Category Archives: Module 2

Our Songs: Module 2, Post 4

http://www.witbn.org/OurSongs/#.WUR7rmjyu00

Our songs is a collection of music from Indigenous peoples around the world. The site displays an interactive world map. You can click on a mic icon and discover songs from around the world. I think this musical archive is an amazing tool. Living in Canada, the music we hear on the radio is very Westernized. Often, artists diminish accents and alter their production to make them sound more American. This makes it pretty hard to figure out where a song/artist originates from. I love watching interview of musicians for this reason. I like to have a better understanding of who they are and where their music is coming from. This website helps make this more accessible.

Each song has tags associated with it. The one I clicked on has the tags: environment, humour, identity, language, love, and people. There is intro and story about the musician Kali Navales. This information is present for each artist. This is a really cool way to explore Indigenous music.

Indigenous Media: Module 2, Post 3

http://indigenousmedia.com/

This media company’s goal is to give storytellers around the world a platform, from which they can create any kind of content and reach their intended audience. They use both traditional and digital media components. I found this aspect of their company to be most intertwined with the goals of many members of Indigenous communities we have read about so far. Rather than forgetting the old and moving on with the new, they are actively embracing both sides to create unique media. From custom series, to work featuring female lead roles they offer a space within media for those looking to complete work that is native to their own space. They have a series titles 60 second docs that is well reviewed on Facebook. I found this site while looking for Indigenous media sources, however, I can’t seem to find any “Indigenous” material , as we refer to the word in this course. Not to say that this media outlet is void of it, but I found it interesting due to the name. I would be curious to hear what you guys think about this. On the site they give the definition of Indigenous as: originating or occurring naturally in a particular place, native. Of course this pertains to many things, it just sparked a thought in me about the way we refer to things and what underlying meaning is rooted in titles.

Module 2 Weblog Entry – Paige McClelland

Charlo, A. (2015, March 27). Indigenous language revitalization [Video]. Retrieved from Ted Talk website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kuC_IemiCs

In this video, April Charlo shares her experience of learning about her native language and its powerful connection to the land and people. She realizes that the Salish language doesn’t have the concept of ownership in regards to the natural world, by recognizing she had been using the word “my” in relation to the natural world for many years. She expresses, “What if I had been forcing unnatural concepts into the language of my people; what if my efforts were actually changing the true essence of my people forever?” For me, this was the most powerful moment of the video, because I realized the real power that language has in seemingly small exchanges. Reflecting on ancestral stories, April realizes that the concept of ownership was forged from the colonial era in which some of her ancestors were forced to own land. They had to develop an “adapt or die” mentality in order to survive, which didn’t align with their values or traditions. To April, language revitalization is much more than simply the language, but respecting and promoting the values and concepts that are attached to it. She ends with a powerful message: By focusing less on ownership and more on connection, how can one become more connected with the natural world?
As educators, how do we recognize when we might be forcing unnatural concepts on other cultures? I think this is an important question to reflect on when considering culturally responsive language learning.

Hare, J. (2014, April 4). A dialogue with Jan Hare: Professor in Indig. Education for Teacher Education. Retrieved from YouTube website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRfwcCxkrtg

In this course, I have really enjoyed reading Dr. Hare’s work, so I sought out more resources presented/written by her! Dr. Hare specializes in Indigenous education for teacher education (particularly in B.C.). At the beginning of this video, she poses the following question: If Indigenous knowledge is not just about being inclusive, then how do we center Indigenous knowledge? This is a question that I have been particularly interested in since the beginning of the term, especially in relation to advancing and preserving Indigenous languages. While Dr. Hare doesn’t state specific answers, I think she poses really important discussion prompts, such as “how do we develop new tools for interpreting old knowledge” in our practice and pedagogy? She also references the popular quotation, “It’s education that got us into this mess, and it’s education that will get us out,” ultimately arguing that we can transform our practice to integrate Indigenous knowledge and reshape curriculum in a way that is more centered. In terms of my research project focused on literacy, I am interested in ways that I can transform my current practice and help others to do the same, so that Indigenous knowledge is not only recognized and included, but also centered and grounded in language learning for all learners.

Maina, F. (1997). Culturally relevant pedagogy: First Nations education in Canada. The Canadian Journal of Native Studies XVII, 2, 293-314. Retrieved from http://www3.brandonu.ca/cjns/17.2/cjnsv17no2_pg293-314.pdf

Although this journal article is dated, I think it provides important information for educators on culturally responsive pedagogy. While technology has changed substantially since the publishing of this article, a lot of the issues regarding a culturally responsive classroom remain the same. It’s important for educators to provide space for both traditional and modern expressions of culture, and technology is potential way to do that. After reading this article, I was struck by the incredible responsibility that teachers have to “present complex, sensitive material in a way that helps the students understand the realities of their past and present while maintaining a positive outlook for the future.” When considering mobile education for literacy, there are certainly many options to provide material, but how do we ensure we are being sensitive in our selection of material? Is it up to us, even? Should it be?

Teaching for Indigenous Education. (n.d.). Key learning ideas [Web page]. Retrieved from http://www.indigenouseducation.educ.ubc.ca/language/key-learning-ideas/

Inspired by Dr. Hare’s work, I was directed to this website, which offers some fantastic resources, information, and scholarly work on 8 topics relevant to Indigenous education today. Each topic focuses on key learning ideas, Indigenous perspectives, enhancing understanding, classrooms connections, and additional resources. Since my research topic is on language and literacy, I gravitated toward that topic, but I think this whole website will be extremely valuable in this ETEC course and beyond. Under the classroom connections tab under the Languages topic, I was stunned by the extensive material provided for preservice and practicing teachers. It has been difficult to find classroom material that has been developed by Indigenous people for language and literacy, so I am really excited by these resources and its connection to the B.C. curriculum!

Walkus, J. (2015, December 11). Language is our life line [Video]. Retrieved from TED Talk website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqleT-kB6GU

In this Ted Talk, Joye Walkus shares her experience of learning the Indigenous language, Kwak’wala. She describes learning the language from her mother and now deceased “Gramps,” and connecting her family’s history with her present and future passion of sharing this language with her daughter and broader community. Her wish is for the language to survive, because learning a language isn’t simply about learning words in isolation–it is about sharing experiences and describing the depth of those experiences with those around us to learn and share. After watching this video, I have a deeper appreciation for the necessity to keep Indigenous languages alive, as it is a bridge that unites the past with the present and future and provides deeper meaning for all.

In connecting this to education, my question is, how can we bridge the “informal” styles of learning a language within the formal context of a school?

The Reel Injun: Module 2, Post #2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g9OAOZZenk

In my last year of University I took a Canadian Photography course that was focused on the early invention of photography and its evolution in Canada. We watched this film in the class. It is fascinating to learn about how Indigenous peoples have typically been portrayed in film and media. This film is a 2009 Canadian documentary directed by a Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond, Catherine Bainbridge, and Jeremiah Hayes. The way in which Native Americans have been portrayed in the media was shocking to me. The film brings about the common issue of misrepresentation of characters in film. This film ties in very well with the Ginsberg (2002) reading in Week 4. It is historical and collaborative. The film shows iconic locations in movie history and illustrates the portrayal and stereotyping of Native Americans that was done on these sets. The film is nomadic, the makers travel around to all of these locations and re-write history in a time when they now have the opportunity to do so. This film shows that film and media has almost come full circle from the first representation of Inuit people in Flaherty’s 1922 film. If you have a bit of time to watch any or all of it, I would highly recommend.

Ginsburg, F.D. (2002). Screen Memories: Resignifying the Traditional in Indigenous Media. In F.D. Ginsberg, L. Abu-Lughod & B. Larkin, (Eds.) Media Worlds: Anthropology on a New Terrain. (pp. 39-57). Berkeley, University of California Press.

Indigenous Top Ten: Module 2, Post #1

http://www.academica.ca/indigenoustopten

The Indigeneous Top Ten is a bi-weekly publication that shares breaking news, articles of interest, educational practices and other important news relating to Indigenous education in Canada. People from all sorts of different facets contribute to the publication, speaking on this topic in relation to education at all scales and levels. This makes this website and excellent stop for those interested in furthering their understanding of current events in this field.

The most recent Top Ten published on May 31, 2017 has stories spanning from the Catholic School board decision to end their Aboriginal Retention worker program, exchanges of stories within Indigenous groups around the world, promoting partnerships between schools and bands, and connecting students with elders and artists. The website offers articles that are of reasonable length, making the information very accessible.