Author Archives: STEPHANIEIVES

Entry #20: Government of Saskatchewan – First Nations, Métis, and Northern Citizens

https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/first-nations-citizens

This government website provides information organized into sections on federal benefits and rights, applying for Indian Status, the Duty to Consult of the provincial government, education, business information, help for Aboriginal victims of crime, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a directory of First Nations and Métis contacts, community initiatives, tax programs, hunting and fishing rights, and treaty land and entitlements.  This resource provides the government perspective on their governance of these tenets of First Nations and Métis life while providing relevant information for First Nations and Métis use of government systems and services.  Each page is further subdivided into relevant categories of information, including links to any government policies or forms and common questions about the topic.  In order to more fully understand the nature of Indigenous – non-Indigenous interactions and dynamics in Saskatchewan, it is important to look at the tone set by the government and the role they play in contemporary successes and challenges.

Entry #19: Saskatoon Health Region – First Nations and Métis Health Services

https://www.saskatoonhealthregion.ca/locations_services/Services/fnmh/service/Pages/Resources.aspx

This website contains information for First Nations and Métis peoples regarding medical services available in the Saskatoon Health Region.  Through online brochures, contact information, and links to other Saskatoon Health Region services, visitors to the site can access mental wellness telephone assistance, information about chronic disease management, and how to find an advocate to support oneself in the health care system.  The face-to-face services provided by the department are also communicated, as well as how to access them.  Because of the impoverished living conditions facing many First Nations and Métis people in Saskatchewan, this website is a much needed resource to help Indigenous peoples in Saskatchewan access necessary medical information, treatment, and support.  Links on the site connect to other departments of the health region and external helplines.

Entry #18: Thunder Radio

http://thunderradio.mfnerc.com/

Thunder Radio is an online podcast channel of the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre that is focused on First Nations education in Manitoba and in Canada as a whole.  There are currently 16 episodes on the online channel, covering topics including Indigenous Literature, Indigenous Knowledge, and Virtual Learning on Reserves.  This resource provides glimpses into current topics in Indigenous education through the eyes of Indigenous educators, students, and other contributors.  The list of official podcast followers is online, so there is also the potential for listeners to connect with one another across communities.  This oral medium is important for stimulating discussion regardless of time and place, enabling listeners to engage with the information as if they were being told a story or conversing with someone right in front of them.

Entry #17: Saskatchewan First Nations Natural Resource Centre of Excellence

http://skfncentre.ca/

The Centre of Excellence was created by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations with the intention of supporting First Nations communities in Saskatchewan in “creating opportunities for the innovative, sustainable and environmentally responsible development of the natural resources within their lands and Indigenous territories.”  The work of this centre speaks to the importance of holistic learning, collaborative relationships, and sustainability in the First Nations worldview.  Their work captures some of the main issues facing First Nations people in Saskatchewan, namely, environmental protection, educational engagement, and economic livelihood.  While the site does not link directly to external resources, it does provide a listing of the centre’s partners, including Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technology, and The National Energy Business Centre of Excellence.

Entry #16: CBC News – Saskatchewan Graduation Rates

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/sask-grad-rates-1.4302374
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/sask-indigenous-graduation-rates-1.4148401

These two articles from CBC examine the trends in graduation rates in Saskatchewan. With Aboriginal student graduation rates lower than non-Aboriginal students, other issues raised for discussion include social circumstances and budgetary constraints. Engagement has been identified as a key element to providing a higher quality of education for First Nations and Métis students. These articles help to explain some of disparity in postsecondary attendance rates, and subsequently, opportunities for advancement for Aboriginal youth. The articles also link to similar articles from slightly different perspectives regarding the graduation rate research.

Entry #15: SaskSport Aboriginal Sport

(http://www.sasksport.sk.ca/aboriginalSport.php)

This SaskSport program is intended to address identified needs and fill gaps that exist for Aboriginal communities in Saskatchewan. The main page includes information about the multi-year strategic plan, the Sport Enhancement Program, community grants, the SIMTAG poster series, and the Aboriginal Sports Leadership Council. This is both a symptom of current issues in the social structure of the province’s people and an example of an initiative intended to reconcile the compounded discrepancies. Additional links are provided to Aboriginal coach training and general SaskSport information.

Entry #14: Canadian Native Law Cases

(https://library.usask.ca/native/cnlc/index.html)

This database of Native law cases between 1763 and 1978 was compiled by researchers at the University of Saskatchewan Native Law Centre in the 1980s. Although it only includes cases up to 1978, it has the potential to be a strong resource for examining the legal side of the interactions between the Crown and First Nations and Métis populations that have influenced more contemporary perspectives, attitudes, and situations. The main page of the database does provide a link to another external database that contains information about more recent cases. The case records can be either browsed from a list organized by volume or searched using key words, making the database user friendly for various types of research.

Entry #13: Online Cree Dictionary

(http://www.creedictionary.com/)

This resource is an initiative of the Miyo Wahkohtowin Community Education Authority and the Dr. Earle Waugh Dir. Center for Culture & Health Family Medicine at the University of Alberta. Their focus is on building an interactive resource to support the preservation and development of Cree language in Canada. Their resource is available in app form as well, increasing its practical usability. The resource includes syllabic converters based on specific subgroups of Cree. The site also includes links to external Cree language resources as well as a site from which to download fonts that will support the appropriate characters and symbols in written Cree. This resource is a living example of many of the cultural preservation and rejuvenation themes we have been exploring in this course. It will also be a good resource for engaging more accurately with Cree-based concepts since the language can be explored as its own cultural component.

Entry #12: MathCentral Database

(http://mathcentral.uregina.ca/RR/database/RR.09.00/treptau1/index.html)

This University of Regina project has compiled a series of games drawn from a variety of Aboriginal cultures that could be played with students, including a section on games that support specific math skills. Each game page includes a very brief cultural-historical background to the culture of origin, original and adapted materials, and instructions. The source of the research for each game is also linked, providing potential extensions to one’s own research. This resource provides small ways that teachers can integrate Aboriginal culture naturally into classroom activities. There is also the potential for students to conduct their own research into additional activities not included on the website. Such games could be an excellent way to help bridge the perceived gap between cultures by including alternatives to Western approaches to learning.

Entry #11: The Cradleboard Teaching Project

(http://www.cradleboard.org/main.html)

This project is an initiative begun by Buffy Sainte-Marie through her Nihewan Foundation with the mission of providing an interactive learning experience for children to develop more authentic understanding of Native American culture and contributions to society. The Cradleboard website includes their own curriculum for different contexts of study, some of which are available free of charge and some of which require a subscription. The site includes links to multimedia resources for students and teachers, links to external websites organized by tribe (both Canadian and American), and a complementary project with chat rooms and discussion boards to help people connect. The overarching goal is to connect non-Aboriginal classrooms with authentic Aboriginal resources in order to address misconceptions and build a culture of understanding and appreciation.