Tag Archives: reconciliation

Dana’s Contributions to Module 4

Aboriginal Nations Education Division (ANED) for School District 61

So many amazing resources from my school district’s Aboriginal Education team. You can find pretty much anything you want here, or use this website as a launch point to bring authentic, Indigenous knowledge into your classroom or workplace.

Having said this, I found this resource on this site, that was developed by the BC government in 2006. It targets Kindergarten through Grade 10, and for the most part, looks like a useful document. However, when searching for material for my ETEC 521 paper, I did uncover something that did not sit well with me on p.82. It suggests that in Mathematics 10, that educators and students research the statistics surrounding Aboriginal graduation rates.  Although graduation rates have been slowly improving over the years, they are still below the provincial average.  An exercise such as this will consequently perpetuate stereotypes amongst non-Indigenous students and potentially send Indigenous students harmful messaging.  This document was produced by the Ministry of Education, who used Indigenous community members and educators to assist with its creation, however, at the end of the day, the MOE was the entity in charge of the final product. Who was the person who added this terrible idea to a government resource? In general, it is difficult to find culturally responsive material for academic Math 10, so did somebody “pad” this section without being informed? I find it very difficult to believe that any Indigenous person would think that this was a good idea!!

Four Directions Teachings

Click on the image to go directly to this interactive website that shares Indigenous knowledge from five First Nations from across Canada.  Drumming, storytelling, sound effects and beautiful graphics are clearly shared and described in these teachings. Be sure to spend time with the Teacher Resource package that is linked on the first page, as well.  My only disappointment is that the Coast Salish was not included in this resource, as this would help my non-Indigenous students connect more to the land that they live on and to the people who were here before colonization.  Barring that, this seems to be a great site for not only learning about specific Nations, but to also dispel stereotypes that promote pan-Indigenous homogenization.

Victoria’s booming shoebox campaign part of “reconciliaction”

This article was recently posted in the Victoria News, a local, community newspaper.  A family of Metis heritage has started a campaign that creates shoeboxes filled with age appropriate gifts for Indigenous youth who presumably are living in poverty conditions, north of Smithers, BC.

Having grown up in a state of lower, lower middle class myself, I think that I would have loved to have received a shoebox full of trinkets as a child. Sometimes when I was young, I did not think that anybody cared about me, and that I was more of a hassle, than anything else. I would imagine that Indigenous youth, in isolated towns, who may not have a heck of a lot to do or to live on, would be prone to feeling this way, as well.  Suicide rates in some communities, definitely exemplify this sentiment, in the worst possible way.

So my hat goes off to these young girls who are not only filling shoeboxes and but rallying others to do the same.  We all need to feel like somebody cares about us, that is the TRUTH!

However, is it fair for the editors of the newspaper to make a play on words, turning “reconciliation”  to “reconciliaction”? Hmmm… that part is not sitting well with me. Is it not the government’s role to “reconciliact”? It seems to me that this family is NOT enacting reconciliation via their noble campaign.  True, they are addressing the oppressive, harmful effects that colonization has had on Nations and their people. But this is not reconciliation…

What does reconciliation mean to you?

So what does reconciliation truly mean? Here are six individuals perspectives from a 2016 CBC article.  Spoiler alert: none of them mentioned shoeboxes…

This.

My Kiwi Godfather posted this on his Facebook feed this week and I had to share.

“Colonization has forced stereotyping

To become a household name

Which resides under our beds

Becoming the monsters that we are now scared of.”

The raw talent of Kia Kaha is unreal and inspirational. When students are given the freedom to have their voices heard, powerful, life changing moments can and will transpire.

 

 

Module 4

http://secretpath.ca/

The Secret Path began as poems written by Gord Downie, after he heard Chanie Wenjack’s story, who died at the age of 12 in 1966 while trying to escape residential school. The poems became songs, and the songs inspired a graphic novel of Chanie’s story. Gord Downie brought Chanie’s story into the conscience of Canadians. Some people may argue that Gord Downie is telling a story that isn’t his, but he was embraced by Chanie’s family and Aboriginal communities around Canada for his work in shining light on a dark corner of Canadian history.

 

http://www.firstvoiceskids.com/

This interactive website teachings children traditional languages through easy to click icons. There are no instructions, which makes it very kid friendly. They can click through and find an activity, like colouring, or click on icons that are linked to sound files to hear the names of everyday items or phrases. This would be a great way for students to learn new words at their own pace.

 

http://www.indigenousyouthwellness.ca/cuystwi

This is linked with the Ask Auntie site I posted about previously. While Ask Auntie is focused on girls, this a platform is set up in quests for youth to explore their identity and culture and become a young warrior. This is response to the suicide epidemic that was sweeping through some FNMI communities.

 

http://www.reelyouth.ca/GoldTrail.html

This is a link to Reel Youth, a company I hired while working as a digital media teacher. I was working in Ashcroft BC and teaching students in Lillooet, Clinton and Lytton via video conferencing. Reel Youth came to show students how to create stop motion animation. They weren’t just making any film, they had to think of an issue that really affected them and impacted their lives. I was amazed at how seriously my students took this assignment. Their films are political (without realizing it in most cases). They tackle issues like joblessness, poverty, healthcare, LGBTQ rights and the environment, all in 30 second claymation videos. One video in particular caught a lot of negative attention from a few community members and a YouTube comment war began. A parent sent it to Rick Mercer and he responded with a video. It was amazing to see my students in a tiny town be recognized by a public figure for their hard work. These videos are great examples of self representation and shows the issues the students (Indigenous and non-indigenous) feel are important and close to home.

 

https://native-land.ca/

This site is an interesting project run by a non-Indigenous person who is upfront about the questions of representing land on maps, which he sees are inherently colonial. You can enter an address and find out what traditional territory it is. Most of the results also link you to websites of those nations or language sites. It would be interesting to use this in a classroom ( there is a teacher guide as well). Students can zoom in or out to see the land covered by territories. It would offer a great way to start discussions about boundaries, nations and the uses of maps over centuries.

Dana’s Contributions to Module 3

Victoria school district Aboriginal cultural facilitator honoured with music award

Anyone who knows Sarah Rhude knows that receiving an award is not something she sought or yearned after.  I talked to my friend and colleague, Jenn Treble, the trouble maker who nominated Sarah, as she was photocopying endless sheets of music for her students, last week.  Jenn informed me that the photo of Sarah was snapped after tears decided to run down her face, due to the emotional wave that the ceremony impacted her with.

Three years ago, Jenn decided that she wanted to introduce Indigenous music into her practice and she asked for Sarah’s help.  Baby step after baby step, since then, has now led to SD61’s permission to the teaching of three Indigenous songs, that were created for the purpose of the project.   All students in Jenn’s band classes, Grades 9 through 12, learn, practice and perform these songs.

Last year, a Grade 12 Metis student asked Jenn, in front of the class, why she was “singling out” Indigenous culture, when there were so many other cultures represented in class. Was he embarrassed? Had he been “colonized to the point of no return”?  I am not sure, although I know the student extremely well– he was one of my top math and physics students! It was a non-Indigenous Grade 9 student who spoke up and said, “Because we do not live on Scottish territory.  If we did live in Scotland, we would undoubtedly learn about Scottish music.  But we live on Lekwungen territory… that is why.”

Enough said.

Why Gord Downie’s ‘beautiful’ work can’t stand alone

My guess is that this will not be the only Hip post this week. I am a Hip fan, although I “only” saw three live shows. Good friends of mine saw well over 20 shows and their now deceased cat was named Gordie.

There were many online pieces to choose from over the week, but I went with this interview from CBC’s, Q, recorded on December 7, 2016. The subject was Jarrett Martineau, and Indigenous art scholar and creator of the Indigenous music platform, Revolutions Per Minute. Martineau acknowledges the significance of Downie’s work, and simultaneously underscores the importance of continuing with activism surrounding language preservation and authentic forms of reconciliation.  Marineau also mentions how celebrities can bring “different communities together by having them all meet in the middle.”   #ThirdSpace

In Canada, white supremacy is the law of the land

You cannot simply reform your racist state by enacting a few more programs and delivering a few more services. It is embedded in the very nature of Canada and requires a completely new deal. But first, to truly understand where we have landed today, we have to continue retracing a bit further along the sad road that brought us to this place. ~Arthur Manuel

Described by some as the Nelson Mandela of Indigenous rights in Canada, Arthur Manuel passed away earlier this year.  The above quote was taken from an excerpt from his recently released book he co-authored with Grand Chief Ronald Derrickson, “The Reconciliation Manifesto, Recovering The Land, Rebuilding The Economy.”

Those of us who appreciate history will appreciate this piece. We have touched on some of this history in our ETEC 521 journey, however, Manuel’s perspective offers a dose of reality, that lacks the sweetener.

For what it is worth, when I visited the Human Rights Museum in Winnipeg last summer, I was impressed with the ample amount of “Canada’s dirty laundry” that was put out for public viewing. This piece does not attempt to hide our soiled knickers, either.  If the rest of the book is like this excerpt, it will be one “kick ass” manifesto!

Non-Indigenous B.C. artist defends work despite calls for authenticity

If you have been monitoring my posts, I listen to a lot of CBC. Perhaps I should be branching out more with my searches, however, when I hear or read something that is recent and relevant, it really resonates with me, as it allows me to think about historical relevance and how it influences our now.

This column, written by the new host of CBC’s Reconcile This, Angela Sterritt, highlights issues of cultural appropriation and intellectual property rights. The artist in question is from England, and has been “blending” Indigenous art forms with non-Indigenous. The article points out that even though the artist is well-meaning, she is indirectly taking money from Indigenous communities that rely on sales of authentic crafts and artwork. An interviewee continues by saying that “the art market is only so big and we are the most vulnerable demographic, so it kind of stings a bit.”

The History of  Dia de Los Muertos & Why You Shouldn’t Appropriate It

“Dear white people, … You arrived at the Dia de los Muertos ceremony shipwrecked, a refugee from a culture that suppresses grief, hides death, … celebrates it only in the most morbid ways — horror movies, violent television — death is dehumanized, without loving connection, without ceremony. You arrived at Dia de los Muertos like a Pilgrim, starving, … and the Indigenous ceremonies fed you … [And] like Pilgrims you have begun to take over, to gentrify and colonize this holiday for yourselves.” ~Aya de Leon

Indigenous peoples worldwide have been fighting off the ramifications of cultural appropriation. This article is a short, history of the cultural relevance of the holiday and why white folks need to stop morphing it into a pathetic excuse to drink excessively and where inappropriate costumes at Halloween parties.

Typically, the comments sections within online pieces are filled with the worst verbal diarrhea know to our species. I came across this comment, however.  She nailed it:

“Alana Sterling I truly believe that it IS okay. Cultural appreciation is wonderful. But there is a big difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation.

My old high school is thinking about having a day of the dead themed prom. In my opinion that is cultural appropriation because the school is majority white and from experience I know that a lot of them are prejudice and are very outspoken about their feelings on Mexican immigration. Its a small high school in the south.
Cultural appropriation to me is when you want the culture but not the people.
I think if you wanted to throw an actual day of the dead party it would be great look up customs and traditional food and music. That’s appreciation, but if you just want an excuse to wear pretty colors and “sugar skulls” then that’s appropriation. Some people might jump on you for it but to me that’s not really that bad, if you want to throw a day if the dead themed party that’s cool you just need to have respect for your Hispanic brothers and sisters.”~Ayleen DeLeon

 

Dana’s Contributions to Module 2

The Ethnos Project

From their Home Page:

The Ethnos Project is a research initiative that explores the intersection of Indigeneity and information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as:

  • open source databases for Indigenous Knowledge management
  • information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D) initiatives
  • new and emerging technologies for intangible cultural heritage
  • social media used by Indigenous communities for social change
  • mobile technologies used for language preservation

The essays found in this site seem incredibly appropriate for our learnings in this course. The founder of The Ethnos Project, Mark Oppenneer, might be a “Wannabe”, however! I tried to learn more about him, only to find that either another person with the same name, or the founder of this page, was fired from his teaching job for inappropriate relations with a student.  From Oppenneer’s LinkedIn profile, it appears to be the same person… What intrigues me about this website, is how polished it looks and how interesting the essays seem to be. My question is this: is the founder a “Wannabe” and should this site be not accessed should this be the case???

Knowing Home: Braiding Indigenous Science with Western Science

Anyone who says that Facebook is a waste of time, is not using Facebook to its full potential.

Recently, I joining a Science Teacher FB group and this group has actually revolutionized my teaching in only 4 weeks. Not only have I adopted something called Two Stage Exams, but someone recently posted a link to this incredible resource, Knowing Home: Braiding Indigenous Science with Western Science. What is particularly jaw-dropping, is that I saved this link two weeks ago, long before I watched this week’s video interviews. The co-author of this online book is none other than Lorna Williams!!!!

This book is a MUST READ for anyone teaching science.  I have only had time to look at a few of the chapters but the one chapter that particularly applies to this week’s module is Chapter 9: Changing Students’ Perceptions of Scientists, the Work of Scientists, and Who Does Science

This chapter summarizes a study that was done with Grade5/6 students and Grade 11/12 in a First Nations Studies course. The stereotypes harboured  by both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal  students are eye-opening, to say the least. As a science educator, what can I do differently in my practice to help my students see past these stereotypes?  Am I do anything that reinforces these stereotypes?

Sask. First Nation chief says tobacco offering from visiting school’s coach a step toward reconciliation

From the CBC, September 30, 2017. Here is the original Facebook post from Chief Evan Taypotat.

People stereotype, consciously and unconsciously– stereotyping is often due to making assumptions, without taking the time to educate oneself of the truth.  However, this was an example of someone taking the time to understand Indigenous culture and showing respect, in an authentic way.

Colorado River should have same legal status as a person: lawsuit

From the CBC, October 10, 2017.

In Week 6 of our studies, we were asked if we thought if cultures have rights to protect themselves?

Should the lawyer representing the Colorado River win his case, he may wish to move on to representing culture in the courts, as well!  Although the article is a quick read, spending time listening to the lawyer’s arguments in the interview is recommended as it may provide you with extremely compelling reasons that make it obvious that our natural resources should be protected in court, as if they were a person.

Stop believing this myth: No, Native Americans are not “anti-science”

Although this website is highly irritating with its pop-up ads, the article itself is worth a read. I took some time to learn about the Salon website (you know, to check on something called “Authority”…) and according to Wikipedia (I know my credibility is sinking fast now…), Salon.com is a left-wing tabloid style, media outlet. NONETHELESS, I am posting this article because IF what it says is actually true, this article would be very valuable to anyone wishing to “braid” Indigenous science into their lessons.  I would highly advise folks to use this as a stepping stone to research more into the topics it provides.

MODULE 3 WEBLOG

The following are resources (articles, videos, websites) on ideas and initiatives focused on Indigenous knowledge, learners and education:

Conestoga College. (2017, March 20). Indigenizing Post-Secondary Education [Video file].

This video explores the experiences of a few post-secondary Indigenous students, within their courses and on-campus supports. The students provide suggestions on going beyond a Euro-centric style of teaching and infusing Indigenous content and teaching methods into the education system, as well as ways to help build stronger relationships among Canadians.

Project of Heart. (n.d.). Project of Heart.

This is an “inquiry based, hands-on, collaborative, inter-generational activity” that helps students learn about the history of Aboriginal people in Canada, including the legacy of the residential school system. It is tailored to different grade levels, including post-secondary, but is not only tied to educational institutions: it can be used by anyone.

Province of BC. (2013, October 25). Changing Results for Young Readers: Laura Tait, First Peoples Principles of Learning [Video file].

This is a presentation by Laura Tait, an educator and administrator. She covers ideas such as Indigenous identity, pedagogy, reflective practice, relationships and understanding. Tait invites viewers to look at the world through an Indigenous lens. She shares some activities that teachers can use with their students and resources for their professional development.

Simon, J., Burton, K., Lockhart, E. (2014). Post-secondary distance education in a contemporary colonial context: Experiences of students in a rural First Nation in Canada. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning 15(1).

This article shares some of the challenges of and opportunities through post-secondary online/distance education in rural and remote First Nation (Indigenous) communities in Canada. The Elsipogtog First Nation community in Nova Scotia is profiled. Student experiences using videoconferencing technology are shared.

University of British Columbia. (2017, February 17). Learning from Story [Video file].

This video is part of a non-credit massive open online course (MOOC), “Reconciliation Through Indigenous Education,” which focuses on strategies, teaching examples and resources supporting teaching and learning of Indigenous ways of knowing. The video focuses on the use of Indigenous storytelling and the benefits of utilizing it as a teaching strategy.

Module 1 – Weblog – Tanya Walsh

As mentioned in my introductory post, I am interested in how educational institutions may create spaces and opportunities to honour the spirituality of individuals and communities. Therefore, I am interested in researching how Indigenous people incorporate spirituality into their own educational programs.

The following resources represent my first foray into cyberspace to find out what’s going on out there. (The sites found are listed in alphabetical order by author.)

  • Battiste, M. National Working Group on Education and the Minister of Indian Affairs, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. (2002, October 31). Indigenous Knowledge and Pedagogy in First Nations Education: A Literature Review with Recommendations. Ottawa, ON: Government of Canada. http://www.afn.ca/uploads/files/education/24._2002_oct_marie_battiste_indigenousknowledgeandpedagogy_lit_review_for_min_working_group.pdf
    • This literature review discusses Indigenous knowledge and recommends an educational framework and steps to improve the educational outcomes of First Nations peoples. It admits that in calling itself a ‘literature review’ it is a attempt to describe Indigenous knowledge through a Eurocentric lens. However one must start somewhere, so this is a review of the existing literature on Indigenous knowledge and pedagogy which the author hopes will, in turn, inform educational reform.
    • Keywords: Indigenous knowledge, pedagogy in First Nations education, epistemology, learning processes, cognitive other

 

  • Bell, N. (2017).  Teaching by the medicine wheel: An Anishinaabe framework for Indigenous education. Canada Education. Retrieved from: http://www.cea-ace.ca/education-canada/article/teaching-medicine-wheel
    • The Medicine Wheel is a symbol used by many Indigenous cultures to represent the importance of the interrelatedness of all things. In this article, Bell explains how the Medicine Wheel may be used as a guide along an educational journey. In fact, she describes how honouring the gifts of each of the four directions may lead us to different learning processes as we move from standard linear models to the spiraling concepts of (a) awareness (East) with the call to envision or ‘seeing it’, (b) understanding (South) with the call for interrelationship over time or to ‘relating to it’, (c) knowledge (West) with the call to reason or to ‘figuring it out’, and finally, (d) wisdom (North) with the call for movement or to ‘doing it’. Bell then goes on to describe how this pedagogy has been used in practice.
    • Keywords: aboriginal, curriculum, educational change, elementary school

 

  • Brandhagen, K. (2017, May 24). Book review. [Review of the book The Knowledge Seeker: Embracing Indigenous Spirituality, by Blair Stonechild. AdvanceSouthwest.com-Arts & Culture. Retrieved from http://www.advancesouthwest.com/knowledge-seeker-embracing-indigenous-spirituality/
    • This is a book review of “The Knowledge Seeker: Embracing Indigenous Spirituality” by Blair Stonechild. The review is helpful because Brandhagen describes its ties to education, specifically to the history of Stonechild’s experience and challenges faced in a post-secondary education environment. It also describes the ‘sacred activity’ of learning and how “creating a new First Nations education system was one of the ways to bring focus back to honouring First Nations culture, community, language, and spirituality after the residential schools had existed for generations for the sole purpose of destroying those very relationships” (Brandhagen, 2017, para. 4). The description of learning as a sacred activity is an important one, as it speaks to the impact of education on individuals and communities. Although written by a Canadian from a Canadian-Indigenous perspective, Stonechild has researched the spirituality of Indigenous cultures from around the world, giving it a relevance beyond our borders.
    • Keywords: Indigenous spirituality, education, oral knowledge, First Nations culture

 

  • McDougall, C. (2017, February 6). Shawane Dagosiwin: Faculty of Education to co-host national Indigenous education reseach forum. UM Today News. Retrieved from http://news.umanitoba.ca/faculty-of-education-to-co-host-national-%E2%80%A8indigenous-education-research-forum/
    • This is a brief announcement from the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba, indicating that they would be co-hosting the Aboriginal Education Research Forum and the Canadian Symposium on Indigenous Teacher Education. It took place April 24th and 25th, 2017. Of interest to me is that this year’s theme was Embedding Spiritual and Sustainable Wisdom in Education and Research as and Act of Reconciliation. The hope is that by honouring “the need to value Indigenous knowledge traditions…will ultimately positively impact educational outcomes” (McDougall, 2017, para. 3). It is my belief that by respecting students as whole beings with spiritual needs and perspectives will support them in achieving their educational goals.
    • Keywords: Shawane Dagosiwin, aboriginal education research, Indigenous education, spiritual wisdom, reconciliation

 

  • McDougall, C. (2017, April 26). Conference showcases spirituality in reconciliation. UM Today News. Retrieved from http://news.umanitoba.ca/conference-showcases-spirituality-in-reconciliation/
    • This is the follow-up story to the above announcement. It describes how the keynote speaker’s (Dr. Chantal Fiola’s) spiritual journey not only shaped her identity but also informed her research and teaching practice. She makes the astute comment, “Many people think that spirituality is important to education. It’s just that for several generations, it was a particular kind of religion that was taught” (McDougall, 2017, April 26, para. 4). This not only refers to the sad history of Canada’s residential school system but can also be said to refer to all parochial schools and colleges with religious affiliations. Therefore, the connection between religion and spirituality is not new, it is just now being allowed to be revived in certain communities. So she asks, “What actions are we taking in our classrooms, and in our school systems to make space for different spiritualties?” (McDougall,2017, April 26, para. 6). It is a good and relevant question.
    • Keywords: Shawane Dagosiwin, spirituality in reconciliation, spirituality in education

 

  • Stonechild, B. (2014, June 12). Bringing spiritual teachings into education. Retrieved from http://www.cea-ace.ca/blog/blair-stonechild/2014/06/4/bringing-spiritual-teachings-education
    • Stonechild has seen the full spectrum of aboriginal education in Canada, from being a residential school survivor to helping develop a First Nation-controlled post-secondary institution. In this article, he summaries his view on the importance of spirituality in education. He explains that aboriginal spirituality is about establishing a health relationship with all things, especially with one’s family, nation, and Nature itself. On this physical journey, learning is a sacred mission. Those who have lost touch with their spiritual roots may forget the importance of maintaining healthy interrelationships and so turn to substance abuse, crime and gang activities. Therefore, researching, writing and teaching about the principles of Aboriginal spirituality is very important at this time.
    • Keywords: aboriginal, educational change, equity, student success, transformation

 

Continue reading

Moving toward a future of reconciliation and respect

1. I found this website interesting from the perspective of an educator who would like to give students in the classroom an overview of the First Peoples of Canada. This virtual exhibition provides information about the different societies, languages and population percentages and distribution in Canada, before moving to “An Aboriginal Presence” which gives a short biography on many notable Canadian Indigenous peoples, including Alwyn Morris, a gold and bronze Olympic medalist, and Buffy Sainte-Marie, who co-wrote a song I loved when I was younger titled, “Up Where We Belong” among many others. Included in the virtual exhibition are traditional knowledges and artifacts, as well as origins and archaeology. While the exhibition provides more information than an educator might want to show students (it takes quite a while to read through all of the materials presented) I think it has the potential to be a valuable resource in the classroom. I personally enjoyed the sections “An Aboriginal Presence” (as it gave brief biographies of notable First Peoples) and “We Are the Land” (both knowledge and experience) the most.

First Peoples of Canada [virtual exhibition]. (n.d.). Canadian Museum of History. Retrieved 9 November, 2016, from: http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/aborig/fp/fpint01e.shtml

2. The next link is to the “Anishnawbe Health Toronto” website. I am including this website because during a previous weblog entry (Module 2 Weblog, link #3), I found an article by O’Sullivan (2013) titled, “Considering Culture in Aboriginal Care” (link: http://m.cmaj.ca/content/185/1/E27.full.pdf). O’Sullivan’s article highlighted the difficulties encountered by Indigenous patients in the Canadian health care system including a lack of feeling of safety, acceptance, empathy and respect. In contrast, Anishnawbe Heath Toronto appears to do the opposite by providing a community health centre based on traditional Indigenous knowledges and traditions; “AHT offers access to health care practitioners from many disciplines including Traditional Healers, Elders and Medicine People. Ancient ceremonies and traditions, intrinsic to our health care model are available.” The “Overview & History” page shares that Anishnawbe Health Resources was founded in 1984, based on the vision of Elder Joe Sylvester. What originally began as a diabetes project, expanded to encompass the needs of Aboriginal health care in Toronto using a model that is based on culture and traditions. Today the mission of Anishnawbe Health Toronto is “To improve the health and well-being of Aboriginal People in spirit, mind, emotion and body by providing Traditional Healing within a multi-disciplinary health care model.” I feel this is an important resource because it demonstrates for me how traditional Indigenous cultures, traditions, and knowledges can be integrated with the theories of western medicine to provide for the health and well-being of the Indigenous peoples of Canada. It emphasizes for me the fact that we need to integrate Indigenous knowledges into all aspects of Canadian society, not simply into our classrooms.

Anishnawbe Health Toronto. (2011). Retrieved 12 November, 2016, from: http://www.aht.ca/

*Citation for previous article as listed on Weblog entry for Module 2:
O’Sullivan, B. (2013). Considering culture in Aboriginal care. CMAJ, 185(1). Retrieved 10 October, 2016, from: http://m.cmaj.ca/content/185/1/E27.full.pdf

3. The following link is to a powerful, but often extremely painful selection of stories from survivors of residential schools in Canada. Each of the forty-seven stories on the site is told in the form of an interview. Each survivor has his or her own story, but there are common threads throughout many stories that include feelings of community and safety before they were taken away from their families to residential schools, fear and a lack of understanding when being taken to and arriving at residential schools, and of devastating trauma caused by the many different forms of abuse suffered while at residential schools. Each story demonstrates the profound impact of residential schools on Indigenous peoples and their families, and the continued impact on their lives today. Please note before you watch any of these videos that there is a warning on the “Stories” home page due to the painful and disturbing subject matter in many of the videos. A contact number is provided on the home page for the Health Canada 24-Hour National Survivors Crisis Line if needed.

Residential School Survivor Stories. (n.d.). Legacy of Hope Foundation. Retrieved 10 November, 2016, from: http://wherearethechildren.ca/en/stories/

4. The following link is to a CBC News, “As It Happens”, written article and audio episode reporting on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission summary report. The written summary provides information about the report and appeals for “a nation-wide commitment to reconciliation” as it exposes the abuse, deaths and continuing trauma suffered by those who were taken from their homes and forced to attend residential schools. The article includes a summary of key recommendations from the 381-page report. The audio is accessible by clicking on ‘Reconciliation is not an aboriginal problem, it is a Canadian problem. It involves all of us’ on the left side of the screen. In doing this, you will be able to listen to the entire “Truth and Reconciliation Commission summary report coverage” portion of the June 2, 2015 episode of “As It Happens” which is 15 minutes and 51 seconds in length. The episode includes much of the information given in the written article, as well as providing some of the testimonies from Residential School Survivors during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Off, C. and Douglas, J. (2015, June 2). Truth and Reconciliation Commission summary report coverage. As It Happens. Retrieved 9 November, 2016, from: http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-tuesday-edition-1.3096950/reconciliation-is-not-an-aboriginal-problem-it-is-a-canadian-problem-it-involves-all-of-us-1.3097253

5. My final link is to a TEDx video titled “Changing the way we see Native Americans” that I found created hope. I was immediately drawn to this TEDx TeachersCollege talk by the opening video of a young Indigenous child watching video images of Indigenous peoples as they are portrayed by Hollywood and other major media sources. When Matika Wilbur began to talk, I was drawn to her message as well as the good and beauty that seemed to emanate from her. Her TEDx talk centered on the modern and mainstream view of Native Americans, based on stereotypical images that are created through major media sources. Her goal is to change the way that Native Americans are perceived. With this in mind, she created a project in 2013 called Project 562 which “seeks to photograph every Federally recognized tribe in the United States and reveal in a brilliant spectrum of art, media, and curricula, the rich and complex twenty-first century image and reality of contemporary Native Americans.” During her talk, Matika Wilbur questions, “How can we expect mainstream support for sovereignty, self-determination, nation-building, tribally-controlled education, health care and jobs, when 90% of Americans only view people, my people, as one dimensional stereotypes situated in the historic past, or even worse situated in their imaginations. I argue that we can’t.” (time stamp: 11:38). Matika seeks to create positive change by identifying contemporary Indigenous role models, and to connect us together so that we can learn to respect and honour one another.

Wilbur, M. (2014). Changing the way we see Native Americans [online video]. TEDx TeachersCollege. Retrieved 10 November, 2016, from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIzYzz3rEZU

A Selection of Authentic Implementation Guides

Something I have realized through this course is something Einstein once said (don’t worry, I am not comparing myself to Einstein :P), “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” I completely imagined myself creating a nice little framework to provide a context and background for educators and then creating resources for the classroom.  I realized two things; no such framework can exist, the context and background I was referring to can only be gleaned through the process of trying to understand, not in a nice little package.  Second, I lack the expertise to create authentic resources in this area.  It would be an exercise in futility, and a huge irony that a Westerner is advocating “authentic indigenous perspective integration” while creating inauthentic resources… In light of this, I focused my final weblog on collecting quality, authentic resources that already exist. Enjoy!

(Please note that the titles are links to the full documents)

1

First Nations Education Steering Committee

The First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) has created a resource on residential schools and reconciliation for grade 5, 10, and 11/12.  They offer detailed lessons, progressions, curricular connections, and supplementary resources such as books, videos, and handouts. They offer high-level critical thinking activities that encourage critical thinking; each at an age appropriate level.2

Authentic First Peoples Resources

This is also a compilation of resources by FNESC. It analyzes a large selection of literature for use with grades K-9. It provides descriptions of each, reading levels, curricular areas, themes, and the nation represented.  One caveat of this one is its organization, which is alphabetical rather than by grade level, theme, or subject.  It makes it a bit arduous to find what you need, but you can easily tag the pages that will be of interest to you for quick reference later!

3

In Our Own Words

Again produced by FNESC, this resource varies from those above in that it provides a framework of background, understandings, and attitudes for educators.  It directly speaks to the apprehension teachers might feel in authentically integrating Aboriginal perspectives. It highlights themes and ways of knowing that are important to indigenous cultures before going on to present a selection of complete, and detailed, classroom units for grades K-3.

4

 

The Learning Circle
This is a resource produced by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. It is targeted at ages 8-11 and id developed thematically with themes such as transportation, communities, families, and environment. Each unit provides main ideas and objectives, background information for the teacher, and classroom activities.  One thing I do notice about this one is it is primarily devoted to “traditional” practices.  That is, it does not frame Aboriginal cultures as a current and ongoing culture of practices and understandings, but rather relegates it to the past.  It would need to be supplemented or framed correctly to be used well.  For example, perhaps examining Western and Aboriginal cultures in the past, and then comparing the present.

Guide to Canadian Aboriginal Resources

This document is essentially a weblog itself!  It provides brief descriptions and links to a variety of Canadian Aboriginal resources.  These are arranged thematically with topics such as Aboriginal arts, activism, history, and social problems.  The compiled resources are targeted to a variety of age groups, but will take a bit of further investigation to fins what you are looking for!

5

Shared Learning

Shared Learning is a document produced by the Aboriginal Education Enhancements Branch of the British Columbia Ministry of Education. The resource begins with an overview of the document and its uses and then provides information on the history, foundations and attitudes needed to utilize the resource. It is organized thematically and by age group, so the same themes carry through all age groups in age appropriate ways. Each component is further divided into the sections of Shared Learnings, Instructional Strategies, and Resources. An addition benefit of this resource is that it positions Aboriginal cultures as contemporary and evolving, not as a relic of the past.

Reconnecting to Language and Culture, and the Path to Reconciliation

1. The link below is for the Reconciliation Canada website. The “About Us” section tells its audience that the idea around Reconciliation Canada was “born from the vision of Chief Dr. Robert Joseph, Gwawaenuk Elder.” Reconciliation Canada provides information and resources to help engage individuals, groups, and communities in discussions and experiences related to reconciliation with the purpose of “revitaliz(ing) the relationships among Indigenous peoples and all Canadians.” This website offers “Programs & Initiatives,” suggestions for how to “Get Involved,” “News & Events,” “Resources,” how to “Contact” them, and how to “Donate.” I found the resources section especially helpful from the perspective of an educator because it provides resources to access the topic of reconciliation from a variety of sources and instructional strategies, including videos, impact stories, useful links, shareable documents, and toolkits.

Specifically, one video I felt was very powerful was a TEDxEastVan talk by Chief Dr. Robert Joseph which shared a message of hope for reconciliation and that “we are all one.” Chief Dr. Joseph’s message was clear, that reconciliation is “for all of us,” and he questioned and then discussed what reconciliation would look like in the future. The talk can be found at: http://reconciliationcanada.ca/chief-joseph-speaks-at-tedx-eastvan/

The Reconciliation Canada main website information is:
Reconciliation Canada. (n.d.). Retrieved 18 October, 2016, from: http://reconciliationcanada.ca/about/about-us/

2. The next link is to an article in a chapter of a virtual textbook, AFMC Primer on Population Health. The section discusses the profound impact of colonization, specifically the impact of residential schools, loss of language and culture, and western values and laws forced on Indigenous populations in Canada, and the lasting health effects that are the consequence. In addition to this, the significant differences between Indigenous healing practices and western medicine, as well as the potential for integration of these two is touched on.

Indigenous people’s health in Canada. (n.d.). AFMC Primer on Population Health, The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada Public Health Educators’ Network. Retrieved 20 October, 2016, from: http://phprimer.afmc.ca/Part1-TheoryThinkingAboutHealth/Chapter3CulturalCompetenceAndCommunication/Indigenouspeople146shealthinCanada
(License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA)

3. The following link is for the National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health (NCCAH) which was established in 2005 by the Government of Canada and is one of six National Collaborating Centres for Public Health in Canada. The NCCAH is hosted by the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) “as part of its dedication to First Nations and Aboriginal programming” and is funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

When looking at the site, I focused on the “Setting the Context” section. One link that provided a good overview for anyone interested is “An Overview of Aboriginal Health in Canada” which can be found at: http://www.nccah-ccnsa.ca/Publications/Lists/Publications/Attachments/101/abororiginal_health_web.pdf

This overview is essentially a factsheet which provides a good overview of and statistical representation of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada. The overview touches on a number of significant issues affecting First Nations populations, and the information referenced in the overview is quite up-to-date with references as recent as 2013.

NCCAH home page:
National Collaboration Centre for Aboriginal Health. (n.d.). Retrieved 28 October, 2016, from: http://www.nccah-ccnsa.ca/en/

4. I found the next link interesting as it appeared to attempt to address the issue of developing early education opportunities for First Nations children, which seemed to connect well with the “Stepping Forward” video that we watched in Module 3 – Week 8. The website states, “the Government of Canada established Aboriginal Head Start to help enhance child development and school readiness of First Nations, Inuit and Métis children…” However, I believe this link could potentially act as an interesting debate piece. While the website asserts that the goal of the program “is to support early child development strategies that are designed and controlled by communities,” I question whether the governing body (in this case, the Government of Canada) will allow that development to be based around First Nations culture and language, or if western education strategies will actually be targeted through development/learning outcomes prescribed by the government. Interestingly, the programming outline lists “education” and “culture and language” as two separate components.

First Nations & Inuit Health: Aboriginal Head Start on Reserve. (2011). Health Canada. Retrieved 28 October, 2016, from: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fniah-spnia/famil/develop/ahsor-papa_intro-eng.php

5. My final link is to a news article that connects directly to the issues shared on the “Stepping Forward” video watched in Module 3 – Week 8. While the article deals with a current issue and has only been published within the last few days, the issue itself brings the reader back to the days of residential schools. The article reveals that the government of Nunavut is investigating a report of at least one teacher threatening punishment and actually disciplining a student for speaking their language, Inuktitut, in school. The article discusses the fact that there are fewer than 200 Inuit teachers and over 400 non-Inuit teachers currently teaching in Nunavut, which contributes to the lack of language and cultural understanding in the territory.

Sahar Zerehi, S. (2016, Oct. 29). No Inuktitut in school rule evokes painful memories of residential schools. CBC News. Retrieved 30 October, 2016, from: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/no-inuktitut-school-rule-evokes-residential-school-memories-1.3824596

Additional Reference used in above notes:
NunavutEducation. (2012). Alluriarniq – stepping forward: Youth perspectives on high school education in Nunavut . Retrieved 26 October, 2016, from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh36hsFE8n4

Module 3.3 Reconciliation Canada Tool Kit

So our colleague Ryan S. let us know of an event where Chief Robert Joseph O. B. C. would be speaking.

it would be the first time I had consciously heard about Reconciliation Canada. When I looked through their website I found some ideas/things I want to include in my final project, including the link here to the Young Adult Voices – Call to Action Community Tool Kit.

The entire site is worth a visit.