Posts from — October 2011

This link is for a teacher’s tool kit which consists of a collection of resources that was created to assist teachers inOntarioto help make their students familiar with the Aboriginal perspective. The tool kits purpose is to help students understand what stereotypes may exits in association with native culture and to help them learn the correct and respectful terms that should be used to refer to native people and culture.

The content included is based on the revised Ontariocurriculum. This kit is part of a collection and is part of a series of teaching resources that can be found on the ministry website http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/.

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/aboriginal/strategygr05lanstereotypes.pdf

This website was created as a venue for sharing information as well as highlighting activities about, and associated with, Australian traditional language. This is an initiative that is funded by the Australian government and is part of the maintenance of language and records programs. This initiative is set up to honour the indigenous people of Australia and to help keep their languages thriving. The site consists of all types of language resources and even highlights activates that are occurring around Australia to preserve native Australian culture and language. This website can help educate individuals about Aboriginal cultures and is a great means of minimizing stereotypes because it does a great job of highlighting and informing society about this culture.

http://www.ourlanguages.net.au/news/nsw/item/268-breaking-stereotypes-for-aboriginal-culture-at-kindaimanna-day.html

This article caught my eye because it talks about language stereotypes that are associated with the native community. The article explains how constructed words that are associated with their society can be harmful to individuals and how the use of these terms by society can be a factor that perpetuates some of the negative practices that may exist with some individuals in their culture. Native cultures do poses many types of languages and dialects but I did not even think of the language that has been constructed by society and associated with native society, individuals, and culture until I read this article. Just like this article illustrates, in some cases, language can cause harm as well. These types of slang terms can be culturally insensitive and highly stereotypical.

http://thethunderbird.ca/2011/04/20/native-youth-take-on-language-stereotypes/

When teaching students about a culture that they are unfamiliar with it is important to try and bring up biases that society may have towards that culture and that may have built into their schemas unknowingly. This quiz is a great way to get individuals thinking about how Native groups are viewed in society and what misconceptions may exist about their language, culture and practices. It not only can help to clear up some incorrect understandings but it is a good means of introducing students to Native society and exposing them to some factual information about these societies.

http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/files/StereotypesQuiz.pdf

The Other Side of the Ledger: An Indian View of The Hudson’s Bay Company – 70 minutes

Filmed in 1972 through the National Film Board of Canada for their Aboriginal Perspectives film collection, directors Martin Defalco and Willie Dunn investigate an Aboriginal perspective of how Canada’s indigenous people have been impacted by colonialism, how land was acquired by the Crown, the commodification of Aboriginal culture by the Hudson Bay Company and popular culture, how the treaty process emerged, and reasons why a cycle of dependency through poverty was created. The resulting loss of voice in decisions affecting themselves and loss of pride in their culture continue to affect Aboriginal people today. Narrator George Manuel, who was president of the National Indian Brotherhood at the time, also demystifies the level of compensation awarded to Aboriginal people who were registered inhabitants of a reserve.

A 3:00 excerpt is also available and can be a sufficient classroom resource to support teaching.

I am focusing on the use of technology to document and preserve traditional knowledge and develop curriculum resources. Most of my posts are related to media in supporting an indigenous re-framing of identity and different ways media are being used to share and document traditional knowledge and deal with ownership issues. How different communities and groups have done this, and their successes and issues will be important feedback for any efforts we make up north.

Native Science

A website on Traditional Knowledge with links to other sites developed in Alaska with TK resources dealing with language, culture and the land.  The projects are aimed at documenting and preserving TK and developing curriculum resources for the state as well. There is a very good set of guidelines developed by a large number of stakeholders: GUIDELINES FOR RESPECTING CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE.

http://www.nativescience.org/html/traditional_knowledge.html

Alaskan Native Knowledge Network

Articles and resources dealing with traditional knowledge, culture and language  including curriculum and resources from all the language groups found in Alaska.

http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/curriculum/Articles/BarnhardtKawagley/Indigenous_Knowledge.html

Indigenous Knowledge: Foundations for First Nations

A detailed article on the place of traditional knowledge in current identity, ecology and development issues from the University of Saskatchewan.

www.win-hec.org/docs/pdfs/Journal/Marie%20Battiste%20copy.pdf

David Bouchard – Portrait of a Metis Writer

Video interview with David Bouchard, a well-known and much respected Metis writer and speaker. We have had David visit out school several times and he is a real champion for strong FN identity – not just Metis. His work is multimedia – writing, partnerships with artists, music – he is very inspiring to youth. Story as the vehicle of traditional knowledge.

http://youtu.be/BdPtMZbgEBY

Nokum is my Teacher

Most of his books are on line in some form. This book is about the Metis culture  and the importance of being open to sharing understanding and change.

http://youtu.be/17QYnw5xzWE

Brenda Parlee Website:

Collects her research re traditional knowledge mainly in Alberta and the NWT as it impacts resource development, wildlife management and ecological issues. Some of her research has dealt with traditional knowledge issues in our community of Lutsel K’e, and issues of control in communication  and development.

http://www.ualberta.ca/~bparlee/parlee_ongoing.htm

Indian Country Today Media Network

Both US and Canadian sites with videos, blogs and news feeds on international issues from health to politics. The site speaks to solidarity among many ethnic and tribal identities on similar issues.

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/canada/

Since the focus of my study is to examine how technology can bring cultural experience to students, in this module I focused on stories – both traditional and contemporary. Since the traditional stories are oral, I looked for websites with animated stories. As most contemporary stories will be written, I have tried to find sites that will help locate aboriginal literature.

1. Dust echoes
This site is a visual treat which provide visitors a very rich interactive experience of learning from the Aboriginal Dream Stories from Australia. The stories are illustrated using traditional native art with traditional music in the background. The site explains the origin of the stories and show where they originated on the Australian map. It provides study guides, quizzes. These quizzes do not have a simple yes or no answers but an explanation to support deeper reasoning.
The most interesting aspect on the site is an opportunity to create a mash up with the existing video. It also provides classroom resources for teachers. These resources are very detailed, not just about the activities, but with contextual information about the music and story. The site ensures that the teachers have in-depth understanding of what they will teach.
http://www.abc.net.au/dustechoes/

2. Stories of the Dreaming
This page is on the Australian Museum site. It explains the significance of such stories in the life of the Indigenous Australians. It explains how the Dream Stories do not belong to one individual but to a group or nation of people as these stories have been handed down through the generations. It explains that the elders are the ‘custodian’ of the stories of that people and that permission to re-tell the ‘Stories of the Dreaming’ can only be given by the custodian/s of each story, in consultation with their community. In the movie gallery there are movies of stories categorized according to the area of origin. The most meaningful aspect is that each story is accompanied by an explanation made by an elder from that nation. This makes the stories more meaningful and relevant to the viewers. There is also a written transcript about the story.
http://australianmuseum.net.au/Stories-of-the-Dreaming

3. Bunyip
This site uses the aboriginal myth of Bunyip to create an environment for the students to explore aboriginal stories and math, science, technology from the aboriginal perspective. In true fashion of oral tradition, Bunyip has continued to be a part of the Aboriginal and mainstream culture in the present day. The site beautifully shows this presence of Bunyip in the present and traditional culture. The reading level is not very high which makes the site more accessible to children of all age groups.
http://www.nla.gov.au/exhibitions/bunyips/flash-site/index-flash.html

4. First Nations Canadian Literature
This site showcases a lot of traditional and contemporary literature from the Canadian First Nations. The books are classified according to origin- Metis. Inuit, Pacific Northwest, but there is also a general section and sections for novels and graphic novel. When you click on the book, the site provides a brief synopsis of the book and the date of publication. The books range from picture books to chapter books for young adults.
http://www.kidsbooks.ca/department.aspx?DeptID=3700&

5. Canadian Literature: A quarterly of Criticism and Review
This site provides a dynamic list of Canadian publishers who publish both mainstream and Aboriginal Literature. It links to 15 publishers that publish in First Nations category. These links lead you to the publishers’ site where lots of work of Aboriginal authors is showcased. There are publishers like Totem Pole Books, Kegedonce Press, Oolichan, Pemmican Publication Inc. who exclusively print only FN material. Some also provide space for readers to interact through blogs.
http://canlit.ca/publishers.php?category=First_Nations

I’m Not the Indian You Had in Mind – 4:41

Written and directed by Canadian author and broadcaster Thomas King, I’m Not The Indian You Had in Mind challenges the stereotypical image of Aboriginal people in the media. Drawing on examples from western films, commercialized artifacts, and pervasive language, we begin to see the influence these images have had on the world’s perception of what it means to be Indian and how First Nations people today are working to break down the barriers that have arisen through this Eurocentric prejudice.

http://otsi.abtec.org/

This is the home page of project developed to teach game design to Aboriginal youth, and have them create a game based on their own context and experience. It was produced in partnership with the Owisokon Lahache of the Kahnawake Survival School. Part of the plan is to empower Aboriginal youth to see themselves as creators and builders, and the other part is to pass on knowledge from elders and preserve stories.

Does this clash? Not sure. Just finding more and more projects that seem to support the idea that Aboriginal designed new media can be an effective teaching tool, and a method of preservation.

2010 Report on the Status of BC First Nations Languages

Language is at the core of our identity, members of a family and nations; it provides the underpinnings of our relationship to culture, the land, spirituality, and the intellectual life of a nation.

According to this report by the First People’s Council, a provincial Crown corporation focused on the status of First Nations language, arts and culture as well as support for First Nations communities trying to recover and sustain their heritage, 60% of First Nations languages in Canada are indigenous to British Columbia. Out of the 32 distinct languages and 59 dialects in BC, all are considered to be endangered with 8 being severely endangered, 22 nearly extinct and 3 already extinct.

Fluent First Nations language speakers comprise only 5.1% of the population in 204 BC First Nations community and that minority percentage continues to dwindle. 52% the of these speakers are over the age of 65. The sharp decline in language learning over the last 100 years can be largely attributed to the aggressive assimilation policies enacted by the government and carried out in residential schools.

With the looming threat of First Nations languages potentially becoming extinct, the urgency for revitalization projects has come to the forefront. While language learning within schools is not yet sufficient to effect substantial change, it is gaining momentum as First Nations communities in BC know that language is an invaluable source of indigenous knowledge and cultural identity that can contribute greatly to an individual’s and community’s healing process. The numbers of language learners is steadily increasing as new resources are developed. The First People’s Councils also calls on First Nations communities to welcome collaboration with each other  to maximize the use of available resources and the Canadian government to commit to protecting Aboriginal language and culture through legislation so language revitalization and sustainability become a reality for BC’s First Nations languages.

Fact Sheet
video: Saving First Nations Languages