Category Archives: Module 1

Module 1: Post 2: Native Stories For Public Broadcasting

I came across this website titled Native Stories for Public Broadcasting. It is a website created and produced by North American Natives who broadcast stories, podcasts, films, TV and news based on tribal stories, history, or current events. These stories are meant to represent Native culture and values with Native communities and with the world.

The board members of this website is made up of Native North Americans from different tribes who are representing the voices of Native North Americans in a global media world. The aim to the website is to share, collaborate, encourage creativity and bring honour to Native cultures

I decided to go to the films category of the website. I watched some of the previews and read some summaries of the films listed. The films ranged from documentaries, personal experiences of elders during war time, stories told through film, films based on athletics, music and even comedies. There was a large range of types of films about Native culture told through a Native perspective.

I think this website is very empowering because it is way for Native North Americans to broadcast their own heritage and culture through media. It is a way for tribes to accurately portray their identities anNatid values rather than allowing Western media to continue to romanticize Native North Americans from an ethnocentric view.

http://www.nativetelecom.org/

Module 1 – Post 2: Sean Atleo, Chancellor of VIU

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In 2008, Chief Sean Atleo from the Ahousaht First Nation was named Chancellor of Vancouver Island University (VIU). This is interesting to me as I completed my undergrad degrees at VIU and Ahousaht is not too far from where I grew up on Vancouver Island. Initially, my interest in this topic lies in personal connections.

As I begin to discover more about Chief Atleo’s position as Chancellor I learn that he is the first university chancellor of First Nation’s heritage in the province of British Colombia. Although it doesn’t particularly surprise me, it seems to be fairly consistent throughout history that positions of power are largely held by Caucasian men, it made me begin to think about Indigenous people and positions of power. I have long noticed the lack of women in leadership roles, but haven’t thought much about Indigenous people in leadership roles.

As I search further I discover that just this weekend The Globe and Mail reported that an Aboriginal chancellor has been appointed at the University of Saskatchewan. That it is news for an aboriginal person to be made a university chancellor makes me think that perhaps this is a bit of a rarity. Most of the articles I have found are of Chief Atleo and Blaine Favel from the University of Saskatchewan.

I continue to wonder about diversity of those in leadership roles. What are the consequences when the majority of leadership roles are held by people of similar backgrounds, gender, socioeconomic status. What might change when leaders are a diverse group of individuals? What message is sent to young people when the majority of leaders are Caucasian men?

Module 1: Post 1: Indigenous Peoples of South East Asia

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I thought about the question posed by Marker (2006) “Can school be a place to be indigenous, a place to be non- homogenized, a place in which all children learn, question, and grow from a position that values and builds upon who they are (487)?”

I think this can only happen if education is geared towards teaching methods and content which is reflective of the culture of children being taught. I do not think that mainstream education can address all the needs and differences indigenous children have in order to “build upon who they are.”

I currently live in Vietnam, there are millions of indigenous peoples living in the mountain ranges through Southern China, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Burma speaking more than 1,000 languages. These cultures have suffered a lack of education, health care and social services and have been either marginalized or forced to assimilate to the mainstream cultures.

This website is an article written by UNESCO addressing the problem of education of South East Asia’s indigenous peoples. It was stated that most education is taught in another language other than the indigenous student’s mother tongue, and most content is usually irrelevant to the students. This has resulted in astonishing rates of illiterate men and women. Due to this problem, the UN is trying to fight for the rights of indigenous people by encouraging education to be taught “in their own languages” and “in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning”.

In advocating education to be taught in Indigenous languages and incorporating cultural methods, this may help break the cycles of poverty suffered by Indigenous peoples in South East Asia. It will be a difficult task to change mainstream attitudes towards these cultures through appreciating diversity and accepting different worldviews.

I think it is very important to provide education in a child’s mother tongue and to teach curriculum that is consistent with one’s own culture. I think that through assimilating all children into a mainstream classroom children are unable to be successful and results in increased poverty rates and marginalization due to lack of cultural understanding.

http://www.unescobkk.org/education/news/article/why-we-should-support-mother-tongue-based-education-for-indigenous-peoples/

Module 1 – Post 1: Reconciliation

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As I no longer live in Canada, I am often unaware of events/national news. In this era of intense social networking, Facebook is usually my initial place for learning of things that are happening or being discussed ‘back home.’ Such is the case for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Friends, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, have been posting about the TRC throughout this week on Facebook. Through my classmates in MET 521 and this weblog I have learned that this week is Reconciliation Week in Canada. The notion of a national week for reconciliation intrigued me and I began to read further.

I discovered Reconciliation Canada, a charitable project that was created as a ‘collaboration between The Indian Residential Schools Survivor’s Society (IRSSS) and Tides Canada Initiative Society (TCI).’ I am impressed to see an organization that is devoting itself and its work to the task of reconciliation. I am also incredibly interested in the importance that is being given to reconciliation. As a historian, I have studied many groups throughout the world seeking justice for wrong doings, recognition for mistreatment or simply an apology for what has been done in the past. To have created a group that endeavors to ‘engage people from every part of Canadian society in an open and honest conversation about our diverse histories and experiences in order to build vibrant, resilient, sustainable communities‘, is an inspiring step forward.

As my search continued I came across an article titled, “Reconciliation Week a chance for ‘critical conversations’ on colonialism” by David P. Ball. Initially I was interested in the reference to colonialism, but the article seemed to touch on much more.

The article begins by introducing Reconciliation Week and refers to testimony from residential school students. Ball notes that the final residential school closed in 1996. This astonished me. Historically speaking, 1996 is not that long ago. That a residential school still existed less than two decades ago challenges my own beliefs that residential schools were an archaic way of thinking and existed in a different time and a different mindset. To have one exist so recently, unnerves me.

Another key point of the article is the relationship between the TRC and prominent oil and gas companies. Ball points out that the TRC is sponsored by Kinder Morgan – a large oil and gas company. To some this questions the validity of the entire process of the TRC, to others it gives prominence and attention to an important step that has thus far not received the attention it requires. To me this echoes our discussions from last week on the cultural neutrality of technology and the idea of bias. The fact that someone, or a group, choose which information to include on a website, in an article etc. leads to biased information being accepted as truth. The presence of oil and gas companies in the midst of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission can make on question their intentions and possibly benefits from being involved. Ultimately, this discussion on the involvement of these companies distracts from the main purpose of the TRC. It is not helpful to have the focus shift from truth and reconciliation to the intentions of oil and gas companies.

Although not easy to seek or achieve, a national movement for reconciliation is an inspired and important step forward. I hope that Canadians see the importance of having an open dialogue and are able to focus on moving forward.

Connecting Canadian Indigenous Issues to Viet Nam

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Many of the struggles that Canadian indigenous people endure are shared by other indigenous cultures throughout the world. Since I am living in Ho Chi Minh City, I felt compelled to explore the current conflicts facing Viet Nam’s indigenous people.

In comparing the two indigenous cultures, I found there to be many similarities. Viet Nam’s indigenous people are marginalized and live in greater poverty than the rest of the population – as is the case in Canada. Throughout history, they have been discriminated against and treated as ‘second class citizens.’ There is also a significant disparity in education.

UNICEF recently conducted research in Viet Nam and discovered that “school dropout among ethnic minority pupils has become something like a predestined fate.” Even though the government mandates that primary school be free to all citizens, corruption runs rampant and many public schools will not accept students without bribes, which most indigenous families cannot afford. Due to poverty, most indigenous children feel pressure to dropout and begin working at a young age.

One notable difference between the plights of these two cultures may be the degree to which the government supports their freedom of expression. In one of our discussions, Keith explained that the Canadian government does not allow indigenous communities full Jurisdiction over their education system. In Viet Nam, the socialist government has full control over mass media, how information is portrayed and how its population is educated on the matter. This lack of freedom of expression certainly prohibits Vietnamese indigenous people from sharing their values, their feelings of bitterness or their stories of unfair treatment.

http://www.crin.org/docs/resources/treaties/crc.32/vietnam_indigenous_ngo_report.pdf

Intergenerational Impacts of Residential Schools

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I would like to tread lightly on the topic of addictions, as it relates to Canada’s indigenous population. Deborah Chansonneuve has conducted research for the Aboriginal Healing Foundation and written an article entitled “Addictive Behaviours Among Aboriginal People.”

The article is well researched and includes several recounts from recovering clients of the Healing Foundation. These recounts suggest that addictive behaviours among Indigenous people are derived from this group’s strenuous history, and with the implementation of residential schooling.

One anonymous client spoke of how impacted she was by her mother’s experience in a residential school. Her mother had difficulty surmounting the anguish she felt toward mainstream society and was unable to support her own child emotionally. The client was therefore raised in foster and group homes for most of her life. Without a stable home environment, the client never learned how to express or manage her emotions – completing a cycle of abuse. The ultimate result was that she relied on alcohol as a means of ‘dealing with,’ or suppressing, her emotions. This correlates directly to what Dr. Lee suggested in his podcast, the idea that emotional awareness helps prevent addictions.

Evidence from Chansonneuve’s research has shown that “the most effective addictions prevention and intervention programming for Aboriginal people is grounded in the wisdom of traditional Inuit, Metis, and First Nations teachings about a holistic approach to a healthy life.”

The article outlines the impacts not only of residential schooling, but of other indigenous struggles throughout history, including the Metis resistance, the Indian Act of 1876 and the relocation of Inuit.

This article is informative and compelling. I would welcome anyone interested in the addictive behaviours of indigenous people to at least glance at some of the client stories it presents. It is well worth the read.

http://www.ahf.ca/downloads/addictive-behaviours.pdf **(pages 13-17 are particularly relevant to the topic)

Rabbit and Bear Claw: Teaching Indigenous Stories From an Insider’s Perspective

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The topic of Canadian teachers teaching indigenous studies was brought up during this week’s discussion. I mentioned that it is difficult for some mainstream teachers to effectively teach indigenous ceremonies, customs and beliefs in their classrooms because not everyone can illustrate the spiritual element present in indigenous cultures. Heather also brought to light the difficulties facing mainstream teachers who are teaching indigenous students.

I met recently with a friend who has taught previously on a reserve in Northern Ontario. She described how difficult it was for her to be accepted and respected by the students. She also mentioned a man named Chad Solomon, who works for a company called “Little Spirit Bear Productions.” He travels to indigenous schools and performs interactive puppet shows that retell the traditional, oral stories of his ancestors. He has created two main characters named “Rabbit” and “Bear Claw,” who are the humorous heroes in these stories. Each story aims at building students’ character and encouraging them to be more mindful of how their behaviour impacts the people and nature around them. Some themes include bullying, greed, honesty and sustainability.

From my friend’s experience, Solomon’s teaching methods have been hugely successful. Even though most mainstream teachers would teach the same traits, indigenous students admire Solomon and respond more positively to him because he is from the culture, and not viewed as an oppressive outsider.

For more information about SOlomon and his project, follow the link below: http://rabbitandbearpaws.com/

Module 1 – Post 3 – A Sorry State

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I strongly recommend taking the time to watch this documentary by Canadian filmmaker Mitch Miyagawa. With a Japanese-Canadian father, an Aboriginal step-mother and a Chinese-Canadian step-father and three official Canadian government apologies to his family, he asserts that he has the most apologized to family in the country. His exploration of his family history and the meaning of an apology is at times funny and light and at others very moving and heart wrenching.

http://ww3.tvo.org/video/184814/sorry-state

A couple of the conclusions he comes to are:

There is a difference between an apology and acknowledgement. Sometimes, the acknowledgement is more important than the apology.

Apologies are more about the future than about the past. It’s about much more than just saying something.

Apologies, acknowledgement, stories and all the memorials and other ways we have of dealing with the mistakes of our past, they aren’t about endings, they’re about beginnings.

Module 1 – Post 2 – Margaret Commodore tells her story

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In my previous post I wrote about the TRC’s BC National Event happening this past week in Vancouver. In researching more about this event, I’ve come across blog posts written by a former journalist who highlights some of the stories that have emerged from the sharing circles.

This first one is especially meaningful to me because it describes the experiences of Margaret Commodore, who is part of the Sto:lo Nation and lives in my community. In her testimony at the sharing circle she describes her abuse, how she suppressed it and the unexpected resurgence of the hurt roused by paintings that reminded her of the residential school. She speaks of forgiving just about everyone, but not yet her abuser.

Margaret concluded with “I won’t apologize for my tears, because I deserve them.”

http://mickleblog.wordpress.com/2013/09/19/margaret-commodore-tells-her-story/

The next post from the blog author was entitled “Tears, but Laughter Too: Hearing from Survivors of Residential Schools”. It followed a similar strain, highlighting some of the emotional testimony from that day’s sharing circles. I won’t describe them all, but I thought I would include the paragraph that really jumped out at me:

“As many before her, however, she went on to tearfully apologize to her children for being a poor parent. I was strict. I didn’t know how to hug them. After she got up to leave, her husband Rollie leaned into the mike. She turned out to be a great grandmother he said.”

http://mickleblog.wordpress.com/2013/09/20/tears-and-laughter-at-the-trc/

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission – Module 1

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Residential schools have left their mark on generations of First nations, Metis and Inuit Children, with over 150,000 individuals passing through these government-funded, church-run schools. These schools eliminated parental involvement in the intellectual, cultural and spiritual development of Aboriginal children and in countless instances students were subject to emotional and physical abuse. Today there is an estimated 80,000 former students living with the hurt that they suffered at the hands of the people her were charged with “educating” them.

As part of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada was established. The TRC has a mandate “to learn the truth about what happened in residential schools and to inform all Canadians about what happened in the schools.” “The Commission hopes to guide and inspire First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples and Canadians in a process of truth and healing leading toward reconciliation and renewed relationships based on mutual understanding and respect.”

This past week saw the TRC’s British Columbia National Event running on the PNE grounds from September 18-21. Throughout the 4 days there were a variety of both private and public sharing circles, information displays, videos, an Education Day for students, and a culminating Reconciliation Walk taking place today in Downtown Vancouver.

You can visit the TRC’s website here: http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/index.php?p=3