Residential Schools Archives

Grace Fox – Language is Who We are

Posted on May 21, 2021 by Kevin Fitzmaurice

Grace Fox is from M’Chigeeng First Nation and has dedicated her life to Indigenous Education. Over the course of her career, Grace has been a Guidance Counsellor, Teacher, Principal, and Director of Education and is now a Trustee with the Rainbow District School Board. In spite of having attended residential school, Grace was able to retain her Anishnaabemowin language and feels strongly that Indigenous languages are critical to a meaningful understanding of Indigenous Education today.

Grace is concerned that Indigenous Education Scholarship today is leading us away from the heart of the Indigenous knowledge and practices; which resides with Indigenous people who are living in the language, close to the land, and who are practicing traditional ceremonies. Without a focus on these core aspects of Indigenous Education, there is the risk that attempting to understanding Indigenous Knowledge and practice within the English language and through Western assessment tools, will further colonize Indigenous people. Although there have been some improvements in the valuing of Indigenous languages in provincial schools system as a result of efforts at reconciliation, there is so much work that needs to be done.

Shirley Williams – Language is Important

Posted on by Kevin Fitzmaurice

Shirley Williams (Bird Clan) is an Elder from Wiikwemkoong First Nation; her Anishinaabe name is Migizi ow Kwe meaning Eagle Woman. Shirley is a Professor Emeritus at Trent University, Indigenous Studies where she has taught Anishnaabe language, identity, and culture for many years. Over the course of her career at Trent and still today, Shirley has developed many different resources to help with the teaching and learning of Anishnaabemowin. She is the author of ‘Shoolee: The Early Years’ an autobiographical and bilingual (English and Anishnnaabemowin) account of what traditional life was like growing up in the language and living close to the land on Manitoulan Island.

According to Elder Shirley Williams, supporting Indigenous language education is at the heart of reconciliation in Canada today. The residential school system almost destroyed the Anishnaabe language and the Anishnaabe educational system. If we are going to move past the many harms of the residential school system and towards reconciliation in Canada, Indigenous languages need to be supported and we need to write and speak in the language as much as we can. We need to respect and accept each other’s dialect and encourage each other to learn and speak the language. We need to love our Anishnaabe language no matter how it is said. We all belong because the Creator gave us all this language together.

Harvest Days at Sturgeon Lake First Nation

Posted on March 30, 2021 by Steffany Salloum

Sturgeon Lake First Nation community members reflecting on Harvest Days during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harvest Days is an example of what is possible – community members came together at the Healing Lodge, over the course of a week, and between young and old, they hunted, fished, picked berries, processed food, prepared medicines and drank pandemic immunity. Their efforts to support their community during a pandemic and their commitment to teaching the youth about land-based learning, community, and traditional health is shown in their food security preparations.

*Disclaimer: This video deals wth the processing of deer, moose, and fish for preservation and has graphic content.

Embracing Indigenous Spirituality

Posted on January 26, 2021 by Steffany Salloum

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.”

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

Posted on May 7, 2020 by John Vallely

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.

Hailey Prince at the Nak’azdli Cultural Centre

Posted on March 2, 2020 by Marion Erickson

Hailey Prince details the Nak’azdli Cultural Centre’s aims and initiatives of capturing and maintaining Dakelh traditional knowledge through methods of traditional knowledge transfer from Elders. The centre offers programs and classes that are focused on strengthening areas of traditional Dakelh knowledge. Classes include teaching Dakelh language; drums, rattles, snowshoes, shawls, vests, baskets making; as well, learning traditional ways of hunting, trapping, and fishing. Among being a place of teaching and learning, the Cultural Centre is a support system to the community through ensuring all those in need are cared for. A food hamper program is an example Hailey describes as one way the centre ensures those in need are cared for. All donations given to the centre are offered to families in need. Traditional knowledge retention and community support are just some of the areas in which Hailey Prince views the Nak’azdli centre as an area of success in Indigenous education.

E. Bob – Anishnawbek Wellness Teachings and Ceremony in Support of Inmates

Posted on January 26, 2020 by John Vallely

This program utilizes traditional knowledge and ceremony to advance the intentions of corrections institutions.

This program offers inmate populations an opportunity to learn life skills and coping strategies through Anishinawbek wellness teachings and ceremony. The program hopes that inmates will have a better understanding of traditional knowledge as they practice sharing in circles, smudge to get ready for ceremony, as well as, engaging in a community pipe. Group sharing provides the inmates with a safe place to talk about themselves and offers a break from being stuck in an incarceration setting.

4 Seasons of Reconciliation

Posted on November 25, 2019 by Andrée Cazabon

4 Seasons of Reconciliation is a multi-media teaching unit that promotes a renewed relationship between Indigenous Peoples and Canadians.

This educational initiative, developed for secondary, post-secondary and the workplace, incorporates teacher guides, slideshows, videos and films along with engaging online portals.

The reconciliation education resources are produced under the guidance of the ‘4 Seasons of Reconciliation Indigenous Advisory Circle.’ We work in a spirit of collaboration and co-creation with the Indigenous contributors featured throughout our resources and education units.

This resource is available for professional development use and educational purposes in workplaces and education sectors and aims to assist in meetings some of the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action.

For more information, please visit: https://www.reconciliationeducation.ca/.

4 Seasons of Reconciliation was produced by Productions Cazabon in collaboration with First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv) and with support from FNUniv, the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, and the National Centre for Collaboration in Indigenous Education.

First Nations Technical Institute

Posted on July 16, 2019 by Coty Zachariah

First Nations owned and operated post-secondary education institution.

First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) is a First Nation owned and governed educational institute specializing in applying Indigenous knowledge to both formal and informal learning experiences. Many of our programs and services are delivered at locations across Ontario. For more than 30 years, FNTI has played an essential role in making post-secondary education relevant for Indigenous students and communities. We work closely with our partners to build unique, cutting-edge Indigenous learning experiences and environments.

Qikiqtani Inuit Association

Posted on June 20, 2019 by randyqattalik

The Qikiqtani Inuit Association communicates with the communities in the Qikiqtani region of Nunavut to mentor them in designing Inuit, cultural youth programs.

The Qikiqtani Inuit Association helps Inuit define their identity along with providing authentic Inuit cultural activities. The organization also helps Inuit reconcile with certain groups that colonized them.