Category Archives: MODULE 1

Module 1 – Post 4

Here is another documentary that is currently on Netflix. This warms my heart to know we are educating our nation. “For Love” reflects on Indigenous communities across Canada. It share the links between residential schools and the child welfare system.

All of these resources are intriguing to me as I am a visual learner. Digital storytelling can express and share peoples stories. This documentary shares many of the issues of Indigenous Peoples: housing, suicide, clean drinking water, loss of language, addictions, foster care, and so many other topics. It also shares the resilience of Indigenous Peoples and how they are reclaiming their culture, language, music, and stories.

There is so much to share about this movie. I was debating back and forth with my Supervisor of Indigenous Education about what grade level would this movie be appropriate for. I thought maybe high school? If anyone has a different view about this I would be interested to hear their thoughts. Portions of the video remind me of our reading by Marker (2006) about the Makah Whale Hunt and Indigenous rights. We need to honor Indigenous rights, knowledge and spirituality.

Hopefully you can take some time this weekend to watch this video as it is very informative.

Marker, M. (2006).  After the Makah Whale Hunt: Indigenous Knowledge and Limits to Multicultural Discourse. Links to an external site. Urban Education 41(5), 1-24.

 

Module 1 – Post 3

Mootookakio’ssin 

Have you explored 360 imagery before? If not, you will find this resource immersive as it allows you to see artifacts in 3D. This allows students to grasp the concept of innovative tools that were used by the Blackfoot nations in the 19th and 20th century. This is a digital Blackfoot library as stated, “Mootookakio’ssin aims to virtually reconnect Blackfoot items in museums with Blackfoot people and assist in the process of knowledge renewal and transmission that occurs within the tribes.”

Check out this link to learn more: https://mootookakiossin.ca/

If you explore the Technology phase you will be impressed with how they were able to use photogrammetry and reflectance transformation imaging to capture each museum piece. They also provided a tutorial to show people the process. https://research.mootookakiossin.ca/photogrammetry-and-rti/. 

As you navigate through this site you will be amazed with the detail of how they were able to share items authentically. This platform allows everything to be accessible and it provides opportunity for Elders and community members to connect with their past. This digital library makes it equitable for people to visit and reflect on the diverse artifacts. This project is an impressive feat as it is truly a revolutionary resource for classes.

When you are on the homepage be sure to click on the word Explore. This will transport you to a variety of Blackfoot items. The most important aspect of this site is that it shares the stories of each item. This gives each item purpose and it provides individuals with an understanding of the history of the Blackfoot nations. I was able to share this site with an Elder and she started sharing her stories of different artifacts from the site. She stated, “I forgot I even had that in my home growing up.” What a beautiful way for individuals to reflect on their past.

I hope you will take the time to review this valuable resource.

 

Module 1 – Post 2

“Joe Buffalo” | Surviving the Horror of Residential Schools by Skateboarding | The New Yorker

 

I thought this resource was very relevant for this week as we continue to reflect on Truth and Reconciliation Day. Please take the time to watch this short documentary.

This video is truly inspiring. Joe Buffalo shares his story of being removed as a child and being put into a residential school at the age of 11 years old. His siblings, parents, grandparents were all at one point in residential schools.

This short documentary shares the hardships he endured due to  intergenerational trauma and from being taken away from his family and put into a residential school.

I appreciate this documentary as it shows how Joe became successful through skateboarding. In his rise to fame no one knew that he had been to residential school. I feel like his story is a story that isn’t shared often but could be relatable to many students and adults who suffer with trauma. He also expresses how his skateboarding fame came to a halt as he hadn’t dealt with his trauma.

After not skateboarding for years, it was incredible to think how he was able to connect to the land and choose a better path to bring his passion of skateboarding back into his life. His journey has allowed him to be strong and reconnect to his culture. I can’t imagine the impact he has had on other Indigenous youth and skateboarders around the globe. His journey to success wasn’t easy but he is able to show how perseverance and resilience can change your life.

I highly recommend watching this 15 min short documentary to gain another perspective of the impacts of residential schools. Please note there are curses in the video in case you are planning to share this with a classroom.

I would love to hear other people’s reflections on this thought-provoking video.

 

 

 

 

 

M1 P2 Teaching an Indigenous Language Using Social VR at Georgian College

As a person teaching an Indigenous language, I find the potential for VR and XR to be used as tools for teaching Indigenous languages to be quite fascinating. I think there is a lot of potential to enhance the learning experiences of students by using these XR technologies. In person language classes are a great way to learn; however, students interested in learning their Indigenous language are often not located near where the classes are held. XR technologies offer a potential to bring a learning experience that is more tangible to the online learner. As XR technology improves, there may be potential to teach plant names or place names while the learner is in a Mixed Reality environment that allows the learner to ‘see’ and ‘interact’ with the plants and or place names. The article below shows how Georgian College is now using VR to teach Anishnaabemowin. The youtube video link is from the Immersive Learning Research Network World Conference 2021.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1ryQS0QpTQ

Teaching an Indigenous Language Using Social VR at Georgian College

M1 P1 How AI is Helping Revitalize Indigenous Languages

This article is one example of Indigenous people are using technology to help preserve their language. The Maori people are using AI and machine learning as a way to automate the transcription of thousands of hours of Maori language archives to enhance access to Maori media. They aim to bring the Maori language and other Indigenous languages to voice operated digital assistants like Siri.  An additional point of importance in the article is the call for data sovereignty for all Indigenous cultures.  The non-profit media organization Te Hiku, the organization behind the development of the app using AI and machine learning, states that “Data is the new land. Having had our land taken off us, and the experience of language loss in our family, we take data sovereignty very seriously.”

https://www.itu.int/hub/2022/08/ai-indigenous-languages-maori-te-reo/

 

M1 P2 Five Ideas to Support Indigenous Languages in Canada

As a language teacher, I love the idea of incorporating more Indigenous language learning into the classroom. This video is short, sweet and to the point.  It provides 5 easy ways of supporting Indigenous language revitalization in Canada. As we have read in this week’s readings, language is an important part of Indigenous culture and knowledge.

The main suggestions for support from the video are :

  • Learn a greeting and a response from an Indigenous language
  • Learn more Indigenous phrases and words through smart phone apps (such as First Voices)
  • Learn the names of local mountains, lakes, towns and rivers in a local Indigenous language (I hope to to do this with my students next week!)
  • Watch a movie or TV show in an Indigenous language
  • Listen to artists in an Indigenous language

These five suggestions remind me of the following First Peoples Principle of Learning :

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8Zf-Id0SQ4&t=10s

M1 P5 Phyllis’ Story

In honour of Orange Shirt Day as well as Truth and Reconciliation Day I have provided the link to Phyllis’ Story. 

Although I could summarize the story for you, I think it is more powerful to go and read the story that is written in Phyllis’ words (as opposed to a settler summarizing what I think the key points are). In preparation for Thursday and Friday, classrooms in our school are starting to have this conversation about what those days really mean. If you are unsure of the origin of the story, why we wear orange or you want to use Phyllis’ authentic words, you can access them here.

Phyllis’ experience is a powerful recollection of power, assimilation, separation and identity. 

You can also access additional videos and information detailing the history and purpose.

Friday is not just a day off so make sure to do your research!Link: https://www.orangeshirtday.org/phyllis-story.html

M1 P4 Language Map of BC

It is hard for me to put into words how much I love this map.

This is an interactive map that explores the language, communities and culture (including artists) of certain areas. This map is specifically for BC but there are maps of Canada as well.

I love exploring different areas and finding out the community and language statistics of specific areas. For example, my school district is on Squamish Nation land. I used this map to trace the Squamish language as well. Through this, I was able to discover what language family Squamish is from, others that share the same family, as well as specific information including the number of fluent speakers (only 6!), the population, the approximate number of language learners, etc. 

If you are unsure of what Indigenous communities land you work, live and play on, I really suggest exploring this map! There are so many languages and communities I have never even heard of in my local area. 

Link: https://maps.fpcc.ca/languages

M1 P3 Haida Gwaii

Hello ETEC 521,

This blog post is about the name change from the settler known area “Queen Charlotte Islands” back to the Indigenous name of “Haida Gwaii”.

This article is important because it demonstrates the power and connection of land, language, rights and governance. I was reminded of this event while reading about the “Fishing Wars”. This name change is a clear demonstration of how settler power changed and overtook the landscape, while Indigneous communities (specifically the Haida in this instance) are fighting to get that language, space and power back. 

I am hoping, with continued restorations, this will help Haida language and community flourish in that area. The more we use the proper language, the more we are able to acknowledge the communities that already existed before our own, acknowledge Indigenous rights and history and acknowledge Indigenous communities as legitimate, empowered peoples that occupy and have ownership over space and language. 

Link: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/daajing-giids-queen-charlotte-renamed-1.6456473

M1 P2 Charles and Camilla

M1 P2

Hi everyone,

Perhaps a controversial post…

I recently came across this video and thought it was an interesting representation of what a lack of knowledge and respect can look like. The first 15 seconds demonstrate how “leaders” in the Commonwealth reacted to two Inuit Throat Singers. 

Please note, this video is over 5 years old and I am hoping there was some growth since then. I would like to give Charles and Camilla the benefit of the doubt and say that they lacked knowledge and that this was a new experience (rather than making assumptions about discriminatory practices). But I also wonder if that is the settler in me trying to empathize… perhaps it is better to not give it the benefit of the doubt and assume this is a representation of continued racism in our commonwealth. 

I thought this video was important because it helps to show the continued struggle that Indigneous communities face when it comes to gaining respect, equity and understanding from the government; a group and organization who’s values are vastly different from Indigenous Communities. It is also a representation of how “seriously” our government takes Indigenous communities, their culture and their forms of governance.

How did this video make you feel?

Link: https://youtu.be/lWMd3rQPJ8Y