My work in finding authentic ways to Indigenize post-secondary curriculums requires listening and learning directly from Indigenous youth.
How can we possibly Indigenize post-secondary curriculums without listening to Indigenous youth? What do they want from their educational experiences? Susan Dion from York University spoke with various Indigenous youth and discovered that they are clear about what they want and need from education. These include lessons that address: “Indigenous humanity and diversity, the history of colonialism, local history and contemporary culture, Indigenous knowledge, languages, and worldviews” (Dion, 2016, p 471). They don’t want Canada’s story to be their story. They don’t want destruction of their culture nor the disappearance of their language. They strongly want to survive as Indigenous people and they refuse to assimilate.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cars.12128
Reference:
Dion, S.D. (2016). Mediating the space between: Voices of Indigenous youth and voices of educators in service of reconciliation. Canadian Sociological Association. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cars.12128