Kinàmàgawin: Aboriginal Issues in the Classroom is a documentary film that examines the difficulties experienced when discussing Aboriginal issues in post-secondary classrooms at Carleton University. Twenty-one Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students, instructors, faculty, and staff across various disciplines reflect upon their most memorable classroom moments when Indigenous issues were discussed. Oftentimes, those discussions became uncomfortable and upsetting, resulting in a classroom climate that was alienating.
Kinàmàgawin provides a space for the university community to voice their experiences and share their stories, and creates greater awareness of the challenges faced at the classroom level. Additionally, it is a useful teaching and training tool to engage universities in a dialogue that moves toward improving these situations. The film confirms the resilience and strength of the Indigenous community at Carleton, and showcases local Aboriginal talent with a soundtrack by A Tribe Called Red.
The trailer can be viewed below: