Category Archives: MODULE 4

M4: P2 – Keoni Mahelona and Peter-Lucas Jones on Indigenous Data Sovereignty

This event was part of McGill’s Feminist Publishing and Tech Speaker Series in 2021, and more befitting to this course was co-hosted by the Initiative for Indigenous Futures (IFF). I came across Peter-Lucas Jones in an Unreserved with Falen Johnson CBC podcast (Johnson, 2021). In that podcast Jones speaks about his machine learning software he created to revitalize Māori language, culture, and traditional knowledge. 

In this speaker series event, Jones, along with his partner Keoni Mahelona, bring up several interesting and important points about storing Indigenous languages and knowledge online. The first idea that Jones touches on is how Indigenous peoples have always stored data in song and dance (FP&TSS, 2021, 8:01). However, moving into the 21st century Indigenous groups are looking for ways to store their language and culture digitally. In doing so, Jones and Mahelona discuss ways to overcome the plight of using online platforms. To me, the most poignant notion is that although there are services offered for “free” by Facebook and YouTube, these companies are making money off the data that they collect from individuals and groups (FP&TSS, 2021, 29:33). In fact, Jones and Mahelona liken the data mining of big tech today to the land grabs of colonizers (FP&TSS, 2021, 56:27). An important way that they avoid giving into big data grabs is by creating their own platforms so that they own the data themselves (FP&TSS, 2021, 41:51). Another interesting point that is brought up is that of digital obsolescence (FP&TSS, 2021, 69:56). Digital obsolescence is prominent online. If Indigenous groups are using online platforms to keep their knowledge safe, they must ensure its continuity by keeping their links available online to circumvent online obscurity. 

This is a long (92:14) video, but brings to light many important aspects of Indigenous online spaces.

References

Feminist Publishing and Tech Speaker Series (FP&TSS). (2021, March 3). Keoni Mahelona and Peter-Lucas Jones on Indigenous Data Sovereignty. [Video]. YouTube https://youtu.be/YgPfWUdtjig

Johnson, F. (Host). (2021, May 16). How Indigenous people are promoting and learning their languages. [Audio podcast episode]. In Unreserved with Falen Johnson. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-105-unreserved/clip/15843149-how-indigenous-people-promoting-learning-languages. 

M4: P1 – Spark: Indigenous Futurisms: Changing the narrative in science fiction and fact

Spark is a CBC radio show hosted by Nora Young that investigates tech trends. In this episode, Young looks into Indigenous Futurisms, a term that one of the guests, Grace Dillon termed, and is based on how Indigenous ways of knowing and understanding intersects with technology (Young, 2021). There are a couple other notable guests. First, Jason Lewis, Concordia University’s Research Chair in Computational Media and the Indigenous Future Imaginary, believes that Indigenous groups should build their own technology to maintain their knowledge within the community (Young, 2021). Second is Dr. Lisa Richardson, a mixed Anishinaabe physician from Northern Ontario, talks about combining cultural futures to make things better for everyone (Young, 2021). One overall theme that is discussed by the guests is epistemic racism, and especially within technology (Young, 2021).

Reference

Young, N. (Host). (2021, January 18). Indigenous Futurisms: Changing the narrative in science fiction and fact. [Audio podcast episode]. In Spark. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/spark/indigenous-futurisms-changing-the-narrative-in-science-fiction-and-fact-1.5866757 

Land Acknowledgements

Module 4 Post 4

I know others have found resources about the importance of Land Acknowledgements, and I have selected a few local resources for my Treaty 7 region.

The first is from the Calgary Foundation whose mission since 1955 has been and continues to be to nurture a healthy, vibrant, giving, and caring community. The Foundation has a playlist of 4 different acknowledgments that provide a history and context for the acknowledgment and is has an elder representative from each of the Treaty u First Nation profiled in the video. This is a good option to introduce a course at the beginning of the term as it provides more context and information than just an opening Land Acknowledgement and also helps build instructor familiarity and confidence around the delivery of a land acknowledgment.

There is another one from the Calgary Public Library that is child-centered, but I really enjoyed it too!

And this one emphasizes the importance of the Land Acknowledgment as conveying a sense of relationship and stewardship of the land, not ownership, which is something that had still alluded me until having watched this video where it was explicitly explained.

References

Calgary Foundation. (2019, January 27). Land Acknowledgement (Full) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7re1r0FY-4Y

Calgary Public Library. (2020, May 12). Treaty 7 Land Acknowledgment [Video].  YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Jqskc3man4

SOURCE-Scholarly Output Research Creative Excellence. (2020, April 23). Indigenous Voices – Land Acknowledgment [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HtG7j19na4

Indigenous History Series – Galt Museum

Module 4, Post 3

In recognition of the importance of relationship and oral teachings, I am finding the video resources very beneficial and authentic. This may not be the most conventional source, but the Facebook page Indigenous History is curated by the Galt Museum & Archives. Here is the Inaugural video of the Indigenous History Series, hosted by Rebecca Many Grey Horses, a local Indigenous expert.

Rebecca Many Grey Horses presents an overview of Indigenous history in southern Alberta. Rebecca has facilitated Indigenous history classes here at the Galt for the past two years, bringing in local experts, knowledge keepers, and Elders to educate large groups of learners.

7 Sacred Animals/Laws – Math & Numbers

Module 4 Post 2 (Long post, but wanted to keep things together.)

I have posted before about the importance of integrating elders as a classroom resource, and I have the good fortune to have Crystal Manyfingers as our Indigenization Coach and colleague and recent author of  “A’pistotooki and the Ihkitsik Kaawa’pomaahkaa: Creator and the Seven Animals, why are we Here? (Links to an external site.)“, a beautifully simple, hope-filled story that aims to support the revitalization of Blackfoot language and culture.

In my class I can merge the Indigenous teachings with my number study, focusing on the importance of various numbers – this post will focus on the number 7, and the 7 Sacred Laws reflected in First Nation beliefs. Students can connect with the material through an exploration of number systems.

Other resources have been shared before, but I will include them here for easy reference.

TurtleLodge.Org has

From Tribal Trade Co., which I present in a separate post, includes the following video that is also related:

In looking further I also found one more by Etienna Moostoos-Lafferty,

Etienna is a member of the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation in Treaty 8 territory in the province of Alberta. She has worked provincially as an Indigenous Education Consultant and is now the Indigenous Education Coach for Evergreen Catholic Schools in Edmonton, Alberta. She also has also contributed to Telling Tales a website resource that focuses on developing early literacy and has Indigenous materials, such as a 37 minute Land and Water virtual program that includes an Indigenous reading of Water Walker (9:15) with Cree vocabulary and is recorded on the shores of Slave Lake, within the Treaty 8 region.

References

Calgary Public Library. (2020, August 3). A’pistotooki and the Ihkitsik Kaawa’pomaahkaa: Creator and the seven animals, why are we here? (Links to an external site.) YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qyrhLwzHRU

Etienna Moostoos-Lafferty. (2020, June 9).   A Reading of the 7 Sacred Teachings [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnAT4LGkfKo

Telling Tales    https://tellingtales.org/presenters/etienna-moostoos-lafferty/

Tribal Trade Co. (2020, June 10). Animal Meanings to Indigenous People of the Native American Culture [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQRglH9BK94&list=PLUCbxL7irwXOFVDWUyhxpJsvCvc9vY3pP

Turtle Lodge. ( n.d.). A Story of the Seven Sacred Laws. https://mailchi.mp/28d6ebb11e6a/a-story-of-the-seven-sacred-laws

Turtle Lodge. (n.d. ). The Seven Sacred Laws Animated Web Series. http://www.turtlelodge.org/the-seven-sacred-laws/

 

Tribal Trade – Indigenous Culture

Module 4, Post 1

I came across this YouTube channel and found it to be amazing! I can use this extensively as an instructional resource or learning activity as I build lessons using contexts that are relevant to all Treaty people (which is all of us!) Have a look – hope you enjoy it!

Tribal Trade Co.  

Reference

Tribal Trade Co. (n.d.). Created Playlists. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/c/TribalTradeCo/playlists

M4 Entry 4: The ANCESTOR Program

The ANCESTOR (AborigiNal Computer Education through STORytelling) program was developed by Biin and Weston (2015) to increase digital and cultural literacy. The goal of the program is to incorporate digital storytelling to promote interest in computer science for Aboriginal learners. It is a way to help learners connect “traditional knowledge and current realities into their learning environment rather than being passive recipients of knowledge” (Biin & Weston, 2015, p.98). In their study, they’ve incorporated a culturally responsive approach that was very closely aligned with my project approach and used the First Nations Holistic Lifelong Learning Model by the Canadian Council on Learning (2007) to emphasize the interconnectedness of life and learning. The model illustrates that “there is not a single, linear approach to learning but rather it encompasses learning experiences at all stages of life in both traditional and non-traditional settings” (Biin & Weston, 2015, p100). Here is the model:

I think the model also summarizes the discussion points and outcomes we have been learning throughout the course and I noticed this diagram on the Alaska Native Knowledge Network website as well. As I get closer to the final stages of my project, I am realizing more that teaching and helping students recognize the connection and the importance between community and individual learning are what leads Indigenous and non-Indigenous students to engage in meaningful learning and help them become lifelong entrepreneurs and citizens.

 

References

Biin, D. & Weston, M. L. (2015). 21st Century skills for middle and high school Aboriginal children on British Columbia’s west coast. In Ge, X., Ifenthaler, D. & Spector, J. M (Eds.), Emerging technologies for STEAM education: Full STEAM ahead (pp.95-112). Springer International Publishing. DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-02573-5_7

Canadian Council on Learning (CLL). (2007). First Nations holistic lifelong learning model. Living Draft. http://www.ccl-cca.ca/pdfs/RedefiningSuccess/CCL_Learning_Model_FN.pdf

Module 4 – Post 5 – Residential School Survivors + Beyond 94

This website provides stories from residential school survivors from video interviews: Janet Longclaws, Katherine Thomas, Louise Longclaws, Debra Courchene, Wandbi Wakita, Peter Yellowquill, Louise Hall, Vivian, and Karen. These videos are from the Beyond 94: Truth and Reconciliation in Canada project. All of these videos just break my heart. You can hear the pain and horror in their voice and you can see the trauma they faced by looking at their eyes. These individuals have PTSD and cannot get these flashbacks out of their head. I just can’t even imagine why anyone would do all these horrible things to another human being. It is absolutely appalling and disgusting.

As educators, it is important that we listen to these stories so that we never forget them. The truth cannot be hidden any longer. It is time for healing and the reconciliation process to fully begin. We need to all listen to EVERY story. We need to learn the truth that has been hidden for way too long. The more we know as educators, the more that we can educate our students, colleagues, family members, and our friends.

While I was exploring more on this website, I stumbled upon a teacher guide for Beyond 94: Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. There is a lot of valuable material within this guide. Topics such as education, language and culture, health, justice, reconciliation, child welfare, and activities to do in the classroom, First nation communities support, and residential school resources. The main purpose of this guide is to allow educators and their students to explore and investigate the TRC Calls to Action and the Beyond 94 site. I appreciate how this guide has follow-up questions from the residential school survivor video interviews. This could allow educators to have a class discussion about what they watched and to see if the students understood the content. It may be too challenging to comprehend for Kindergarten students but the questions could be adapted and could work for upper primary to intermediate grades.

The 7 activities that are provided in this guide focus on acknowledging territory, TRC – educating others, language, residential schools, finding evidence of Indigeneity, and language/culture, exploring child welfare, and examining justice.

For more information on residential schools, there are resources on pages 35-37. Explore them all and share with everyone.

Module 4 – Post 4 – Reconciliation Activities for Children

This resource provides reconciliation activities for children that educators can do with their class. This guide starts off with introducing reconciliation, the definition, how to learn from Indigenous people, some protocols for inviting Elders into the classroom, how to communicate with parents, a sample letter for educators to send home to parents, and the activity outline that has five activities.

The five activities that are provided in this resource are the medicine wheel, the blanket exercise, memories, keeping promises, and Shannon’s dream. I like how these activities are laid out with an introduction, objectives, information about the activity and why it is important, what the teacher needs to prepare for the activity, alternatives to the activity and how to do it, and even a handout to send to parents. These would be excellent activities to do with my Kindergarten class as they would be able to learn about reconciliation, residential schools, Indigenous spirituality and culture, the relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, learning about treaties, and about the inequalities in education.

Module 4 – Post 3 – Honouring Indigenous Languages

This is such a great resource for honouring Indigenous languages. In this guide, educators can share some Indigenous languages such as Cree, Inuktitut, Lunaapeew, Michif, Mohawk, Ojibwe, and Oji-Cree. For each language, the guide tells you what the word or phrase is in English, then the Indigenous language, along with the pronunciation. The words and phrases that are taught in these languages are welcome, hello, goodbye, thank you, I’m sorry, how are you?, let’s play, and my name is.

This is such a great resource as it allows educators, such as myself, to help revitalize Indigenous languages that have been lost. We can have a significant role in reconciliation and it can be as simple as teaching our students how to say these words and phrases in Indigenous languages. It would also be very powerful for educators to invite Elders in to speak and share their Indigenous language.

I will definitely be implementing this tool into the classroom in the fall. Below is an example of how we can honour the Cree language.