The first page on this quest was Reviving Caribs: Recognition, Patronage and Ceremonial Indigeneity in Trinidad and Tobago –. Wher I learned that aboriginals in my country “were never defeated in any war, nor were treaties ever signed, nor did they become extinct. Their numbers were drastically minimized, their lands usurped, their labor bought and sold, and they were intensely assimilated into Hispanic, Catholic and even urban society”. Because of this assimilation they are facing numerous problems as they try to reclaim their heritage. This is the plight of the indigenous people of Cuba as I found out in my next stop on the site at The Indigenous People of the Caribbean.This page is a review of a book of the same name. From this it can be gathered that even if the book is not perfect it does give valuable information on indigenous people of the Caribbean. To me the most important discovery here is that there are many indigenous communities that are struggling for recognition because of the errors that were written in history about them and the attitudes that resulted from this. Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic all have such indigenous people. The last stop of this log was at Our Land, Our Life, Our Culture: The Indigenous Movement In Guyana. Unlike the other countries mentioned here Guyana has recognised indigenous population. Here I found out that there are nine distinct Indigenous peoples in Guyana- Lokono (Arawak), Akawaio (Kapon), Arecuna (Pemon), Macusi, Warrau, Wapisiana, Wai Wai, Patamona and Kalina (Carib) – comprising 60-80,000 persons, approximately 8-10 percent of the total population. These all united recently to “redefine prevailing political, legal, economic and cultural relations with the state and thereby to transcend four centuries of colonial domination and institutionalized racism that remain firmly entrenched in Guyanese law, policy and practice”. It can therefor serve as an example of what other groups who are in a similar position can do to protect themselves from the present threat of colonisation.

Teachers as allies?

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Champagne, L. D. (2006). Physical education teachers as allies to aboriginal students: Dimensions of social consciousness. Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.

 

The title of this study grabbed my attention immediately, because I have noticed that the most positive times of relationship-building with my indigenous students have happened outside of the classroom, in times of physical activity (such as charitable runs, PE classes, or even unloading classroom supplies from the car). I wondered about this, and was told by the Aboriginal Education teacher at my school that it might have to do with reduced eye contact, less pressure for immediate verbal responses, and the experiential nature of activity. I wanted to read research that explained this further.

 

Champagne conducted a qualitative study encouraging eight PE teachers to reflect on their positive experiences with Aboriginal students. What worked well? What didn’t? She then presented the teachers’ narratives with theoretical explanations based in a framework of critical pedagogy, culturally relevant teaching, and anti-racist education. She found that, like many other non-indigenous educators, her subjects felt unprepared to properly engage indigenous students. The PE teachers were aware that they were uniquely positioned to incorporate teaching practices more closely aligned with indigenous educational philosophy, because of their ability to discuss holistic health, to encourage teamwork rather than independence, and to have experiential lessons. Champagne ends her study with the recommendation that all pre- and in-service teachers receive more direct education on teaching indigenous students, so that all teachers can become “allies” of those students and cease practices that create harm.

Educators must see Aboriginal education as a social justice issue.

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Dupuis, J. K. (2012). Supporting urban Aboriginal social justice in education: A case study of the educational leader’s roles, responsibilities, and relationships as care providers. Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.

 

I am still reading this 200+ page dissertation but I am so excited about the knowledge that it offers. It is part of my personal philosophy that I cannot reach, teach, or support my students without creating relationships with them first. That presents more of a challenge when the educator has a different frame of reference than their students. I believe that this research will provide assistance with bridging that gap.

 

In Kovacs’ qualitative study, she begins with the purpose of developing a community of care model in which educators are only a part. She stresses the importance of schools involving students’ parents and representatives from their culture, whether that is extended relatives, elders, or other care providers. Overall, her interest is in providing social justice – “balance and harmony in respect to supporting…Aboriginal people” (9). She concludes that, particularly in urban centers, education does not fully support Aboriginal students’ “holistic well-being” (194), although she acknowledges several efforts that have the potential to create improvement. She concludes with a series of questions meant to provoke thought in educators, as well as to provide avenues for further research.

A resource to learn about “Responsive Educational Systems”

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http://site.ebrary.com/lib/ubc/docDetail.action?docID=10385334

This link leads to the ebook “Synthesis Report of the Aboriginal Knowledge Learning Centre’s Literature Reviews: Responsive Educational Systems”, by Patricia Kovacs. It was funded by the First Nations Adult and Higher Education Consortium and by the University of Saskatchewan.

The book is what the title implies – a literature review of “responsive” educational systems. It provides a collected resource for educators attempting to learn more about best practices in First Nations education, specifically ways to foster a spirit of learning rather than to force the typical educational mold. The synthesis is informed by consultation with elders and educators from regional First Nations groups, and appears to be an accurate source of information. The authors emphasize that the shared elements among FNMI cultures are different than mainstream culture, and the colonial legacy has created issues that cannot be ignored; they argue that it is “critical to understand this, to fully realize the barriers that hinder opportunities for FNMI learning” (7).  The book does more than to just review the literature, too: it provides information about indigenous learning philosophies and important tenets of indigenous cultures, as well as reviews of educational systems that have seen success, and recommendations for further improvement.