Land and Treaties: Indigenous Orientation Toolkit for Newcomers to Canada

The purpose of the opening and introductions is to provide participants with an overview of the day, including the learning outcomes and essential questions.

For all activities, please consult the 'Facilitator's Guide' in the section, 'Where Can I Find Additional Information?'

OUTCOMES

• Welcome participants
• Establish expectations for the day (review agenda, and identify learning outcomes and essential questions)

1. Welcome participants and introduce facilitators.
2. Introduce special guests and Elders, if present.
3. Explain housekeeping items, such as break times, restroom locations, etc.
4. Review the agenda and comment on any flexibility in timing or content, if applicable. Refer to Facilitator Resource: Agenda and Learning Outcomes
5. Share the day’s intended learning outcomes.
6. Provide an overview of essential questions.
   1. Essential questions are intended to encourage dialogue, promote active engagement, and foster a culture of collective responsibility among participants.
7. Encourage participants to be a learning community. One way to do this is through a shared lexicon of hand symbols.
   1. Show participants the hand symbols for ‘repeat,’ ‘slow down/stop,’ and ‘got it!’
   2. Remind students that they are a learning community and invite them to parrot other participants to ensure that the facilitators get the message.
8. Establish group protocols for how we want to work together. These might include listening attentively, participating actively, turning cell phones off/on silent, respecting each other, etc. If time allows, write these on a whiteboard or flip chart paper, and have participants initial the agreement.
   1. If the participant group is quite small, you can create a “Treaty” for how the day should proceed. Participants can negotiate break times, group protocols, and even the agenda (reordering or prioritizing some aspects of the agenda).
   2. Write the agreement in another language, and later break some agreements.

The purpose of this activity is to unpack a typical Treaty land acknowledgement and craft a personalized land acknowledgement. In this section, participants will gain basic background knowledge about Treaties, and insight into the Treaty-making process.

OUTCOMES

• Acknowledge traditional territory, Treaty territory and land
• Understand the spirit and intent of Treaties
• Identify benefits and beneficiaries of Treaties

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• What is a Treaty land acknowledgement, and why bother?
• Why is it important to acknowledge the land that we are on?
• What is your relationship to land, on your home territory and here in Canada?
• What role does land play in your identity construction and culture?

Introduction

1. Deliver a simple Treaty acknowledgement, focusing on the Treaty territory where the workshop is taking place:

We’d like to acknowledge that we’re on Treaty #___.

2. Introduce Treaties in Canada, including the historic Treaties and the numbered Treaties.
   2. Review Facilitator Backgrounder 2.4: Treaties
   3. Fill in the Treaty Venn Diagram with First Nations understandings (based on the oral record) and the Crown’s understandings (based on the written document) of the Treaties and Treaty-making process. Draw attention to where these understandings differ and intersect (the shared circle in the centre).

Personalizing the Treaty land acknowledgement

3. Ask participants to identify themselves on the map, locate their resources, and consider other benefits they gain from Treaties.
   1. Where do you live and work?
   2. Where does your water come from? Your electricity? Food?
   3. How do you benefit from Treaties ? Education, health services, other
      1. Review Facilitator Resource: Treaty Benefits.
   4. What is your relationship to this place/land? Really think about this.
   5. Who lived here, historically and contemporarily? Who travelled through these lands? Harvested here? Ceremonied here?
4. Individually or as a group, develop a meaningful, personal acknowledgement to land. See Facilitator Resource: Treaty Land Acknowledgement.
   1. Consider the Crown’s broken promises.
   2. Consider how being dispossessed from land has impacted First Nation people.

The purpose of this exercise is to help participants recognize that they may have similar experiences and can relate to Indigenous peoples experience with Treaties and land dispossession in Canada.

OUTCOMES

• Establish a personal connection to Treaties
• Relate to First Nation experiences with Treaties and the Treaty-making process

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• Land is central to Indigenous cultures and spiritualities. In what ways is land central to your own culture?
• Can you relate to Indigenous Peoples’ experiences in Canada? In which ways does this change your perception of Indigenous Peoples?

1. Explain that Treaties are like a marriage; they involve a contract and a ceremony. Ask, ‘Are there other things about marriage that relate to Treaties ? E.g., agreements, promises, relationships, etc.’
2. Divide participants into small groups.
3. Ask small groups to discuss land and Treaties. Their personal experiences may help participants understand and relate to the First Nation experience.
4. Invite participants to consider:
   1. Their relationship to land
   2. A history of displacement/land dispossession
   3. Personal experiences with Treaties (peace or land Treaties)
   4. Other connecting points, such as language barriers, western and non-western perspectives and understandings of family, relationships, promises
5. Invite volunteers to share back with the large group.
6. Highlight similar experiences between participants’ and First Nation people.

The purpose of this activity to explore the Numbered Treaties focusing on spirit and intent.

OUTCOMES

• Explore the concept of ‘spirit and intent’
• Recognize that Treaties are a tripartite agreement
• Identify the Numbered Treaties in Manitoba on a map
• Value the importance of First Nations’ language

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• In what way are the Numbered Treaties a tripartite agreement?
• What is meant by ‘spirit and intent’?
• How does First Nations’ language help us to understand the Treaty relationship?

1. Distribute copies of Facilitator Resource: Treaty No.1 to table groups. Ask: what is the document?
2. Explain that this is part of the written text of Treaty No.1.
3. Circulate the Treaty medal. Instruct participants to focus on the images. Ask: Describe what you see? Who are the figures? What doe medal tell us about the Treaty relationship?
4. Develop a list of the symbols and their meaning, for example:
   1. The handshake between the First Nations chief and the Crown representative signifies a relationship, an agreement.
   2. The hatchet buried in the ground between them symbolizes peace and friendship.
   3. The sun, grass and the water symbolize that the treaty will last “as long as the sun shines, the grass grows and the rivers flow.”
5. Introduce the concept of spirit and intent. Clarify that the Treaty relationship is centred on both the printed word and the spoken words and the sacred ceremony at the time of Treaty.
6. Share the translation of the word ‘Treaty’ in Cree and in Anishinaabeg.
7. Draw students’ attention to the large wall map, Map of the Numbered Treaties. Invite them to explore. Facilitate questions and observations.
8. Invite the students to sit. Ask three students to return to the map and tape/affix (1) Treaty medal, (2) Treaty No. 1 text, and (3) Cree/Anishinaabeg terms to the perimeter of the map.
9. Summarize that Treaties were sacred “tripartite” (involving three parties) agreements between First Nations, the Crown/government and the Creator, that were sealed with pipe ceremonies.
10. Reinforce that Treaties consist of written agreements and oral promises; refer back to the Venn Diagram, as needed.

The purpose of this activity is to explore the different worldviews and perspective concerning land held by Indigenous peoples and the Crown (Canadian government) at the time of Treaty-making.

OUTCOMES

• Define the term worldview
• Understand the term settler colonialism
• Distinguish between Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives pertaining to land
• Recognize the differing perspectives regarding land at the time of Treaty-making
• Acknowledge that land is central to Indigenous culture

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• What is meant by the term worldview?
• How were Indigenous and Crown (the Canadian government) views different regarding land at the time of Treaty-making in Manitoba?
• In what ways is land central to Indigenous culture?
• In what ways is land central to your own culture?

1. Ask: What is settler colonialism? Explain that settler colonialism is a particular form of colonization where settlers are driven by the desire for land, where Indigenous land becomes property, and where settlers never leave.
2. Read aloud Facilitator Backgrounder: Reaching the Summit of Mount Everest
3. Ask: How did Norgay and Hillary experience reaching the summit of Mount Everest differently? What were their different worldviews?
4. Guide and facilitate a discussion centred on worldview with a focus on Indigenous perspectives on land.
5. Summarize the different perspectives held by Indigenous peoples and the Crown at the time of Treaty-making in Manitoba; refer back to the Venn Diagram, as needed.
6. Reinforce the role of land from an Indigenous perspective: Land is sacred. Land is sustenance. Land is culture.
7. Show TRCM/CTV Vignette: Share the Land (0:36)
8. Explore this idea (‘Share the Land’) in contrast to the Crown’s view of Treaty as a land purchase.
9. Conclude the session with questions and discussion.

The purpose of the Blanket Exercise is to engage learners in a participatory history lesson that fosters truth, understanding, respect and reconciliation among Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples. This activity is a concise version of the Blanket Exercise that is focused on Treaties and land.   For more information about the Blanket Exercise, visit: https://www.kairosblanketexercise.org/about/.

The purpose of the circle discussion afterward is to debrief the Blanket Exercise. This exercise provides space for participants to unpack and air their thoughts, and to identify key learnings from the exercise.

OUTCOMES

• Understand Indigenous peoples’ relationships with land, and how settler colonialism has impacted this
• Unpack and reflect on the Blanket Exercise

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• How does the Blanket Exercise help us understand Indigenous people’s relationship with land?
• What impact has settler colonialism had on Indigenous peoples’ relationship with land?
• What impact has land dispossession and displacement had on Indigenous peoples?
• How does the Blanket Exercise help you relate to or understand Indigenous peoples’ experiences?

1. Kairos Blanket Exercise delivered by trained facilitators; an Elder should be present to open the activity, smudge, and lead the sharing circle. 
2. Invite participants to sit in a circle.
3. Facilitate a brief question and answer period.
4. Ask participants to consider and share:
   1. How does this exercise relate to you as a newcomer or person who works with newcomers?
5. Close the circle by acknowledging Indigenous peoples’ enduring relationship with land, and their gradual and ongoing dispossession from the land. Today, First Nations control less than 0.2% of land in Canada.

The purpose of this section is to introduce modern Treaties, present instances of land repatriation, including urban reserves and major land claims, and raise awareness about land protection movements to help build solidarity with land defenders.  

OUTCOMES

• Showcase important work taking place today and in the future
• Create understanding and solidarity with land protection movements

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• What purpose do urban reserves serve?
• Is urban land Indigenous land?
• How can you support Indigenous resurgence?
• What does it mean to stand in solidarity with Indigenous people?

1. Explain that there are many (41%) First Nation and Inuit communities that are not part of any Treaty (generally, because the communities were too far north, or otherwise seen as undesirable property).
2. Share that there are negotiations underway for modern Treaties and land claim agreements for territory that was not included in the historic Treaties (the historic Treaties cover about 50% of Canada). The largest land claim to date is the Nunavut land claims agreement, which repatriated nearly one quarter of Canada’s land mass to the Inuit.
   1. Refer to Facilitator Resource: Map of Modern Treaties
3. Share that in 2013, the Supreme Court acknowledged the dishonour of the crown in Métis scrip disbursement and laid the groundwork for a modern-day Treaty with the Métis.
4. Explain that urban land is also being repatriated through urban reserves. Kapyong Barracks is an example of one such settlement agreement between Canada and Treaty 1 communities. However, Métis people have also been excluded from these negotiations, despite a claim to this traditional territory. Rememeber that traditional territories are often overlapping.
5. Highlight that Indigenous peoples are also reconnecting to land after a century of dispossession and reclaiming their languages and ceremonies. There is a lot of important work being done in the areas of land defense, water protection and climate action, including the Oka land dispute (1990), Idle No More to protect land and water in light of Bill C-45, which reduced environmental protections (2012-present), and, recently, the Unist’ot’en Campaign to stop the pipeline through their territory (since 2007, with the International Solidarity with Wet’suwet’en in 2019).
6. Ask: “Has anyone heard of other Indigenous-led movements focused on land defence, water protection and climate action? E.g., NODAPL (Standing Rock), and the Global Climate Strike”?
7. Ask: What land defence movements have recently taken place in Winnipeg? What stories have you heard about these movements?

Activity: Solid-ARiT-y

8. Distribute a small tub of Play-Doh to each participant. Have scrap paper and markers on hand for participants who would prefer to draw.
9. Invite participants to create a Play-Doh sculpture/art piece that illustrates what solidarity or working together looks like to them.
10. Invite participants to share their art-based reflections with the group.
11. Remark on overall similarities as well as disparate pieces. Encourage participants to share feedback too.

Other On-Line Resources

• Idle No More: http://www.idlenomore.ca
• Kapyong Barracks: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2019/08/canada-and-Treaty-one-first-nations-sign-comprehensive-settlement-agreement-for-kapyong-barracks.html
• Supreme Court Métis land ruling: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/métis-celebrate-historic-supreme-court-land-ruling-1.1377827
• Nunavut land claims agreement: https://www.gov.nu.ca/sites/default/files/Nunavut_Land_Claims_Agreement.pdf 

The purpose of this activity is for students to reflect the day’s teachings, share their learnings, and make a personal pledge of action based on this new knowledge.

OUTCOMES

• Provide a framework for critical reflection and informed action
• Offer opportunities to share new perspectives and understandings

Promote self-confidence and a philosophy of growth and improvement

1. Refer to the Thomas King quote from The Truth about Stories. Remind participants that stories – what we’ve heard and learned today – carry responsibilities.
2. Instruct students to divide a sheet of paper into three columns with the following headings: WHAT? SO WHAT? NOW WHAT?
3. Explain that each heading is an entry for critical reflection on today’s learnings.
4. Expand on the first two:

What? What did you learn? What did you expect? What was unexpected? What was your reaction?

So what? Why does it matter? What are the consequences and meanings of your experiences? How do your experiences link to your academic, professional and/or personal development and or experiences?

1. Give students several minutes to complete the first two questions. Invite students to share with the whole group.
2. Expand on the final question:

Now What? What are you going to do as a result of your experiences? What will you do differently? How will you apply what you have learned?

1. Give students several minutes to complete. Invite students to share with the whole group.
2. Distribute the small blank notecards, one per students. Ask them to write themselves an action that they can undertake based on what they have learned. For example: “Tonight at the dinner table I will tell my family that we live in Treaty No. 1 territory.”

The purpose of the closing activity is to debrief on the workshop and close the day in a good way. The evaluation exercise is intended to provide participants with the opportunity to share feedback.

OUTCOMES

• Identify key learnings for participants and close the day in a good way

1. Lead participants in a closing circle.
2. Share the circle protocols and teachings. Model expectations for the circle
1. Be brief and to the point; say “thank you” and pass the talking stick or stone to the next person (always to the left).
3. Introduce the reflection question or topic for discussion. Below are some examples:

One thing I learned from the workshop…

One thing I’ll share with family and friends…

One way I’ll use (new skill/new knowledge) that I learned during the workshop…

How I would update my personal land acknowledgement…

1. Once everyone has shared, thank participants for sharing as a way of closing the circle.
2. Encourage participants to complete an evaluation before leaving.