Tag Archives: indigenous perspectives

Bridging Communities Through Murals (M2P4)

In their paper, Taonsayontenhroseri:ye’ne: the Power of art in Indigenous Research with Youth, Whitlow et al. (2019) report on their arts-based research project, Transformation, Action, Grafitti (#TAG). Participants were from Six Nations, the unceded territory of Brantford, Chili, and the Mapuche territory of Kompu Lof. The project’s goals were first, to nourish cultural pride for Indigenous youth, and second, to educate non-Indigenous youth “through a for-Indigenous-people-by-Indigenous-people framework” (p. 182). During the workshops, participants created doodles based on what they were seeing and hearing. Later, these doodles were collected by the Alapinta (Chilean) muralists, who tied them together into two sister murals. The murals were painted in prominent locations in Six Nations and the Brantford downtown-core. They sparked conversations about reconciliation that, thanks to the Internet and social media, reached globally.

Participants working on the Brantford mural

The authors say this about the power of art:

“For this reason, art was even better medium for communication across the barriers of colonial languages. Haudenosaunee people often struggle to translate their stories from their original languages as English does not communicate the depth and complexity of their own morphology. The images that appear in the mural can be interpreted and valued regardless of spoken language. Indeed, art was the bridge between groups of people who spoke four different languages, often through a translator. Despite our struggles with language, symbolism and cultural imagery became a shared and complex form of communication” (p. 186).

The #TAG’s completed Six Nations mural

Reference:

Whitlow, K. B., Oliver, V., Anderson, K., Brozowski, K., Tschirhart, S., Charles, D., & Ransom, K. (2019). Taonsayontenhroseri:ye’ne: the power of art in Indigenous research with youth. AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples, 15(2), 180–189. https://doi.org/10.1177/1177180119845915

Indigenous Youth Leadership: HIV-prevention and the Arts (M2P3)

In their paper, “Because we have really unique art”: Decolonizing
Research with Indigenous Youth Using the Arts, Flicker et al. (2014) outline the process and results of the project for Taking Action!, an Indigenous-youth-led project on using art for HIV prevention. The paper opens with the following quote by France Trépanier:

Art can be medicine, a survival tool, an antidote. Art is our identity, our place, a sign of our presence on this planet. It is medicine as it helps healing because we’ve been through so many things. Art is for the people. It can help build our communities.

Mural Created by Inuit Youth Participants of Puvirnituq, Nunavik

The goal of the project was to “explore the links between community, culture, colonization, and HIV” (p. 16). Twenty Indigenous artists and over one hundred youth (age 13-29) participated from six different communities across Canada. The project was guided by a committee of Indigenous youth. The paper is full of commentary from the participants, who found the workshops to be fun and helped them talk about HIV. The opportunity to learn ” traditional art forms, such as carving, throat singing, drumming, and painting, was an effective way to focus on the issues while learning about, and in some cases, reclaiming, parts of their heritage” (p. 22). The authors emphasize the importance of giving participants choice in what they did. As an educator, one comment particularly stood out to me: “You talk so much you don’t really remember, but if you do art you are going to remember it all” (p. 23).

At the end of the workshops, the participants had created pieces that they were proud of. These were shared with the community, such as paintings showcased locally and songs played on the radio. The project helped the participants challenge stereotypes about Indigenous youth. “Using the pieces as a springboard for discussion was suggested as a way to help people open up when talking about ‘hard things'” (p. 26).

Reference:

Flicker, S., Yee Danforth, J., Wilson, C., Oliver, V., Larkin, J., Restoule, J.-P., Mitchell, C., Konsmo, E., Jackson, R., & Prentice, T. (2014). “Because we have really unique art”: Decolonizing Research with Indigenous Youth Using the Arts. International Journal of Indigenous Health, 10(1), 16–34. https://doi.org/10.18357/ijih.101201513271

Module 2 – Post 2 Social Media as a resource?

I had never considered the possibility of posting an Instagram or TikTok account in a university discussion, but here we are 🙂

Peter NotSo White was introduced to some of my students with social media by a classmate. Since being introduced, his posts have sparked discussion and learning both in class and at home. He presents small but timely information bits on many different aspects of indigeneity, including where does knowledge on indigenous people come from and some of the stereotypes people are exposed to. He also uses story time to deliver messages about life that students in my class really connect with. His content is mostly age appropriate for grade 4/5 (scan first – I have not watched all of them) and his tone and manner are engaging.

His account, and others like it, is an important part of decolonizing my classroom. Relying on outdated texts that tell us a colonial view of history does not help move reconciliation forward. Neither does using texts or media created by non-indigenous voices. The Government of Canada, for example, has a plethora of information available but who benefits from its use?

M.2 P.5 Knowing Home: Braiding Indigenous Science and Western Science

When we braid Indigenous Science with Western Science we acknowledge that both ways of knowing are legitimate forms of knowledge.

I believe both of these books will prove to be useful not only for my research journey but for educators everywhere. Both of these books are free for download too! The relationship between Indigenous science and Western science is an important one. I think it touches on many points we have previously discussed in this course including Indigenous perspectives, world views, and ties them into science teachings and curriculum. It highlights another critical theme in Indigenous culture, the importance of place, and how this is interweaved with identity.

Together, the co-editors and authors, almost all of them Aboriginal, present multiple useful paths towards identifying and recognizing two huge shortfalls in the Canadian educational system to date. One is the abysmal failure of many schools to provide quality education for Aboriginal children and youth, particularly in the areas of science, technology, and health. This situation is reflected today in the marked underrepresentation of Aboriginal students participating in university-level programs in these areas, and, further, in the dearth of professional scientists from Aboriginal communities across the country. The second gap, equally lamentable, is that students of mainstream western science and technology have been deprived of learning about the immense body of Indigenous scientific knowledge, perspectives, and applications acquired and built over generations of dwelling in particular places. Knowing Home… will be a wonderful resource that will bring all Canadians to a higher level of understanding in these two areas.

Book 1 provides an overview of why traditional knowledge and wisdom should be included in the science curriculum, a window into the science and technologies of the Indigenous peoples who live in Northwestern North America, Indigenous worldview, culturally responsive teaching strategies and curriculum models, and evaluative techniques. It is intended that the rich examples and cases, combined with the resources listed in the appendices, will enable teachers and students to explore Indigenous Science examples in the classroom; and in addition, support the development of culturally appropriate curriculum projects.

Book 2 provides supportive research, case studies, and commentary that extends and enriches the chapters presented in Book 1. The chapters provide rich descriptions related to Indigenous cultural beliefs and values; an Aboriginal concept of time; transforming teacher thinking about Indigenous Science; the use of digital video as a learning tool for secondary Aboriginal students; the perceptions and experiences of post-secondary Aboriginal students during science instruction; a WSÁNEĆ concept of “knowledge of most worth”, and a study of successful Aboriginal students in secondary science.

Snively, G. & Williams, W. (2016). Knowing Home: Braiding Indigenous Science with Western Science Book 1. University of Victoria. https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/knowinghome/

Snively, G. & Williams, W. (2018). Knowing Home: Braiding Indigenous Science with Western Science Book 2. University of Victoria. https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/knowinghome/

M1P4: Indigenous Cinema in the Classroom

“Our educational playlists are selections of films on themes that tie in with Canadian curricula and address the important issues of the day. Many of the playlists are also linked to our study guides.”

Within the “Indigenous Voices and Reconciliation” tab, some playlists that I have flagged for review are:

Indigenous Cinema in the Classroom Professional Learning for Educators
Indigenous Cinema in the Classroom (Ages 15+)
Indigenous Cinema in the Classroom (Ages 12-14)
Indigenous Cinema in the Classroom (Ages 6-11)

https://www.nfb.ca/education/educational-playlists/#indigenous-voices-and-reconciliation

Module 1 Post 5

My heart is heavy this week as news breaks of the children found at a former residential school in Kamloops. And once again I look to my role as an educator within a system that has failed so many. Further, Lee Brown’s interview has served as a reminder that the “traditional” forms of education only serve those that see themselves represented within the system. And so I continue to reflect and change my practice. I come back to the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) and their guiding principles on learning. This website also provides rich resources for helping to move First Nations education in BC. While it is generalized in that it attempts to reflect a collective First Nation practice as much as possible, it serves as a reminder of the approaches I take in my classroom.

https://www.fnesc.ca/first-peoples-principles-of-learning/

Module 1 Post 1

As a French Immersion classroom teacher, I have been interested in the protection of French culture and comparative lack of protection of indigenous culture within Canada. The immersion program was initially designed as a way of preserving and maintaining Quebec-French culture in Canada. No such program exists with the same participation or funding for protecting First Nation traditions and cultures, though they can exist to some degree independently.

In my first year of teaching, I worked at a school where the students learned Salish as their second language instead of French. I saw firsthand how it helped to grow and expand their understanding of the complexities that existed around them. First Nations students in the class felt represented by the curriculum and their peers gained a cultural lesson while all students benefitted from increased understanding of local history and current reality. As a teacher, it was both humbling and illuminating to have my local knowledge challenged and expanded so quickly.

This interactive website presents some important “first step” information to learning about one of the Nations on who’s traditional territory my school is located: the Sto:lo Nation. I appreciate that it is an authentic voice that can help guide class learning.

http://digitalsqewlets.ca/index-eng.php

M.1 P.3 The Canadian Mountain Network

“The Canadian Mountain Network (CMN) was established in 2019 to support the resilience and health of Canada’s mountain peoples and places through research partnerships based on Indigenous and Western ways of knowing that inform decision-making and action” (CMN, n.d.)

I found this website to be incredibly insightful with links to opportunities, research, events, news, knowledge, training, and a blog that uploads news articles, reports, special events, and podcasts. Below you can see the goals of The CNM, linked to the main website.

Canadian Mountain Podcast: Mountain research through Indigenous and Western knowledge systems

I enjoyed this podcast as it discusses the benefits of using both Indigenous and Western approaches to understanding mountains. This podcast hits especially close to home as it relates to the research my partner is currently doing, working closely with elders to embrace and engage with traditional forms of knowledge and learning where we live in Northern B.C.

References

Canadian Mountain Network. (n.d.). CMN Mountain Portal. https://canadianmountainnetwork.ca/

Module 1, Post #3- Indigenous & inSTEM

Indigenous sciences often use a qualitative, integrated approach that results in a holistic understanding of how to live in harmony with nature. Research shows that Indigenous students perform better when educators provide a culturally responsive curriculum that combines Indigenous ways of knowing nature with Western scientific knowledge. Indigenous educators refer to this as “Two-Eyed Seeing” — a way of learning that leverages the strengths, perspectives, and knowledge of both cultures.

However, in most school districts, Indigenous students study science, math, and technology from a largely Western perspective; Indigenous cultures and ways of understanding STEM subjects are not represented in curriculums. As a result, many Indigenous students feel alienated, and opt out of science and math classes once they reach high school. How do we engage these indigenous learners and increase their participation?

Introducing InSTEM: Indigenous Youth in Stem. It is a national program that incorporate traditional practices of living into educational pedagogy. It aligns land-based learning to western STEM experiences and renew indigenous identity and perspectives. In the end, it fosters skills and confidence for aboriginal youth to apply to future careers in STEM.

M.1 P.1 TEK vs Western Science

Traditional Ecological Knowledge vs Western Science

The National Park Service has created a website for people interested in learning more about traditional ecological knowledge. While this site has many resources, project ideas, methods for learning, considerations, and applications, among other interesting and valuable information, I focused on a topic found under the issues dropdown. This site’s intent is to allow people to submit papers or other resource links to present the issues and potential solutions. The link attached to the picture below with take you to the website’s section on TEK vs Western Science.

(National Park Service)

While there are a number of links to interesting and informative papers, videos, webinars, and other media related to TEK and western science, Leroy Little Bear’s message speaks to me, how Indigenous and Western perspectives can be reconciled to benefit all.