Reflection

FNIS 100, an introductory course to First Nations and Indigenous studies, was a very enlightening course. The course covered a variety of issues surrounding the lives of Indigenous peoples form the language that is generally accepted when discussing these people and topics, to how media portrayals of Indigenous people can be harmful and used to perpetuate further misinformation and stereotypes. For me personally the class forced me to revaluate how I view and respond to these issues. I was raised in a certain way, with somethings just accepted as fact and the experiences I had as a young person just reinforced these prejudices. This class helped me to move past my own bias and examine the narrative surrounding Indigenous peoples in a new light. I was exposed to other ways of thought that were different from my own and made to reconcile this new information with what I already knew and believed. This class also taught me the language and the protocols to use when navigating these dialogues without causing offence or creating more tension through further miscommunication. The material covered in the course was important but I found the lesson on how to engage with the material and how to remain aware of all of the preconceived opinions one has infinitely more valuable and it is what I will ultimately take form this course.