Author Archives: KateWilley

Module 2 Post 5: Aboriginal Programming

For National Aboriginal Day, the CBC is hosting a variety of Aboriginal television programming, much of which is hosted at the following link: CBC – National Aboriginal Day

One program I viewed this evening was a documentary called “Trick or Treaty?” (link to the NFB), made in 2014 by Alanis Obomsawin, which discusses Treaty No. 9 – signed over a century ago under false pretences – perhaps especially because of the manipulation of oral information.  The documentary emphasizes that the government manipulated what was said to the Chiefs who signed the treaty, who would have had a very different understanding of the magnitude of what was orally agreed upon, in order to gain their signature.  It’s an interesting film that lays bare the exploitive actions taken by Canada to have this treaty agreed to and the actions that have been taken by Indigenous groups (and non-Indigenous, e.g. as a workshop led by a white educator is woven throughout the film) against it, especially in recent years.

Module 2 Post 4: ETEC 510 Wiki – “Indigenous Cultures and Education”

ETEC 510 (Design of Technology Supported Learning Environments) through UBC (which I am also currently enrolled in), has an ongoing wiki project where students contribute in various ways.  I recently found an entry that has been contributed to by many students since 2008, titled “Indigenous Cultures and Education“.  It has a number of sections about different facets of this subject, and an extensive reference list from which learners can explore.

Module 2 Post 3: Urban Indigenous Resources (#1)

In an effort to begin looking into Urban Indigeneity, I have included here a handful of links to online resources I have come across so far.

Link: Urban Aboriginal Knowledge Network

Link: Government of Canada – Urban Aboriginal Peoples

Link: Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres 

Link: Urban Aboriginal Peoples Study

I hope to find more resources with deeper exploration of the topic, and I will add them as I do.

Module 2 Post 2: Ongoing Genocide

I don’t care what anyone in the media is saying in response to the TRC, we are witnesses to a genocide, both in the past and present.

Here are a couple of media texts along this theme:

Link to Maclean’s Article:  Canada, home to the suicide capital of the world 

Link to TED talk: America’s Native prisoners of war 

Module 2 – Post 1: OISE resource

As I begin to narrow down my focus for assignment in the course, I went looking to see what resources are out there for teachers who want to incorporate more authentic resources for Indigenous studies.  After Ontario’s curriculum was referenced in a previous reading I wanted to se what was out there, so I did a quick check for what the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education has to offer.

Link: OISE resource – Infusing Aboriginal Perspectives into Your Teaching Practice 

I haven’t delved into the links yet but plan to, and am curious to see what kind of suggestions are made now that my critical eye is being formed through the readings in our course.  I’ve heard criticism of the term ‘FNMI’ by an Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) colleague, and it is heavily referenced in a lot of curriculum, so I plan on reviewing the resources while looking out for any signs of ‘primitivism’ and Euro-centricity.

Module 1 Post 5 – News Article

My mum forwarded this interesting Globe and Mail article to me this week, as it’s obviously related to our course thus far!

Link: “Native Youth Claim Their Future Through Technology”

The article is part of a series the paper is running called “Rich Country Poor Country”, and looks at the disparity in income and standard of living in Canada between a variety of groups.  The author, a contributor to the paper named Gabrielle Fayant, describes growing up very poor and the impact this had on her and her peers – but then goes on to describe how she is using technology as a platform for programs that effect change.

For those interested, the video linked within the article goes into greater detail about the wealth gap, and this article (link: http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/out-of-sight-out-of-mind-2/ ) from Maclean’s I read a few months ago lays it out even more plainly.

Module 1 Post 4 – Tumblr: “Aboriginal Space”

Doing just a quick google search I found a tumblr (that seems to be dead, the last post was 2 years ago) that was collecting online resources and stories about Indigenous communities in digital spaces.  Some of the posts are about apps in development, some are links to websites or projects, and some are resources directly provided in the blog (such as videos).  Although it’s not active, I will be browsing through it as a starting place for my inquiry, as one potential direction I’m considering for my research is the ‘re-indigenization’ of digital space (or the possibility of it).

Online link:  Aboriginal Space

Module 1 Post 3: Educational Programs & Instititutions from Hare Reading

While reading through the chapter by Jan Hare (Learning from Indigenous Knowledge in Education), I made a point of pursuing links into various programs and educational institutions mentioned.  This list isn’t comprehensive but represents what I was able to find about each, and may prove as useful pushing-off points for our future research:

The Settlement Agreement on Residential Schools
Website link: The United Church of Canada

Aboriginal Head Start Program
Government Link: On Reserve
Government Link: Urban & Northern Commission

Indian Control of Indian Education
Document Link: “Over a Decade Later”
Document Link: Chiefs Assembly on Education 

Online Link: First Nations University of Canada

Module 1 Post 2 – Residential Schools & The TRC

In a previous post my classmate Erin provided a link to a TVO special about residential schools, but described it as being somewhat dated.  Since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has been in the news recently, as it is ‘officially’ coming to and end soon, I wanted to look more into it – I hate to say it, but I’m pretty ignorant on the topic.

The official website for the TRC is here, and is flooded at the moment with information about the closing events and the TRC overall.
Link: Interim report from 2012
Primary Sources Link:  Online videos of statements made as part of the TRC

In my searching I also found this article from the Ottawa Citizen, quoting the head of the TRC Murray Sinclair (an Anishinaabe judge and lawyer), as saying that Canadians need to know that the history of the residential schools and its traumas “include them”.  Powerful stuff!

Module 1 Post 1 – Re-Indigenizing Digital Spaces

Based on the readings from week 1, there is the question of whether or not or to what extent can/should technology be incorporated into Aboriginal education, especially when it seems to contradict pillar forms of Indigenous knowing and learning.

I was able to meet with at least one Aboriginal Educator who believes that the internet will be vital in spreading awareness about his people (specifically the Anishinabe) and Indigenous people in Canada and wants to build his digital toolbox.  His name is Eddy Robinson and he is part of Morningstar River – their website is here: http://www.morningstarriver.com/index.html

When he came into speak he used Keynote through his Mac, and did mostly lecture-style teaching.  He left things open for student questions, but the group was shy, unfortunately.  He opened and closed the time with a song, and had brought a drum with him.  Afterwards, he spoke about how he on the one hand wants to make some resources available online, but is conflicted about making all knowledge available to anyone.  For example, he mentioned creating a video about the process of smudging that he would post but make private, with a limited time-frame of viewability to groups that had invited him in.  I think he was feeling aware that a ‘safe space’ (his words) is created where he is invited, but the internet is not equally safe.  That said, he cited his friend and colleague Wab Kenew (and specifically his ‘8th Fire’ series) as a way that technology is spreading what he sees as important work.  I’m very interested in doing further research and reflection on this juxtaposition, and what practical learning can be derived from it as an educator.