M4P4: I Am Not a Number by Jenny Kay Dupuis

In module 3 and 4 I used a lot of dense articles and resources to explore my paper. I wanted to round out my research by exploring stories and resources that I encounter on a regular basis, including stories. 

“I Am Not a Number” by Jenny Kay Dupuis is a powerful true story of Dupuis’ grandmother at residential school. It explores the deep connection of language, identity and culture and students were often stripped of their name and given a number. It explores Dupuis’ grandmother’s fear and arrival at the residential school, how she grasped onto elements of her identity and culture as well as the effects as she returned home. This story is a reflection on the powers of assimilation and forced erasure of the distinct identities and cultures of each individual and community affected. As I continue to prepare for my final assignment and continue to reflect and develop my own approaches as a teacher, it is important to not get caught up in only “formal” peer reviewed research essays and studies. It is critical to continue to explore the voice and knowledge of Indigenous communities through their way of sharing, often through storytelling. From the illustrations to the words chosen, this book was carefully curated to create a certain tone and atmosphere for the reader… it creates an emotional connection that makes our soul feel the history in a different way than an essay might. 

Although this book does explore the impacts of residential school, it also does a beautiful job of showing the connection of language, identity, culture and diversity.

I’ve added the youtube video with someone reading the book here