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Embracing Indigenous Spirituality

Indigenous scholar, Dr. Blair Stonechild, discusses Indigenous spirituality in his recent publications.

Dr. Blair Stonechild is from Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation and is a professor of Indigenous Studies at First Nations University of Canada. After years of research and a keen interest in Indigenous spirituality and has written two books: The Knowledge Seeker – Embracing Indigenous Spirituality (2016) and Loss of Indigenous Eden and the Fall of Spirituality (2020). These two books have contributed to exposing how Indigenous spirituality has been systematically stolen from Indigenous peoples and helps to establish some of the principles of understanding Indigenous spirituality. Stonechild explains, “if you ever hope to understand Indigenous spirituality you have to understand that we are spiritual beings on a physical journey.”

La First Peoples’ House, les initiatives autochtones et l’Université McGill/First Peoples’ House, Indigenous Initiatives et McGill University

The description of the Story. This content will accompany the Title on the website. La communauté de l’Université McGill à Montréal présente une longue histoire en termes de collaboration avec les nations autochtones, en commençant par la création du McGill Intertribal Council au début des années 1970 qui visait à répondre aux besoins culturels des […]

The description of the Story. This content will accompany the Title on the website. La communauté de l’Université McGill à Montréal présente une longue histoire en termes de collaboration avec les nations autochtones, en commençant par la création du McGill Intertribal Council au début des années 1970 qui visait à répondre aux besoins culturels des étudiants autochtones (Stonechild, 2006; Dufour, 2017). Celui-ci mena rapidement à la fondation du Native North American Studies Institue (NNASI) en collaboration avec l’Association des Indiens du Québec (AIQ). Celui-ci joua un rôle important dans l’inauguration du Manitou Community College à La Macaza, l’un des premiers établissements postsecondaires par et pour les nations autochtones au Canada. L’Université McGill fut également la première institution du Québec à instaurer un programme de formation des maîtres-assistants autochtones au cours de la même période (ibid.). Depuis 1997, la First Peoples’ House offre des services d’accueil et de soutien culturellement adaptés aux étudiants autochtones de l’Université. Ce service qui a initialement été financé par le ministère de l’Éducation et des Études supérieures et certaines donations privées est maintenant principalement pris en charge par les Services aux étudiants de l’Institution. Souvent décrit comme un ‘home away from home’, cet espace consacré joue les rôles de lieu de rassemblement communautaire, de ressourcement, de référencement, de support, de tutorat, de mentorat et d’orientation scolaire et même de résidence pour plusieurs étudiants. Des activités récurrentes et ponctuelles -telles les dîners communautaires de soupe et bannique du mercredi midi- et des événements annuels sont organisées. À l’été, la FPH, en collaboration avec la faculté de Médecine de la même université, organise le Eagle Spirit Camp, un camp de trois jours à l’intention de potentiels futurs étudiants âgés de 13 et 17 ans, dans le but de les encourager à réaliser leur plein potentiel éducatif et personnel. D’autres événements sont organisés en collaboration avec d’autres groupes tels le Indigenous Student Alliance (ISA), groupe d’intérêt étudiant formé d’étudiants autochtones et allochtones et le Social Equity and Diversity Education’s Office (SEDE) dont l’Indigenous Awareness Week qui culmine depuis 2001 par la tenue d’un Pow wow sur le campus à la session d’automne. Le Indigenous Educational Series, qui se déroule pour sa part à la session d’hiver, a ainsi pour objectif de sensibiliser la population étudiante aux réalités autochtones du Canada. Depuis 2005, le Indigenous Affairs Work Group a été mis sur pied par le doyen des affaires étudiantes (Dean of students) dans le but d’améliorer l’offre de service pour les étudiants autochtones. L’Université McGill est notamment très active au niveau de la prise de contact et du recrutement auprès des communautés à travers le Canada et présente une politique d’admission propres aux aspirants autochtones auto-identifiés. Ceux-ci sont appelés à fournir une lettre de motivation, une lettre de recommandation en plus d’un curriculum vitae en plus de leur formulaire afin de permettre une évaluation adaptée par le comité d’admission. Un soutien personnalisé peut également être offert au cours de la demande d’admission. Un programme de mineure en études autochtones (Indigenous Studies) a été créé en 2014. En réponse aux appels à l’action de la Commission de vérité et de réconciliation du Canada, le vice-principal exécutif et vice-principal aux études de McGill a créé un Groupe de travail sur les études et l’éducation autochtones en 2016 dans le but de formuler une nouvelle orientation stratégique pouvant bonifier ses initiatives en la matière. RÉFÉRENCES CBC News. (2017, 20 septembre). 2017 edition of Turtle Island Reads celebrates the best in Indigenous Canadian writing. Consulté à l’adresse http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/turtle-island-reads-2017-cbc-indigenous-authors-1.4298777 Curtis, C. (2016, 23 septembre). McGill to take « leadership role » in recruiting aboriginal students. Consulté à l’adresse http://montrealgazette.com/news/mcgill-to-take-leadership-role-in-recruiting-aboriginal-students Dufour, E. (2017). Du Collège Manitou de La Macaza à l’Institution Kiuna d’Odanak: la genèse des établissements postsecondaires par et pour les Premières Nations au Québec. Revue d’histoire de l’Amérique française, 70(4), 5 33. Fennario, T. (2016). McGill University offers gesture of reconciliation with Indigenous people. Montréal. Consulté à l’adresse http://aptnnews.ca/2016/09/23/mcgill-university-offers-gesture-of-reconciliation-with-indigenous-people/ McGill University. (2017). Eagle Spirit High Performance Camp. Consulté à l’adresse https://www.mcgill.ca/fph/prospective-students/eaglespiritcamp McGill University. (2013). Pow wow at McGill. Montréal. Consulté à l’adresse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXuHoKi-2tU McGill University. (2017a). First Peoples’ House. Consulté à l’adresse https://www.mcgill.ca/fph/ McGill University. (2017b). Indigenous Affairs Work Group. Consulté à l’adresse http://www.mcgill.ca/deanofstudents/aboriginaloutreach McGill University. (2017c). Indigenous Applicants. Consulté à l’adresse https://www.mcgill.ca/applying/requirements/indigenous McGill University. (2017d). Indigenous Awareness Week. Consulté à l’adresse https://www.mcgill.ca/fph/resources/indigenous-education-program/indigenous-awareness-week McGill University. (2017e). Indigenous Educational Series. Consulté à l’adresse https://www.mcgill.ca/fph/resources/indigenous-education-program/indigenous-educational-series McGill University. (2017f). Indigenous Studies Program. Consulté à l’adresse https://www.mcgill.ca/indigenous/home McGill University. (2018). Indigenous Success. Consulté à l’adresse https://www.mcgill.ca/provost/indigenous-success Stonechild, B. (2006). The Struggle for Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education in Canada. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press.

Art Petahtegoose – Thinking in Our Language and Our Role in Creation

An Elder, who is preparing Anishinaabe people to be responsible, knowledgeable about their culture, creation and to show us our own personal role in Creation.

An Elder, who is preparing Anishinaabe people to be responsible, knowledgeable about their culture, creation and to show us our own personal role in Creation.

Teresa McGregor – Anishnawbek Ways of Knowing

« Choices » is an alternative School and General Cultural Programming within Native Friendship Centre and Native Health centres. The goal of the program was to revitalize culture and incorporate Anishnawbek ways.

« Choices » is an alternative School and General Cultural Programming within Native Friendship Centre and Native Health centres. The goal of the program was to revitalize culture and incorporate Anishnawbek ways.

School of Trades and Technology – TRU

TRU offers a variety of programs develop and delivered with Indigenous people. The School of Trades & Technology hosts many degrees and programs including Building Capacity & Community Through Construction Trades and Waste & Wastewater Treatment certificates which demonstrates TRU’s ongoing commitment to Indigenous education through meaningful and responsive programming development and delivery.

TRU offers a variety of programs develop and delivered with Indigenous people. The School of Trades & Technology hosts many degrees and programs including Building Capacity & Community Through Construction Trades and Waste & Wastewater Treatment certificates which demonstrates TRU’s ongoing commitment to Indigenous education through meaningful and responsive programming development and delivery.

Making Cree Resources and Traditional Stories Accessible

Solomon Ratt is an educator who has dedicated his life to teaching, while also creating and translating resources into Cree.

Solomon Ratt is an Associate Professor of Indigenous Languages at First Nations University of Canada. Ratt has been teaching Cree and creating Cree language learning and teaching resources since the 1970’s. He says, growing up there was no access to Indigenous literature and now, because of some key players like Freda Ahenikew and the Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre (SICC), there has been significant progress in writing both traditional stories and other stories in Cree. Despite what some people say about writing and sharing traditional Cree stories in written form, Ratt believes in order for the language to survive we need to be able to write our stories in our languages so that they are available for the next generation. More and more of our people are isolated without a community of mentors who will teach us the language – writing it and creating ways online for people to access it is crucial to its survival and the survival of our cultures. Ratt suggests a number of resources that are effective in language learning and most of them are accessible through SICC.

Resources: 

SayITFirst Books

Cree Literacy Network

Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre

Think Indigenous – An Initiative Supporting Indigenous Knowledge

The Think Indigenous initiative inspires educators to think about education through an Indigenous knowledge lens.

Chris Scribe is the Executive Director and Board Chair of Think Indigenous, an initiative that seeks to support programs, innovations, and education that focus on Indigenous knowledge. Scribe believes that Indigenous knowledge is “an embodiment of life, it’s all levels of understanding relative to the area in which we live.” Scribe explains that what is needed now is for Indigenous people to create curriculums based on Indigenous knowledge that can be used within our education system. We need to invite our Knowledge Keepers into our classrooms so that traditional  knowledge is valued and honoured. As well, leaders in education need to make room for educators to try Indigenous methods and approaches to learning.

Manitoba First Nations School System

Manitoba First Nations School System (MFNSS), begun in 2017, has been empowered to engage in Indigenous led education within the province.  Established by the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre (MFNERC), MFNSS is a First Nations-designed and led school system.  For more information, visit: https://www.mfnss.com/About/Pages/default.aspx#/=.

Manitoba First Nations School System (MFNSS), begun in 2017, has been empowered to engage in Indigenous led education within the province.  Established by the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre (MFNERC), MFNSS is a First Nations-designed and led school system.  For more information, visit: https://www.mfnss.com/About/Pages/default.aspx#/=.

Indigenous Graduation Grad Coach Program

Winnipeg School Division’s Aboriginal Graduation Coaches program provides multi-year support and guidance to students on their journey from Grade 9 to graduation.

In 2015, the Winnipeg School Division started an Aboriginal Graduation Coaches program which is an initiative that is focused on assisting Indigenous students to graduate high school. Winnipeg School Division’s Aboriginal Graduation Coaches program provides multi-year support and guidance to students on their journey from Grade 9 to graduation. The Aboriginal Graduation Coach Program focuses on the following six areas: Relationships & Mentoring, Transitions, Culture, Academics, Career Planning and Family Engagement. The focus of the Grad Coach is to increase Aboriginal graduation rates. Additional goals of the program include: Improve Aboriginal student attendance, course grades, and credit attainment; identify factors contributing to drop out rates; identify and create plans to overcome graduation barriers; improve transitions from junior high to high school, as well as to post-secondary/workforce; facilitate high school and post-secondary planning; and create a graduation team of support for the students. Link to a video about the program https://vimeo.com/225579583