The December 2011 report of the Standing Senate committee on Aboriginal Peoples is entitled REFORMING FIRST NATIONS EDUCATION: FROM CRISIS TO HOPE This reflects the theme from “Decolonizing Methodologies” author Linda Smith and her discussion of how spaces of marginalization have become spaces of hope. This 80 page Senate document is also available online at www.parl.gc.ca and www.senate-senat.ca It is a document that explores historical periods of First nations education, and also examines the current situation. It discusses the need for further infrastructure, funding, and reform, and issues recommendations for a new framework for first Nations Education in Canada.
This document/website is one that I have encountered as I prepare to work on my paper looking at how best to benefit First Nations students in my classroom.

http://www.aboriginalcanada.gc.ca

This is a Government of Canada site with a number of different links connected through it (hence: portal) From Aboriginal Math resources, to literature, resource guides and Native dancing. There is a section on just lesson plans, including tidbits on Louis Riel, Inuit sculpture and Inukshuk, short Metis plays, and Wellness handbooks. Extensive menus and sidebar tabs lead to many related resources and sites. While it is a Government sponsored site and political bias is always an issue we face, there is also a lot of useful material that can be used and implemented if we are looking to upgrade the First Nations and Canadian content in High School English and Social Studies (and drama, art….) classes.

Weblog #3: Entry #2

Further to Entry #1, this website explores the term ‘Redwashing’ and the implications of murals commissioned in 1932 illustrating FN in Victoria and BC. As it turns out, these 4 murals were removed as they were highly offensive and degrading, to touch on a few aspects of the discussion. Of interest to me is how the removal of these murals highlights how FN groups in Victoria continue to shape the culture of the city/community. In this case, the 1932 murals in the BC Legislative Buildings depicted a primitive and stereotypical version of aboriginal peoples. It took until 2007 for the murals to be removed as a result of a parliamentary motion. This example shows us that with concentrated and continued effort, past wrongs can sometimes be corrected.

Site: http://www.firstnations.de/indian_land/misrepresented.htm

Weblog 3.1

The conclusion of module three stated “…..how indigenous principles could be applied in mainstream and dominant educational settings to produce a more progressive and sustainable future for schools and communities. Indigenous education is not simply for Indigenous peoples.”

I found an Australian article arguing just this – that the Indigenous way of teaching can be a deep learning for all learners.

Tyson Yunkaporta, an Aboriginal Education Consultant, undertook a research project Aboriginal Pedagogies at the Cultural Interface that asked two questions:

1. How can teachers engage with Aboriginal knowledge?

Similar to aspects of Indigenous learning outlined by Marker (2011) and Barhardt and Kawagley (2005), Yunkaporta has developed an 8ways Aboriginal Pedagogical Framework comprising story telling, learning maps, non-verbal, symbols and images, land links, non-linear, deconstruct/reconstruct and community links, which all interact in multiple ways. You can view the diagramatic representation of the framework on the site.

He argues, in the Draft Report that there is a common-ground phenomenon when higher order knowledge from Indigenous systems is brought alongside similar western systems. p20 of the report  has this diagrammatically as a ‘Boomerang Matrix of Cultural Interface Knowledge’.

Yunkaporta states that “non-Aboriginality (is) not found to be a barrier to engaging with Aboriginal knowledge. …… Aboriginality in itself does not provide some kind of magic ticket for engaging with Aboriginal knowledge. Any person, regardless of their background, must have a sophisticated awareness of their own identity and must be engaging in local knowledge protocols in order to come to Aboriginal knowledge with integrity.” p27

2. How can teachers use Aboriginal knowledge authentically and productively in schools?

Yunkaporta’s solution lies in the application of Aboriginal processes rather than Indigenised content (which he outlines in depth in the second half of his report).

References

Barnhardt, R., & Kawagley,  A. O., “Indigenous Knowledge Sytems and Alaskan Native ways of Knowing” Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 36(1), 2005, 8-23.

Marker M. Teaching History form an Indigenous perspective. Four winding paths up the mountain.

Yunkaporta, T. (2009) Aboriginal Pedagogies at the Cultural Interface draft report

Weblog 3.1

Like Janet B I discovered the online journal Decolonisation: Indigeneity, Education and Society offers interesting reading.

The editorial by Sium, Desai and Ritskes (2012) Towards the ‘tangible unknown’: Decolonization and the Indigenous future attempts to sum up the articles published in the journal and aims to examine the “contradictions, contestations and possible pathways to decolonisation”. (p 1)

They comment that there are many visions and definitions of decolonisation, but that it must include resistance to colonial relations of power and must result in “reimaging and rearticulating power, change and knowledge”. They argue that decolonisation can’t happen without recognition of primacy of land and indigenous sovereignty of the land.

They argue we cannot be spectators (settlers or Indigenous) and decolonisation must find ways to combine both theory and action (there needs to be theory to inform action and action to inform theory) with daily acts of resistance. It is an interesting read.

Decolonization: Idigeneity, Education & Society is a peer-reviewed, online, open access journal.  The journal is very new – it’s first issue was released on September 17, 2012.  The website states that the journal is “committed to decolonization work within education, as part of a larger project of decolonization in society.”  The panel of peer-reviewers is listed on the site and includes people from a number of countries and disciplines.  The first issue can be accessed here.

As this is a new journal, there was not much to review.  However, the initiative and the impressive list of peer-reviewers makes it worth looking at.  The first issue contains and editorial, articles, poetry and the cover page is a beautiful piece of artwork.  The journal certainly speaks to the main topic of Module 3.

Weblog Notes – Module 3

Site # 1

This time around I thought I would explore the different ways Indigenous people use media to cover one issue concerning the protection of their collective history. I chose to examine the village and Midden site of c̓əsnaʔəm of Marpople village and the Musqueam community.  The first means with which the Musqueam Community spreads the word about their plight is through Facebook where they have various news clips, photos and also a blog that describes their efforts to stop a condo development site from being built so that their ancestors are no longer desecrated. Here is a link to their Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/ProtectTheVillageAndMiddenSiteOfMarpoleVillage/info

By this means of communication they are able to get the public to react and support their cause through blogs and even a petition. There are quite a few supportive comments in their blogs, but it is unclear how many actually come from outside the community itself.

Site # 2

By continuing to explore this story and how the Musqueam community is using the Web and Internet to protect their 4,000 year old burial site, also know as the Eburne site, Manpole Midden or Great Fraser Midden, I found a 5-minuteYouTube video, here is the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbjl1mShtpo

I found that this video was powerful, the message is clear – the images are evocative.  The Musqueam community is really working together to save their historical site and they are willing to go all the way to protect their collective history.  I found this to be a very effective way to get the Musqueam message across.  Many people view YouTube and it can obviously help their cause.  I unfortunately saw no comments in the comment box, so I wonder who has viewed it . . . it has been posted since August 2012, so that gives it some time for others to view and comment on it.  The video is well made and I think could reach out to a wide public.

Site # 3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aPOUgPsn1g&feature=related

This video entitled : The Musqueam Marpole Midden Vigil Interview, explains what the Musqueam community has done.  The steps that have been taken, from peaceful demonstrations, suggestions of swapping land to relocate the condo project, their efforts to talk to provincial and federal government, until their blockade on the bridge – which is sadly when the government decided to take note of the issue and begin talks.

The speaker makes a good case of  why saving this site is important to the Musqueam people and also of comparing the fact that digging up other Canadian graveyards is not allowed or done in Canada, why should it be different for them?

Site # 4

This site is an activist column where the petition to protect the Musqueam Marpole burial site can be found.  Up to date there are 1 347 signatures that support the petition. This web site offers more information on this issue and the Musqueam people’s struggle to protect this burial site since December 2011. It is amazing to me that despite the finding of ancestral bones, the building permit was not revoked and especially why it is so difficult for the government to act in good faith and accept the proposed swap.

At the bottom of the page there are 10 referers that link this site. I thought I would visit a few to see how a plight, such as preserving the Musqueam Marpole ancestral burial site could be linked with other similar plights, or find sympathizers to their cause elsewhere.

Site # 5

http://www.activism.com/en_CA/external/intercontinentalcry.org/urgent-action-needed-to-protect-ancient-marpole-village-and-burial-site-from-destruction/

Indigenous Media is a grassroots journal. This web site is an excellent example of using the Internet to connect with other Indigenous groups around the world. I explored several of the opinions, news and editorials that can be found on this web site; here are some of the titles covered:

–          Illegal miners in Venezuela

–          Blockaded dam in Malaysia

–          City council plan halted by tribal council (Gila River Indian Community)

–          The plight of the Bedouin of the Negev

–          Sacred Sites and Indigenous Peoples of the Altai

–          Brazil: Indigenous Peoples Demand Repeal of ‘Anti-Indian’ Decree

Each of these stories go into more depth and lead to further links and information on the subject.  This type of website offers all Indigenous communities who wish to do so, a platform for expressing their concerns about various subjects that affect their communities. I believe this type of media forum can serve to inform each other and the world about issues, and it can also be used to learn from each other.  Perhaps such a platform can also provide Indigenous communities with strength in number and offer them ideas and ways to protect their collective histories and ancestral ways.

Each web news segment also offers the opportunity to blog, and I read many comments supporting various causes.  It is interesting then that through this site the Musqueam people can get a worldwide audience to react to their plight. I found the story about the Musqueam Marpole ancestral burial site under “Canada”. It is here that I learned that after their struggle the Musqueam people won their fight and on September 27 the provincial government revoked the permits to build a 5 story condominium development at the Musqueam Marpole Village Site.

I believe that the Internet was an important tool for the Musqueam people in propagating their issue and in resolving the matter.  Thus I conclude that various forms of media: the Internet, blogs, videos, interviews etc. did serve to protect and disseminate their collective history. I also believe that other Indigenous groups can likely use this example as a guide for their own struggles and give them ideas about how to work with government entities to resolve issues.

Hello,

Article #20:

The following website link…..

http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/Reports/RedefiningSuccessInAboriginalLearning/RedefiningSuccess.html

….is from the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL/CCA) website.

The page(s) contained within the link describe ‘success’ from an Aboriginal learning context. The site contains a few pages dedicated to Aboriginal learning, and these pages discuss the Holistic Lifelong Learning Model and its link to community and the environment.

An interesting point was brought up regarding the goals of education and learning for Aboriginal people. From an Aboriginal perspective, “….the purpose of learning is to honour and protect the earth and ensure long-term sustainability to life.” This goal of learning then alters the goal of a First Nations Library somewhat. I think with this Aboriginal learning goal in mind, libraries must work to be more community driven and have vast resources concerning local environmental issues. Without community strength and environmental issues being addressed, the purpose of a particular First Nations library may come into question.

Thanks.

-Regen

Hello,

 Article #19……

The following website…..

http://www.fnbc.info/fntc

…..is the site of First Nations BC: Technology Council. The site offers visitors glimpses into what’s happening within First Nations communities with respect to current technology use. The numerous tabs of the website include: Connectivity, Technical Support, Community Applications, Skill Development, etc. The nice thing about the site is that all of its resources and examples are provided as pdf & powerpoint links so the user has full access to past stories, presentations, and successes.  The website also features a “Youth Café” which gives youth a chance to see recent happenings and interact with other youth on the same topics and stories. It is this ‘interaction’ component of the site that would also be a benefit within a First Nations Library setting as a way to keep a youth-focused group cohesive, and thriving. Learning is becoming more of a social process and having that social interaction take place within a website or library would only help the learning process as a whole.

Thanks.

-Regen

Hello,

 Article #18….

This link is a story out of the Georgia Straight recently.

http://www.straight.com/article-254208/first-nations-kids-need-net

The article titled “First Nations students need Internet technology, advocates say” was written in 2009, by Stephen Hui. The author includes some great sources including one from “George Abbott, B.C.’s minister of aboriginal relations and reconciliation, told the Straight that it’s “very important” to bridge the digital divide facing First Nations. The Liberal MLA for Shuswap noted that the provincial government has invested $30.8 million in First Nations connectivity and digital-literacy programs in the past year.”

This quote does show that technology is also important to the government but what is missing is how this money is to be implemented to sensitively incorporate technology into First Nations culture. If some of this funding can make its way through to a First Nations library, then the funds could more appropriately be utilized in more useful ways. Acquiring ‘internet technology’ for First Nations students sounds like a great venture but the internet technology also needs to be harnessed by recent technology to be most effective. A First Nations Library could be a place that is known for its up-to-date technology where efficient internet connections are available.

Thanks.

-Regen