Category Archives: MODULE 1

M1 P1: Electric Powowwow Music

Haluci- Nation, formaly known as a Tribe Called Red, is a DJ Duo based in Toronto that blends electronic music with traditional indigenous music and culture. They replace the airhorn heard in much of todays electronic music with druming and vocal chanting. The group has become a staple on the live music scene here in Canada, having won many national music awards.

They have been using their music to promote indigenous culture and language, but also to be critical of colonial Canada. In one track, they even sample Romeo Saganash’s passionate speach in the house of commons, when he exclaimed that Prime Minister Trudeau Should tell the truth to indigenous people, that he “doesn’t give a F*** about their rights.”  They have even more recently released a track called Land Back in which they support the Wet’suwet’en First Nations opposition to the Coastal Pipeline in BC.

 

M1: P4: Profile of Joe Buffalo by Skateboard Canada

This post hits close to home for me historically and spiritually. It features a friend that I went to high school with, played shinny ice hockey with, and skateboarded with in Ottawa: Joe Buffalo. Joe is from the Samson Cree Nation in Alberta.

There’s history in this post for me because when we were hanging out I was completely unaware of the life Joe lived before arriving in Ottawa. However, bumping into Joe in Vancouver recently at a skateboarding event, and connecting with him through online videos and magazine articles I began to listen to the stories he wanted to share. There is spirituality in this post because it is through skateboarding that Joe battled demons of the past, and I understand the power that skateboarding has to do just that.

Joe is coming out with a short documentary to tell his story, and it is called “Joe Buffalo”, and is being shown at several international film festivals, albeit remotely right now. I feel like video is a fitting method through which Joe can tell his story. Although he is very capable with the gift of the gab, videos have been a big part of his skateboarding career, so he is at ease in this medium.

M1: P3: Speaking our Truth by Monique Gray Smith

“Speaking Our Truth: a Journey of Reconciliation” by Vernon Barford School Library is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

This book was gifted to me by my school board, SD62 in the spring of 2019 at a professional development day. I hadn’t really looked into the book until the break I had between the last MET term and this one: two years! I chose to read it because of this course, ETEC 521. Although I thought I had a decent grasp on what reconciliation was, this book took it to another level and helped me understand what reconciliation looked, sounded and felt like, and especially on my own terms. Although I could say that I wish I had picked it up earlier, I’m glad that I took the journey, which has given me the time and space to reflect on how I could use it in the middle school classes that I teach. There is a website with paid teacher guides and resources: http://orcabook.com/speakingourtruth/index.html.

Reference

Smith, G. M. (2017). Speaking our truth: a journey of reconciliation. Orca Book Publishers.

M1: P2: Never Alone

Never Alone is a video game that was introduced to me through a reading in ETEC 565S – Digital Games, Learning and Pedagogy. The reading is called “Agniq Suaŋŋaktuq and Kisima Inŋitchuŋa (Never Alone) – ‘Cause Gaia Likes it Cold’” by Kateryna Barnes (2020), and describes the game: “Kisima Inŋitchuŋa (Never Alone) is a side-scrolling, cooperative adventure-puzzle game set in the Iñupiaq landscape amidst a blizzard. Players are placed into the northern setting as a young girl, Nuna, and an arctic fox. The duo embark on an adventure to solve the mystery of the destruction of Nuna’s village”.

Intrigued by its full description in Barnes (2020), I bought Never Alone game on my Android phone. I played this game on the original Google Pixel (older technology at the time), and because of the stunning graphics and the intense gameplay my phone would often overheat. Nevertheless, I would push on as the character, Nuna through the frozen arctic setting, as well as switching to the arctic fox companion, who acts as Nuna’s guide along with other characters such as elders, villains, spirits and the land itself. As you finish levels you are told a story about time and place in the Arctic. It’s the first game since Ecco the Dolphin (1992) for the Sega Genesis that I have played that has given me a sense of awe with its ability to provide the user with visceral experiences of land, sea and sky. Although I see much digital technology lacking in its ability to truly represent Indigenous culture and tradition because it can only truly offer audio and visual recordings or display, Never Alone is able to portray a sense of spirituality, and connection to its digital landscape and its beings.

Reference

Barnes, K. (2020, September 18). Agniq Suaŋŋaktuq and Kisima Inŋitchuŋa (Never Alone) – First Person Scholar. First Person Scholar – Weekly critical essays, commentaries, and book reviews on games. http://www.firstpersonscholar.com/agniq-suannaktuq-and-kisima-innitchuna-never-alone/ 

M.1-P.3 Takaya Tours + Indian Arm Management Services: Sea School Fieldtrip

M.1-P.3

After this week’s readings, I made an instant connection to a field trip we took a couple of year ago with Takaya Tours and Indian Arm Management Services up through the Burrard Inlet (Səl̓ilw̓ət).

We took our 30 indigenous student on a passenger eco-tour boat from Rocky Point Park in Port Moody or Deep Cove in North Vancouver. Our tour included a Tsleil-Waututh guide who provided interactive dialogue and detailed the importance of land and culture throughout the tour. The journey stops at various points to catch wildlife and indigenous pictographs. Howe (1998) discuss the importance of land as being “fundamental to tribal identity” and this field trip uniquely ties curriculum and culture together. Although our Indigenous students come from various places, they all seemed connected to the guide as his message and teachings were universal. This would be a great field trip for any discipline.

If you are thinking of a field trip option, look them up!

 

Howe, C. (1998). Cyberspace is No Place for Tribalism. Technology and Native American Culture, 13(2), 19-28. https://doi.org/10.2307/1409143

Legacy of Hope

MODULE 1: ENTRY 4

I had the opportunity to help set up two Legacy of Hope exhibits this pass week at our Central Learning Services. Legacy of Hope is foundation that has 19 different exhibits that are available to book for your school.  We currently have the following two:

  1. 100 Years of Loss –   Describes the history of Residential Schools in Canada

     2. Peter Henderson Bryce: Man of Conscience  – Peter Bryce was a medical officer that brought awareness to the high number of TB cases in Residential schools at the beginning of the 20th century.

The Centre for Free Expression started a Peter Bryce Prize for Whistleblowing this past year.  The first person awarded was Dr. John O’Connor, an Alberta physician that has been researching the unusually large number of rare cancers that are occurring in Fort Chipewyan in Northern Alberta. Despite being fired from his job he continued to advocate to bring awareness to the negative impacts of the oil industry.

 

References

News. (2021, March 3). Dr. John O’Connor wins the 2021 Peter Bryce Prize. Centre for Free Expression. https://cfe.ryerson.ca/news/dr-john-o%E2%80%99connor-wins-2021-peter-bryce-prize

Exhibitions. (2020).  Legacy of Hope Foundation. https://legacyofhope.ca/home/exhibitions/

M.1-P.2 Burnaby School District Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement- Stronger Together

M.1 – P.2 

Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement

This course has brought me back to the Stronger Together Enhancement Agreement that has been an ongoing and updated agreement created by the district and Indigenous communities within Burnaby.

https://burnabyschools.ca/indigenouseducation/wpcontent/uploads/sites/4/2017/01/AborignalAgreement2014_FINAL_low_res.pdf

This document led to the creation of the position I now hold as Indigenous Success Teacher. The overall goal is to provide our students with cultural development, social emotional development, and a focus on academic success.

The idea is that with these three components, students will be able to “walk confidently and competently in the modern, urbanized world in which Burnaby is situated” (Stronger Together, 2019). The second agreement, Stronger Together, is up for renewal as the 5 year timeline is up. I began thinking, what could be added or changed now that I have been in the role? If you look under the academic goal, the district monitored  the core skills of early literacy and numeracy, the indicator for this would be performance standards. Academic success can include other indicators beside literacy and numeracy and I believe should connect curricular goals and course content, include case studies of groups of learners, and measure ‘academic success’ with the consultation and guide of an Indigenous framework, one that connects to the Principles of Learning. OR some other scale? Questions…

Above is a photo of Burnaby North’s Youth and Family coworker, Lorelei Lyons, and Mandy Alves (me, lol) at dinner party for our Grads.

 

 

Module 1 Post 5 – start by learning the truth

As I research the Indigenous culture, I have noticed a common theme: it is important for Canadians to learn about Indigenous history and come to know the truth about colonization. As a child, I recall learning about Indigenous history in school. Their unique way of life seemed attractive and interesting. I don’t remember learning anything about the darker part of Canadian history. It’s possible I didn’t learn about this darker side because it was still taking place when I was young. I was just starting high school when the last residential school was closing its doors for the last time. I recognize the need to learn the complete history of our country, including the truth about the way Indigenous people were treated, and the pain and suffering it has caused them.

What do you currently know about Indigenous history? I have a hard time recognizing how I can make a difference until I understand the truth. I want to be open minded and remember that learning will always be ongoing. The following sources were helpful for me, but I know it’s just a start.

Neylan, S. (2018). Canada’s dark side: Indigenous peoples and Canada’s 150th celebration. Origins, 11(9), 1-2. https://origins.osu.edu/article/canada-s-dark-side-indigenous-peoples-and-canada-s-150th-celebration/page/0/1

Canada Guide (n.d.). The Indigenous peoples of Canada. Chapter 7. https://thecanadaguide.com/basics/aboriginals/

Al Jazeera English. (2017 June, 13). Canada’s dark secret. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peLd_jtMdrc

Module 1 Post 4 – Authentic Indigenous Voices

Are you a fan of CBCs Cross Country Checkup? You may recall a lively conversation they had a few years back about treaties, reconciliation and Indigenous history in Canada (CBC, 2017). There’s concern about Indigenous knowledge being lost and many myths are out there about Indigenous people. It is important that authentic Indigenous voices be heard. One way of doing this is by bringing guest speakers into the classroom. They need the opportunities to share their stories. As an educator, I briefly touched on Indigenous history in class. The conversation was very superficial and lacked meaning. Fortunately we had a wonderful guest speaker join us who was able to make the history come alive. Suddenly the knowledge had more meaning and purpose.

Reference:

CBC. (2017 April, 26). Treaties, reconciliation and Indigenous history in Canada [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9KJM3pjvKg