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Learning Circle - Indigenous Classroom Activities

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Learning Circle - Indigenous Classroom Activities

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Teacher Information

"If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? Every part of this earth is sacred to my people." - Chief Seattle, 1854

When First Nations leaders were asked to surrender their traditional lands by marking their names to treaties, many of them asked treaty commissioners and others, "How can we sell what we do not own?"

However, the view that First Nations had no notion of land ownership is inaccurate. Most, if not all, First Nations had systems of land tenure. The rules affecting traditional land varied widely in format and complexity, from culture to culture. Some First Nations such as the Swampy Cree, Innu and Ojibway acknowledged the rights of individuals or families to specific territories, while others such as the Carrier, Gitxsan and Nisga'a vested land rights in clans or "houses." Students should understand that First Nations cultures practised forms of land ownership.

To understand what traditional leaders meant when they asked, "How can we sell what we do not own?" it is useful to attempt to see the land through the eyes of a First Nations hunter. To ensure that the land continues to support the human population, hunters must carefully balance their own needs with the rules of respect that they believe originate from a spiritual higher power.

By observing these rules and other teachings from Elders, hunters enter into a unique relationship with nature and the environment. They achieve or strive to achieve a balance between the needs of humans and other forms of life, be they animal, plant or spirit. The hunter performs the role of a steward or custodian of the land.

The activities in this unit are designed to introduce students to the relationship between First Nations and the environment. They will help students understand the respect for the natural world that is inherent in the First Nations traditional view of the land.

Activities

1. Circle of Life

First Nations people recognized a simple but frequently ignored, fact of life: that everything in nature is connected. This concept is often described as the "circle of life." In this modern technological age, it can be difficult for many of us to grasp the complexity and interrelatedness of all living things. This activity is designed to illustrate nature's connections to the students and how the circle of life can be broken by the actions of humans.

Plants, animals and the environment within which they live create an ecosystem. Each element and being maintains the ecosystem by transferring energy through a food-chain. Examples of a food-chain include:

herring to salmon to sea lion to orca whale

beetle to shrew to snake to fox

algae to tadpole to bass to otter

bacteria to fungus to tree to squirrel.

This activity is designed to illustrate how the absence of any component of a food-chain can affect the ecosystem as a whole.

Give students the opportunity to identify a familiar food-chain. If they are unable to do this, use the following example: trees are an important energy source in a food-chain. Aphids feed on the nutrients in the leaves of the trees; the aphids are eaten by sparrows and other birds, which are then eaten by hawks and eagles. Ultimately, the circle is completed when carnivores die, decompose and become part of the earth.

Clear a large space in the classroom or, better, go outside to a grassy area. Give each student a number from one to four and put all the "ones" together in one group, etc. Assign each group a component of the food-chain. In the example here, "ones" are trees and "fours" are hawks, etc.

Now form the circle of life. One student from each of the four groups should stand in the cleared area. The four students should stand shoulder-to-shoulder, facing the centre of the circle. Keep adding to the circle in sets of four until all the students are in it.

Instruct students to turn to their right and take one step toward the centre. Everyone should place their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them. Tell them that at the count of three, they must slowly sit down, on the knees of the person behind them, keeping their own knees together to support the person in front of them.

When they are all supporting each other, tell them that this represents the circle of life. Tell them that once they have mastered the routine, they will understand how the transfer of energy affects an ecosystem. It may take several attempts before the entire group is able to maintain its composure and posture. Repeat the routine until they have succeeded.

When the group has mastered the routine and a strong lap-sit circle is formed, identify a student who represents an aphid. Tell students that pesticide sprayed on the fields has spread to the surrounding trees. Then remove the "aphid" from the circle. If the circle does not collapse completely, the students will be struggling to maintain it. Students can be removed from the circle based on a variety of conditions: logging, toxic waste, urban expansion, soil erosion, acid rain, poachers, oil spills and over-fishing. At a certain point in this activity, the removal of too many students will destroy the effect. Teachers will need to plan this activity with some care and forethought to ensure that students gain as much from it as possible.

When the activity is complete, it should be clear to students that a human action that affects any of these crucial components of habitat will have an impact upon the rest of the circle. Ask students what this activity means to them and what they have learned.

2. Perch of Perception

In order to survive life on the land, First Nations needed to be aware of everything around them, from weather changes to animal activity. Share with students how this activity emphasizes the First Nations' values of seeing the world as fully as we can - as a way of appreciating, respecting and learning more about our world.

We may see our classrooms every day. But if we were questioned about the simple details, we would probably be entirely unaware of certain objects, colours, sounds and textures surrounding us. Each of us can train ourselves to see like an eagle. Most of us are familiar with the image of the eagle sitting perched in an old tree, watching the world unfold below. The eagle may be watching for prey, such as mice, rabbits or fish, or it may be preening its feathers. It may just be resting.

The "Perch of Perception" activity will help students learn to be careful observers, help them be aware of their surroundings, and recognize their environment as part of the larger whole. Ideally, the "Perch of Perception" activity will be outside, either in the schoolyard or near the school. However, it is possible to stay within the school, or even the classroom.

Start this activity with some practice. Place 20 or so different objects on a desk. Cover all of the objects and tell students that they are to observe and note the objects under the cover when it is removed. Remove the cover for approximately 30 seconds, then replace it. Ask them to list on paper the objects they saw. When their lists are complete, remove the cover again. Now, on the back of their first list, ask them to make a new list of what they see. What did they miss? What did they remember?

Take students to a place outdoors where they can choose their own "perch." This may be under a tree, beside a rock, or on the corner of the playground. Their "perches" may be anywhere the students please, as long as they are by themselves. Once they have selected their perches, ask them to stay there and take note of what is happening around them. This means seeing, listening and smelling. Perhaps a group of children walks by. Maybe ants are building a hill. They may hear a siren in the distance. Perhaps a cloud passes over the sun. Impress upon the students that they are to note anything and everything that happens while they are at their perches.

When they return from their perches, ask them to describe what they saw, heard or smelled in as much detail as possible. After three visits to their perches, have students take paper and colouring pencils to their spot to record the things they see, smell and hear. The teacher may also want each student to begin a "Perch of Perception" journal.

The first time students are at their perches, they may be unaccustomed to being alone or to not having any set tasks to perform. The teacher may want students to be at their perch for only three to five minutes. As they grow more familiar with the "Perch of Perception" activity, the length of time students stay at their perches can be extended. The "Perch of Perception" activity could be as short as the time spent on the environment theme or it could be continued throughout the year.

3. Sound and Rhythm

First Nations hunters watched animals carefully and were keenly aware of the rhythmic patterns and musicality of nature. It is often said that the beat of the drum, which is central to many First Nations cultures, is the heartbeat of Mother Earth. Indeed, many of the traditional dances of First Nations were learned from animals - the Eagle Dance, the Rabbit Dance, the Deer Dance and the Prairie Chicken Dance, for example.

In this activity, students will combine First Nations' awareness of nature's music with Western musical tradition by "recording" on a musical score a symphony composed by nature.

Hand out copies of a blank musical staff, divided by several bar lines. Ask students to go outside (perhaps to their spot at the "Perch of Perception") and listen very carefully to the bird calls, insects, and the voices of any other animals you may hear. They may hear the wind blowing through the leaves of the tree, or water bubbling down a stream. Each time they hear a sound, they are to record it on the staff.

Remember, nature is the composer, not the student. The students' tasks are to record the music that they hear in the most creative and simple way possible. They may wish to draw small pictures to represent the sounds they hear or write out the sounds phonetically.

This can be a very personal activity, and the student's completed score would be perfect as an entry in his or her "Perch of Perception" journal.

6. Rebuilding the Circle

Launch a class project to improve wildlife habitat in the community. Discuss with the class how the wildlife in their community can be better taken care of. Students should be able to make a list of the wildlife that they encounter daily. Divide the class into groups that are assigned to examine birds, squirrels, small creatures on the ground such as ants, beetles and crickets; or creatures in the ground such as worms. Ask each group to identify the different ways it can contribute to the health of their chosen wildlife.

8. Migration Management

Bison were the most important resource of the First Nations of the Plains, including the Blood, Sarcee and Blackfoot. Bison were used for food, shelter and clothing. They were also important spiritual symbols for the Plains people.

First Nations recognized that their own livelihood depended on the well-being of the bison and they took care to protect the bison habitat. In many areas, First Nations burned the brushy clearings and fields to enhance the bison's food and habitat.

The original population of Plains bison numbered between 50 and 60 million. They moved across the Prairies in herds during their annual migration.

The destruction of the bison was, in part, a deliberate action by governments to control the First Nations who depended so heavily upon the roaming herds. Also, the migratory routes of the bison stood in the way of settlement and agriculture. By 1900, the bison in Canada and the U.S. were close to extinction.

The purpose of this activity is to help students recognize how human decisions can have a major impact upon wildlife. This activity also aims to encourage a practical understanding of the concepts of wildlife management and sustainable development.

Divide students into small working groups and provide them with drawing materials and a very large piece of graph paper. Ask each group to draw a mural of a habitat for waterfowl. (This activity is easily adapted to a habitat for other migrating species important to First Nations, such as deer affected by construction of a highway, caribou affected by a pipeline or salmon affected by the construction of a new dam.) In the mural, students should include: appropriate food, water sources such as rivers and lakes, marshlands, farms and forests.

Once the mural is done, ask students to trace with coloured pencils the migratory route of a flock of Canada geese as they move from one feeding area to another. Finally, they should draw a small village on the shore of a large lake. If the graph paper they are using contains 200 squares, the village should represent five squares.

Next, tell students that the village is going to expand considerably in the next five years. The development will affect the migration route of the geese. The student groups are now designated as Land Use Planning Committees. Their goal is to design an urban plan that will cause the least harm to the geese. Students will have to seek consensus on their decisions because each member of the group (Planning Committee) holds a veto on any proposed changes.

The development will cover 75 percent or so of the mural after the new additions are included. The additions include the following (the changes to the graph paper with 200 squares are included in brackets):

the village becomes a city with tall buildings and other structures (50 squares)

near the city, an airport (10 squares and 10 more for the flight paths of the planes)

rivers polluted by sewage and/or waste from pulp mills (10 squares)

power lines (15 squares)

a major highway that runs east-west through the city (20 squares)

clear-cut forestry (10 squares)

at each feeding station, an increase in hunters (2 squares at each station)

egg collectors at each station who poach goose eggs (1 square at each station).

The Committees' main task is to plan the development in such a way that the migratory route of the geese is maintained. They will need to discuss how the development might be reduced so that there is no major impact on peoples' needs, and only a minimal impact on the geese. Can proper city services be provided with no impact on the geese? Can new laws be introduced that will reduce or eliminate hunting and egg collection and restrict the use of pesticides? Can large marshlands be protected as goose habitats?

If the Committees achieve consensus, they can "construct" the development on the mural. When everybody is done, ask each Committee to report about the decisions it has made and why.

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The Learning Circle: Classroom Activities on First Nations in Canada - Ages 8 to 11

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"If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? Every part of this earth is sacred to my people."

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Teaching Indigenous History, Culture in Schools

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Teaching Indigenous History, Culture in Schools

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Alberta Education is providing teachers with lesson plans to help bring First Nations, Métis and Inuit history and contributions to life in classrooms across the province.

Minister Eggen announces new resources to support reconciliation and the inclusion of First Nations, Métis and Inuit history, perspectives and contributions into current Grade 1-9 curriculum at Dr. Martha Cohen School in Calgary.

All students will learn about the history and legacy of residential schools and the history of First Nations, Métis and Inuit in Canada as part of the Government of Alberta's commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

"It is critical our students understand the history of residential schools, along with the histories and vibrant cultures of Indigenous communities and the role we all have to play in reconciliation. It's equally important teachers have the tools they need to feel empowered to teach this important material in the classroom as we work to prepare our students for success." David Eggen, Minister of Education

Lesson plans have been developed for Grades 1 to 9 in English Language Arts, Fine Arts, Science and Social Studies, using identified outcomes in Alberta's current Programs of Study. They are available as a resource for teachers for use at the discretion of the school jurisdiction, school or teacher.

"This initiative is part of our work to implement the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples which will help bring a renewed relationship between Alberta and Indigenous peoples. These new lesson plans will help ensure that Indigenous and non-Indigenous students learn about our shared history as we move forward together along the path of reconciliation." Richard Feehan, Minister of Indigenous Relations

"We are making important progress in our journey towards reconciliation and a shared understanding. Now is a time like no other in Alberta history. We have the opportunity and responsibility to teach the truth and to provide an accurate account of our Canadian society. These new resources will shed light on our painfully dark history, and like our TRC commission reminds us, there cannot be reconciliation without truth. Announcements like today's are significant pathways to strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities." Tony Alexis, Chief, Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation

"Resources like this are what so many eager and committed teachers are looking for as they take their place as change-makers and leaders in reconciliation. Teachers are key to the foundational shift that is beginning right across the country. Many Albertans are learning the truth about residential schools and Indigenous peoples in Canada for the first time. These lesson plans will support teachers as they build connections with and for their students and develop authentic, meaningful learning experiences." Charlene Bearhead, co-chair of the Downie Wenjack Foundation

"This is a great first step to honour commitments made to include First Nations, Métis and Inuit perspectives across subjects for Alberta's students. These lesson plans will bring reconciliation to life in the classroom and will highlight the significance of residential schools and treaties." Val McDougall, Tsuut'ina education director

"I have seen the meaningful role that teachers can play in bringing greater understanding of reconciliation to students. I'm thrilled to have new resources and activities to draw from that are current, meaningful and respectful of First Nations, Métis and Inuit perspectives." Meagan Lundgren, teacher, Dr. Martha Cohen School, Calgary Board of Education

In June 2016, the Government of Alberta announced plans to develop new curriculum across six core subject areas, which will include First Nations, Métis and Inuit content at every grade level.

Through the Joint Commitment to Action, signed in June 2016, Alberta Education is also collaborating with the Alberta Teachers' Association, the Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia, the College of Alberta School Superintendents, the Alberta Association of Deans of Education, the Alberta School Boards Association and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to ensure school staff have access to the professional learning opportunities they need to deliver this content.

One of the resources identified within the lesson plans is Secret Path, a multi-media project that includes a solo album by the late Gord Downie, along with a graphic novel and an animated film, based on the story of Chanie Wenjack, a young boy who died while trying to return home after escaping from a residential school. Downie, the frontman of the Tragically Hip, passed away Oct. 17 after battling brain cancer. He dedicated much of his career to uncovering and telling stories of Canadian history. Earlier this year, he was inducted as a member of the Order of Canada for his work raising awareness of Indigenous issues. Downie's work continues to bring attention to the history and legacy of residential schools and will serve as a resource for teachers, students and all Canadians as we continue on the journey to reconciliation.
Related information Related news

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Teaching Indigenous history, cultures in schools

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Minister Eggen announces new resources to support reconciliation and the inclusion of First Nations, Métis and Inuit history, perspectives and contributions into current Grade 1-9 curriculum at Dr. Martha Cohen School in Calgary.

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A̱m'lala sa Ḵ̓umux̱se'​ was created in July 2018 for Indigenous Education (School District 71) to be sung by all students to celebrate Kwakwaka'wakw culture and language. A̱m'lala sa Ḵ̓umux̱se'​​ translates as 'Play Song of the K'omoux' and speaks to the great land "ila a hii" and the powerful ocean and rivers "skoo kum chuck" that are here within the lands of the K'omoux. The song was released into our School District in a ceremony held during a Professional Development Day on February 15, 2019.

Cultur al Presenters ​

"The DWF Legacy Schools program is an opportunity for classrooms/schools to lead the movement in awareness of the history and impact of the Residential School System on Indigenous Peoples. Educators will use a Legacy Schools Toolkit and educational support resources to engage students, staff and the school community, and as the catalyst for their commitment to the work of reconciliation." Excerpt from Downie-Wenjack website. ​

​ Beyond 94​

Click above for background information, teacher's guide and many resources to use in your classroom.

"The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was formed as a means of reckoning with the devastating legacy of forced assimilation and abuse left by the residential school system. From 2008 to 2014, the commission heard stories from thousands of residential school survivors. In June 2015, it released a report based on those hearings. From that came 94 Calls to Action - individual instructions to guide governments, communities and faith groups down the road to reconciliation. CBC's Beyond 94 monitors the progress of that journey.​"​

​​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​

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Teacher Resources - Indigenous Education

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A̱m'lala sa Ḵ̓umux̱se'​ was created in July 2018 for Indigenous Education (School District 71) to be sung by all students to celebrate Kwakwaka'wakw culture and language. A̱m'lala sa Ḵ̓umux̱se'​​ translates as 'Play Song of the K'omoux' and speaks to the great land "ila a hii" and the powerful ocean and rivers "skoo kum chuck" that are here within the lands of the K'omoux.

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Indigenous Education | Useful Link Categories | Ontario Teachers’ Federation

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The Moose Hide Campaign is a grassroots movement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous men and boys who are standing up against violence towards women and children. The Moose Hide Learning Journey is designed to support teachers in offering just such a learning environment while providing students with o…

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Cree, Blackfoot, Ojibwa, Mohawk, Mi'kmaq

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BLACKFOOT LEARNING ACTIVITIES: CREE LEARNING ACTIVITIES: OJIBWE LEARNING ACTIVITIES: MOHAWK LEARNING ACTIVITIES: MI'KMAQ LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

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Four Directions Teachings.com - Aboriginal Online Teachings and Resource Centre - © 2006 - 2012 All Rights Reserved 4D Interactive Inc., a subsidiary of Invert Media Inc.

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FourDirectionsTeachings.com is a visually stunning audio narrated resource for learning about Indigenous knowledge and philosophy from five diverse First Nations in Canada. The site is provided in English with French subtitles and includes curriculum resources in both English and French.

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The Learning Circle: Classroom Activities on First Nations in Canada: Ages 8-11

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The Learning Circle: Classroom Activities on First Nations in Canada: Ages 8-11

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From: Government of Canada

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Teacher Information

"If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? Every part of this earth is sacred to my people." - Chief Seattle, 1854

When First Nations leaders were asked to surrender their traditional lands by marking their names to treaties, many of them asked treaty commissioners and others, "How can we sell what we do not own?"

However, the view that First Nations had no notion of land ownership is inaccurate. Most, if not all, First Nations had systems of land tenure. The rules affecting traditional land varied widely in format and complexity, from culture to culture. Some First Nations such as the Swampy Cree, Innu and Ojibway acknowledged the rights of individuals or families to specific territories, while others such as the Carrier, Gitxsan and Nisga'a vested land rights in clans or "houses." Students should understand that First Nations cultures practised forms of land ownership.

To understand what traditional leaders meant when they asked, "How can we sell what we do not own?" it is useful to attempt to see the land through the eyes of a First Nations hunter. To ensure that the land continues to support the human population, hunters must carefully balance their own needs with the rules of respect that they believe originate from a spiritual higher power.

By observing these rules and other teachings from Elders, hunters enter into a unique relationship with nature and the environment. They achieve or strive to achieve a balance between the needs of humans and other forms of life, be they animal, plant or spirit. The hunter performs the role of a steward or custodian of the land.

The activities in this unit are designed to introduce students to the relationship between First Nations and the environment. They will help students understand the respect for the natural world that is inherent in the First Nations traditional view of the land.

Activities

1. Circle of Life

First Nations people recognized a simple but frequently ignored, fact of life: that everything in nature is connected. This concept is often described as the "circle of life." In this modern technological age, it can be difficult for many of us to grasp the complexity and interrelatedness of all living things. This activity is designed to illustrate nature's connections to the students and how the circle of life can be broken by the actions of humans.

Plants, animals and the environment within which they live create an ecosystem. Each element and being maintains the ecosystem by transferring energy through a food-chain. Examples of a food-chain include:

herring to salmon to sea lion to orca whale

beetle to shrew to snake to fox

algae to tadpole to bass to otter

bacteria to fungus to tree to squirrel.

This activity is designed to illustrate how the absence of any component of a food-chain can affect the ecosystem as a whole.

Give students the opportunity to identify a familiar food-chain. If they are unable to do this, use the following example: trees are an important energy source in a food-chain. Aphids feed on the nutrients in the leaves of the trees; the aphids are eaten by sparrows and other birds, which are then eaten by hawks and eagles. Ultimately, the circle is completed when carnivores die, decompose and become part of the earth.

Clear a large space in the classroom or, better, go outside to a grassy area. Give each student a number from one to four and put all the "ones" together in one group, etc. Assign each group a component of the food-chain. In the example here, "ones" are trees and "fours" are hawks, etc.

Now form the circle of life. One student from each of the four groups should stand in the cleared area. The four students should stand shoulder-to-shoulder, facing the centre of the circle. Keep adding to the circle in sets of four until all the students are in it.

Instruct students to turn to their right and take one step toward the centre. Everyone should place their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them. Tell them that at the count of three, they must slowly sit down, on the knees of the person behind them, keeping their own knees together to support the person in front of them.

When they are all supporting each other, tell them that this represents the circle of life. Tell them that once they have mastered the routine, they will understand how the transfer of energy affects an ecosystem. It may take several attempts before the entire group is able to maintain its composure and posture. Repeat the routine until they have succeeded.

When the group has mastered the routine and a strong lap-sit circle is formed, identify a student who represents an aphid. Tell students that pesticide sprayed on the fields has spread to the surrounding trees. Then remove the "aphid" from the circle. If the circle does not collapse completely, the students will be struggling to maintain it. Students can be removed from the circle based on a variety of conditions: logging, toxic waste, urban expansion, soil erosion, acid rain, poachers, oil spills and over-fishing. At a certain point in this activity, the removal of too many students will destroy the effect. Teachers will need to plan this activity with some care and forethought to ensure that students gain as much from it as possible.

When the activity is complete, it should be clear to students that a human action that affects any of these crucial components of habitat will have an impact upon the rest of the circle. Ask students what this activity means to them and what they have learned.

2. Perch of Perception

In order to survive life on the land, First Nations needed to be aware of everything around them, from weather changes to animal activity. Share with students how this activity emphasizes the First Nations' values of seeing the world as fully as we can - as a way of appreciating, respecting and learning more about our world.

We may see our classrooms every day. But if we were questioned about the simple details, we would probably be entirely unaware of certain objects, colours, sounds and textures surrounding us. Each of us can train ourselves to see like an eagle. Most of us are familiar with the image of the eagle sitting perched in an old tree, watching the world unfold below. The eagle may be watching for prey, such as mice, rabbits or fish, or it may be preening its feathers. It may just be resting.

The "Perch of Perception" activity will help students learn to be careful observers, help them be aware of their surroundings, and recognize their environment as part of the larger whole. Ideally, the "Perch of Perception" activity will be outside, either in the schoolyard or near the school. However, it is possible to stay within the school, or even the classroom.

Start this activity with some practice. Place 20 or so different objects on a desk. Cover all of the objects and tell students that they are to observe and note the objects under the cover when it is removed. Remove the cover for approximately 30 seconds, then replace it. Ask them to list on paper the objects they saw. When their lists are complete, remove the cover again. Now, on the back of their first list, ask them to make a new list of what they see. What did they miss? What did they remember?

Take students to a place outdoors where they can choose their own "perch." This may be under a tree, beside a rock, or on the corner of the playground. Their "perches" may be anywhere the students please, as long as they are by themselves. Once they have selected their perches, ask them to stay there and take note of what is happening around them. This means seeing, listening and smelling. Perhaps a group of children walks by. Maybe ants are building a hill. They may hear a siren in the distance. Perhaps a cloud passes over the sun. Impress upon the students that they are to note anything and everything that happens while they are at their perches.

When they return from their perches, ask them to describe what they saw, heard or smelled in as much detail as possible. After three visits to their perches, have students take paper and colouring pencils to their spot to record the things they see, smell and hear. The teacher may also want each student to begin a "Perch of Perception" journal.

The first time students are at their perches, they may be unaccustomed to being alone or to not having any set tasks to perform. The teacher may want students to be at their perch for only three to five minutes. As they grow more familiar with the "Perch of Perception" activity, the length of time students stay at their perches can be extended. The "Perch of Perception" activity could be as short as the time spent on the environment theme or it could be continued throughout the year.

3. Sound and Rhythm

First Nations hunters watched animals carefully and were keenly aware of the rhythmic patterns and musicality of nature. It is often said that the beat of the drum, which is central to many First Nations cultures, is the heartbeat of Mother Earth. Indeed, many of the traditional dances of First Nations were learned from animals - the Eagle Dance, the Rabbit Dance, the Deer Dance and the Prairie Chicken Dance, for example.

In this activity, students will combine First Nations' awareness of nature's music with Western musical tradition by "recording" on a musical score a symphony composed by nature.

Hand out copies of a blank musical staff, divided by several bar lines. Ask students to go outside (perhaps to their spot at the "Perch of Perception") and listen very carefully to the bird calls, insects, and the voices of any other animals you may hear. They may hear the wind blowing through the leaves of the tree, or water bubbling down a stream. Each time they hear a sound, they are to record it on the staff.

Remember, nature is the composer, not the student. The students' tasks are to record the music that they hear in the most creative and simple way possible. They may wish to draw small pictures to represent the sounds they hear or write out the sounds phonetically.

This can be a very personal activity, and the student's completed score would be perfect as an entry in his or her "Perch of Perception" journal.

6. Rebuilding the Circle

Launch a class project to improve wildlife habitat in the community. Discuss with the class how the wildlife in their community can be better taken care of. Students should be able to make a list of the wildlife that they encounter daily. Divide the class into groups that are assigned to examine birds, squirrels, small creatures on the ground such as ants, beetles and crickets; or creatures in the ground such as worms. Ask each group to identify the different ways it can contribute to the health of their chosen wildlife.

8. Migration Management

Bison were the most important resource of the First Nations of the Plains, including the Blood, Sarcee and Blackfoot. Bison were used for food, shelter and clothing. They were also important spiritual symbols for the Plains people.

First Nations recognized that their own livelihood depended on the well-being of the bison and they took care to protect the bison habitat. In many areas, First Nations burned the brushy clearings and fields to enhance the bison's food and habitat.

The original population of Plains bison numbered between 50 and 60 million. They moved across the Prairies in herds during their annual migration.

The destruction of the bison was, in part, a deliberate action by governments to control the First Nations who depended so heavily upon the roaming herds. Also, the migratory routes of the bison stood in the way of settlement and agriculture. By 1900, the bison in Canada and the U.S. were close to extinction.

The purpose of this activity is to help students recognize how human decisions can have a major impact upon wildlife. This activity also aims to encourage a practical understanding of the concepts of wildlife management and sustainable development.

Divide students into small working groups and provide them with drawing materials and a very large piece of graph paper. Ask each group to draw a mural of a habitat for waterfowl. (This activity is easily adapted to a habitat for other migrating species important to First Nations, such as deer affected by construction of a highway, caribou affected by a pipeline or salmon affected by the construction of a new dam.) In the mural, students should include: appropriate food, water sources such as rivers and lakes, marshlands, farms and forests.

Once the mural is done, ask students to trace with coloured pencils the migratory route of a flock of Canada geese as they move from one feeding area to another. Finally, they should draw a small village on the shore of a large lake. If the graph paper they are using contains 200 squares, the village should represent five squares.

Next, tell students that the village is going to expand considerably in the next five years. The development will affect the migration route of the geese. The student groups are now designated as Land Use Planning Committees. Their goal is to design an urban plan that will cause the least harm to the geese. Students will have to seek consensus on their decisions because each member of the group (Planning Committee) holds a veto on any proposed changes.

The development will cover 75 percent or so of the mural after the new additions are included. The additions include the following (the changes to the graph paper with 200 squares are included in brackets):

the village becomes a city with tall buildings and other structures (50 squares)

near the city, an airport (10 squares and 10 more for the flight paths of the planes)

rivers polluted by sewage and/or waste from pulp mills (10 squares)

power lines (15 squares)

a major highway that runs east-west through the city (20 squares)

clear-cut forestry (10 squares)

at each feeding station, an increase in hunters (2 squares at each station)

egg collectors at each station who poach goose eggs (1 square at each station).

The Committees' main task is to plan the development in such a way that the migratory route of the geese is maintained. They will need to discuss how the development might be reduced so that there is no major impact on peoples' needs, and only a minimal impact on the geese. Can proper city services be provided with no impact on the geese? Can new laws be introduced that will reduce or eliminate hunting and egg collection and restrict the use of pesticides? Can large marshlands be protected as goose habitats?

If the Committees achieve consensus, they can "construct" the development on the mural. When everybody is done, ask each Committee to report about the decisions it has made and why.

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The Learning Circle: Classroom Activities on First Nations in Canada - Ages 8 to 11

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"If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? Every part of this earth is sacred to my people."

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From: Our Story.ca

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For Teachers

Help your students enter the largest and most recognized art & creative writing competition in Canada for Indigenous youth.

View past winners to get inspired. Learn about prizing, guidelines and familiarize yourself with the rules & regulations. Once you're ready, use the teaching tools below to help students during the creative process. Students can enter the contest online or by mail.

Groups with 6 or more individual students are eligible for a special classroom prize!

Teacher Resources

Indigenous Arts & Stories is a great tool to use in the classroom - use it as a class project, an alternative assignment, or an extra credit assignment! It fits in well with curricula in Art, English, History and Social Studies, and is a great option to address the multiple-intelligences and learning styles in your classroom. We hope that Indigenous students will be excited about writing and creating artwork, and hope that youth become engaged in the material because they see themselves reflected in the works.

Teachers' Kit

This learning tool is intended to help teachers support their students in the Indigenous Arts & Stories competition. Using this guide, educators can assist Indigenous youth with the creative process of developing their art and writing. It offers suggestions for dealing with sensitive issues, for motivating Indigenous students, and for encouraging youth to reflect on culture, identity and expression.

Senior Activities

The Senior Art and Senior Writing learning tools provide interactive classroom activities that aid in the research and creative process, as well as encourage critical thinking. The guides outline four projects that explore cultural significance, Indigenous identity and personal awareness.

Junior Activities

The Junior Art and Junior Writing learning tools provide interactive classroom activities that aid in the research and creative process, as well as encourage critical thinking. The guides outline five and four projects, respectively, that explore cultural significance, identity, and personal awareness.

Primary Activities

The Primary Art and Writing learning tool provides interactive classroom activities that aid in the research and creative process, as well as encourage critical thinking. The guide outlines eight projects that explore cultural significance, Indigenous identity and personal awareness.

Writing Styles

Students can use the Six Steps to Writing Historical Fiction (PDF) for tips on researching and creating a work of historical fiction.

Historica Canada Education Portal: Indigenous History Collection

The Historica Canada Education Portal is an interactive digital resource for teachers designed to help you and your students explore Canada through our collection of learning tools covering Canada's remarkable history from sea to sea to sea. The Indigenous History Collection includes resources addressing the history of residential schools, treaties, and Indigenous peoples and the War of 1812, among others. The resources incorporate lesson plans, classroom activities, critical thinking exercises and discussion questions to engage students of all ages and language levels.

Contest Workshop

This video workshops invites educators to bring the Indigenous Arts & Stories contest into their classrooms with engaging hands-on activities, suggestions from projects, and stories from past winners and jury members.

© 2023 Historica Canada

The views expressed in the art and writing pieces presented here are those of the authors and artists and in no way represent the views of Historica Canada, our funders or affiliates. Historica Canada, as a non-profit organization with a strict mandate of non-partisanship, does not endorse, support or comment on the views expressed by this work.

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Indigenous Arts & Stories - For Teachers

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Help your students enter the largest and most recognized art & creative writing competition in Canada for Indigenous youth. View past winners to get inspired. Learn about prizing, guidelines and familiarize yourself with the rules & regulations. Once you're ready, use the teaching tools below to help students during the creative process.

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A Timeline of Alberta's Indigenous History

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A Timeline of Alberta's Indigenous History

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From Stepping Stones

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From Stepping Stones (Defining Status, Non, Status, Indigenous, etc)

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Indigenous Linguistic Diversity and Revitalization 

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Indigenous Linguistic Diversity and Revitalization 

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From Stepping Stones

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From Stepping Stones

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From Stepping Stones

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Indigenous Content in the New TQS
Participants Guide

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Indigenous Content in the New TQS
Facilitators Guide

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TOUCH this image to discover its story. Image tagging powered by ThingLink

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From Stepping Stones

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Treaties and Aboriginal Government (Powerpoint in PDF form from "We are all Treaty People")

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Treaties and Aboriginal Government (Powerpoint in PDF form from "We are all Treaty People")

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Teaching First Nations, Metis and Inuit Learners

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From: Learn Your Land
Adam Haritan is a nature enthusiast, researcher, and forager currently residing in Western Pennsylvania. He mentions - Native Americans used the birch bark for medicinal purposes, among other things...

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Indigenous Ways of Knowing In Classroom and Schools
Created by: the Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortium

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From: Office of The Treaty Commissioner (Saskatchewan)
- Protocol
-Urban Reserves
- Ceremonies, etc.

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The east represents a beginning and in many First Nations, Métis and Inuit cultures, the journey proceeds clockwise. If you are new to this resource, it's a good idea to start on the eastern side of the circle of rocks, with the Worldviews topic area.

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The east represents a beginning and in many First Nations, Métis and Inuit cultures, the journey proceeds clockwise. If you are new to this resource, it's a good idea to start on the eastern side of the circle of rocks, with the Worldviews topic area.

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Treaty 6 KAIROS ATA Adaption Blanket Exercise

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Treaty 6 KAIROS ATA Adaption Blanket Exercise

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Treaty 6 KAIROS ATA Adaptation Blanket Exercise 2018 01 15.pdf

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Treaty 7 KAIROS ATA Adaptation Blanket Exercise 2018 01 15.pdf

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Treaty 8 and Metis KAIROS ATA Adaption Blanket Exercise

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Treaty 8 and Metis KAIROS ATA Adaption Blanket Exercise

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Treaty 8 and Métis KAIROS ATA Adaptation Blanket Exercise 2018 01 15.pdf

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Tanisi (Greetings) and Welcome to Indigenous Studies and Cree Resources Padlet! 

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Tanisi (Greetings) and Welcome to Indigenous Studies and Cree Resources Padlet! 

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In this padlet you will see many lessons, resources geared towards assisting you with infusing some Indigenous context into curriculum. Please feel free to browse and use these resources to fit your needs. If you scroll further right you will find column headings and underneath these column headings are lessons, resources, websites, etc. that pertain to the topic heading.

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My name is Marie Crier and I have been working with WRPS since 2014. I have taught Indigenous Studies and Cree Language classes at Ecole Queen Elizabeth School from 2016-2019. Currently, I am working as a Cree Instructor at Wetaskiwin Composite High School. I created this padlet in 2017 with the assistance and guidance from Ramona Washburn. The intent was to have Indigenous ideologies accessible to the users. Not all of the information compiled in this padlet was created by me but merely added as it pertains to some type of Indigenous context that you might find useful.

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From: The Ling

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Anthony C. Woodbury
Download this document as a pdf.
What does it mean to say a language is endangered?

An endangered language is one that is likely to become extinct in the near future. Many languages are failing out of use and being replaced by others that are more widely used in the region or nation, such as English in the U.S. or Spanish in Mexico. Unless current trends are reversed, these endangered languages will become extinct within the next century. Many other languages are no longer being learned by new generations of children or by new adult speakers; these languages will become extinct when their last speaker dies. In fact, dozens of languages today have only one native speaker still living, and that person's death will mean the extinction of the language: It will no longer be spoken, or known, by anyone.

Is that what happened to dead languages like Ancient Greek and Latin?

No. These languages are considered dead because they are no longer spoken in the form in which we find them in ancient writings. But they weren't abruptly replaced by other languages; instead, Ancient Greek slowly evolved into modern Greek, and Latin slowly evolved into modern Italian, Spanish, French, Romanian, and other languages. In the same way, the Middle English of Chaucer's day is no longer spoken, but it has evolved into Modern English.

How do languages become extinct?

Outright genocide is one cause of language extinction. For example, when European invaders exterminated the Tasmanians in the early 19th century, an unknown number of languages died as well. Far more often, however, languages become extinct when a community finds itself under pressure to integrate with a larger or more powerful group. Sometimes the people learn the outsiders' language in addition to their own; this has happened in Greenland, a territory of Denmark, where Kalaallisut is learned alongside Danish. But often the community is pressured to give up its language and even its ethnic and cultural identity. This has been the case for the ethnic Kurds in Turkey, who are forbidden by law to print or formally teach their language. It has also been the case for younger speakers of Native American languages, who, as recently as the ig6os, were punished for speaking their native languages at boarding schools.

Is language extinction sudden or gradual?

Both. The fate of a language can be changed in a single generation if it is no longer being learned by children. This has been true for some Yupik Eskimo communities in Alaska, where just 20 years ago all of the children spoke Yupik; today the youngest speakers of Yupik in some of these communities are in their 20s, and the children speak only English. Likewise, Scots Gaelic was spoken on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, until the 1940s, but by the 1970s the language was no longer being learned by children. In other cases, languages have declined much more slowly. Iroquoian languages like Onondaga and Mohawk, spoken in upstate New York and adjacent parts of Canada, have been declining for over two centuries; yet they are still spoken today by older adults and, in the case of Mohawk, some younger people as well.

How many languages are endangered?

According to one count, 6,703 separate languages were spoken in the world in 1996. Of these, 1000 were spoken in the Americas, 2011 in Africa, 225 in Europe, 2165 in Asia, and 1320 in the Pacific, including Australia. These numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, because our information about many languages is scant or outdated, and it is hard to draw the line between languages and dialects. But most linguists agree that there are well over 5,000 languages in the world. A century from now, however, many of these languages may be extinct. Some linguists believe the number may decrease by half; some say the total could fall to mere hundreds as the majority of the world's languages - most spoken by a few thousand people or less - give way to languages like English, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Indonesian, Arabic, Swahili, and Hindi. By some estimates, 80% of the world's languages may vanish within the next century.

Whose languages are endangered?

Although the endangered languages are spoken by minority communities, these communities account for most of the world's languages. They include the tribes of Papua New Guinea, who alone speak as any as 900 languages; Aboriginal peoples of Australia, over 80% of whose native languages will die with the current generation; the native peoples of the Americas, who still retain 90% or so of their languages; the national and tribal minorities of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, speaking several thousand more languages; and marginalized European peoples such as the Irish, the Frisians, the Provençal, and the Basques.

How many North American native languages are endangered?

According to a recent survey, out of hundreds of languages that were once spoken in North America, only 194 remain. Of these, 33 are spoken by both adults and children; another 34 are spoken by adults, but by few children; 73 are spoken almost entirely by adults over 50; 49 are spoken only by a few people, mostly over 70; and 5 may have already become extinct.

The languages that are not being transmitted to children, or that are being learned by few children, are endangered and likely to become extinct. In fact, only the 33 languages in the first group seem 'safe.' But most of these are threatened as well because their speakers live near other communities where the children speak English. And all native North American groups are under pressure to give up their native languages and use English instead. The younger generation feels the pressure especially strongly; television and movies often send a message that discourages the maintenance of community values, inviting young viewers to join a more glamorous and more commercialized world that has no apparent connection to their native community and its elders and traditions.

Nonetheless, although a great deal of linguistic heritage is clearly in danger, the fact that so many Native American languages have survived into the 2lst century is evidence of the strength of these communities and of the fundamental value of language to human beings.

What does language extinction mean for a community-and for the rest of us?

When a community loses its language, it often loses a great deal of its cultural identity at the same time. Although language loss may be voluntary or involuntary, it always involves pressure of some kind, and it is often felt as a loss of social identity or as a symbol of defeat. That doesn't mean that a group's social identity is always lost when its language is lost; for example, both the Chumash in California and the Manx on the Isle of Man have lost their native languages, but not their identity as Chumash or Manx. But language is a powerful symbol of a group's identity. Much of the cultural, spiritual, and intellectual life of a people is experienced through language. This ranges from prayers, myths, ceremonies, poetry, oratory, and technical vocabulary to everyday greetings, leave- takings, conversational styles, humor, ways of speaking to children, and terms for habits, behaviors, and emotions. When a language is lost, all of this must be refashioned in the new language-with different words, sounds, and grammar- if it is to be kept at all. Frequently traditions are abruptly lost in the process and replaced by the cultural habits of the more powerful group. For these reasons, among others, it is often very important to the community itself that its language survive.

Much is lost from a scientific point of view as well when a language disappears. A people's history is passed down through its language, so when the language disappears, it may take with it important information about the early history of the community. The loss of human languages also severely limits what linguists can learn about human cognition. By studying what all of the world's languages have in common, we can find out what is and isn't possible in a human language. This in turn tells us important things about the human mind and how it is that children are able to learn a complex system like language so quickly and easily. The fewer languages there are to study, the less we will be able to learn about the human mind.

But wouldn't it be easier if everyone just spoke the same language?

Although for many people it's important to know a major national or international language, that doesn't mean they must abandon their mother tongue. Children who grow up speaking two or more languages learn those languages just as well as children who grow up speaking only one language.

What can be done to preserve endangered languages?

A community that wants to preserve or revive its language has a number of options. Perhaps the most dramatic story is that of Modern Hebrew, which was revived as a mother tongue after centuries of being learned and studied only in its ancient written form. Irish has had considerable institutional and political support as the national language of Ireland, despite major inroads by English. In New Zealand, Maori communities established nursery schools staffed by elders and conducted entirely in Maori, called kohanga reo, 'language nests'. There, and in Alaska, Hawaii, and elsewhere, this model is being extended to primary and in some cases secondary school. And in California, younger adults have become language apprentices to older adult speakers in communities where only a few older speakers are still living. A growing number of conferences, workshops, and publications now offer support for individuals, schools, and communities trying to preserve languages.

Because so many languages are in danger of disappearing, linguists are trying to learn as much about them as possible, so that even if the language disappears, all knowledge of the language won't disappear at the same time. Researchers make videotapes, audiotapes, and written records of language use in both formal and informal settings, along with translations.

In addition, they analyze the vocabulary and rules of the language and write dictionaries and grammars. Linguists also work with communities around the world that want to preserve their languages, offering both technical and practical help with language teaching, maintenance, and revival. This help is based in part on the dictionaries and grammars that they write. But linguists can help in other ways, too, using their experience in teaching and studying a wide variety of languages. They can use what they've learned about other endangered languages to help a community preserve its own language, and they can take advantage of the latest technology for recording and studying languages.

Are new languages being born to replace the languages that die?

Yes. Many signed languages, including American Sign Language, have been born within the last few centuries. Tok Pisin, the national language of Papua New Guinea, developed from an English- based pidgin (a blend of two or more languages). And over many centuries, different dialects of a single language can grow to be distinct languages in their own right, just as dialects of Latin developed into French, Italian, and so on.

But these new languages do not compare to the linguistic heritage that is being lost. The thousands of languages spoken in the world today have evolved over the entire course of human history. Every group of related languages is separated from every other group by at least 5000 years of development, usually more. If English were to become the sole language of every person on earth, it would take tens of thousands of years to produce anything like the diversity that is our heritage-assuming we could somehow reproduce the conditions under which this diversity grew. For all practical purposes, the diversity we have now is absolutely irreplaceable.

For further information

Davis, Wade. 1999. "Vanishing Cultures". National Geographic. i96(2). 62-89.

Grenoble, Lenore, and Lindsay Whaley (eds.) i998. Endangered Languages: Language Loss and Community Response. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Robins, Robert, and Eugenius Uhlenbeck (eds.) 1992. Endangered Languages. Oxford: Berg.
http://www.linguistlist.org
LSA Committee on Endangered Languages and Their Preservation

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Anthony C. Woodbury Download this document as a pdf. An endangered language is one that is likely to become extinct in the near future. Many languages are failing out of use and being replaced by others that are more widely used in the region or nation, such as English in the U.S.

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A Curriculum Development Tool for Inclusion of First Nation, Métis and Inuit Perspectives Throughout Curriculum

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Historic, Legal and Contextual Background Information

The reference terms and concepts explore legal and policy definitions; historical or contextual use of terminology; and concepts related to citizenship, culture and cultural repatriation, epistemologies and identity.

All terms and concepts presented here are for reference only to support building shared meaning and understanding about the criteria used in Guiding Voices.

The inclusion of these terms and concepts is respectful of the diversity of identities of First Nations, Métis, Inuit, Aboriginal and Indigenous peoples, permitting them to self-identify in their own meaningful ways.

Definitions and understandings provided are from various identified sources.

The legal and policy definitions are intended to directly reference legal documents and are intended to reflect community and organizational understandings. The terms and definitions are derived from the Federal Indian Act; the Constitution Act, 1982; Bill C-31 and relevant policy documents in the Canadian context.

Over time, there has been a change in legal and policy terminology; therefore, there may not appear to be agreement in the use of specific legal and policy terms.

Terms such as Indian, Native and Aboriginal are synonymous to the Indian Act; the Constitution Act, 1982; and Bill C-31. There has been a shift in the usage of terms; the terminology used has been to some extent necessarily circular: one term has been used in the process of defining another. Readers should keep in mind that there is no single term to describe Indigenous peoples; however, collective terms such as First Nations, Métis, Inuit, Indigenous or Aboriginal vary in their geo-political application.

Historical or contextual terminology in the Canadian context regarding First Nations, Métis, Inuit, Aboriginal and Indigenous peoples should reflect the following considerations:

Pre-Contact: Use the specific name of nation (that is, using the nation's own name) or refer to as First Peoples collectively.

Post-Contact: Use the specific name of nation (that is, using the nation's own name first with colonial given name in parentheses) or refer to as First Nations peoples collectively.

Post-1982 and Signing of Canadian Constitution and Charter: Use the specific name of First Nation, Métis or Inuit nation/group or refer to as Aboriginal peoples collectively; as First Nations, Métis and Inuit in Alberta; or as First Nations, Métis or Inuit to refer to one of the three larger collective groups of peoples in Canada.

Global Communities: Use the specific name of nation or group (that is, using the nation's own name) and possibly including the colonial given name, if applicable, in parentheses, or refer to as Indigenous peoples collectively.

Inuit, Métis and First Nations people may use different terminology to refer to different aspects of their individual and collective identities, such as using their nation's own name in their original language to reflect their cultural and linguistic origins and identity.

Support for accurate use of terminology regarding Aboriginal peoples should be provided in curriculum, especially to support teachers/educators.

Historical thinking skills are needed to understand the diversity of terminology regarding the names of nations and references for peoples. Terminology has changed in regards to the different names for the same nation and the difference between a linguistic group and the nations to which speakers may belong.

Glossary of Terms and Concepts

Aboriginal

The term Aboriginal is generally used in context as a legal and policy term (i.e., term used in policy in Alberta and in Canada) that refers to people's political identity surrounding rights and governance.

The term Aboriginal is used in the context of the Indigenous peoples of a particular country. The term is referenced in the Constitution Act, 1982: "'aboriginal peoples of Canada' includes the Indian [status and non-status], Inuit and Metis peoples of Canada."

In usage: Aboriginal (noun) vs. aboriginal (adjective): Use as a noun in Canadian context in reference to all three groups: First Nations, Métis and Inuit.

Examples:
Capitalized: First Nations, Métis and Inuit are the Aboriginal people in Canada.
Not capitalized: Many collectors find aboriginal art to be valuable.

Aboriginal Peoples

This is a collective name for all of the original peoples inhabiting what is now Canada and their descendants. Section 35(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982 says "'aboriginal peoples of Canada' includes the Indian [status and non-status], Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada."

The Constitution does not define membership in First Nations (Indians), Inuit and Métis groups. First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples have unique heritages, languages and spiritual beliefs. Aboriginal Peoples is a term also used in some other parts of the world to refer to the first inhabitants of a given area.

Aboriginal Worldviews and Perspectives

The worldviews of Aboriginal peoples are distinct from the worldview of the mainstream culture in Canada. A worldview is a way of perceiving and conceptualizing everything in existence.

The Aboriginal worldview presents human beings as inhabiting a universe made by the Creator and as striving to live in a respectful relationship with nature, with one another and with oneself.

Each Aboriginal culture expresses this worldview in different ways, with different practices, stories and cultural products.

Our Words, Our Ways: Teaching First Nations, Métis and Inuit Learners describe the Aboriginal worldview as "a holistic process where learning takes place across different spheres of human experience including spiritual, physical, emotional and mental dimensions. Worldviews may also consider relationships and experiences of the past, present and future as interconnected" (p. 13).

Authenticity of Sources

A source (story, voice, visual or representation of Aboriginal perspectives or history) is considered authentic when it is validated by Elders or by members of the community who are recognized as appropriate representatives for the group.

Bias

A bias is a "subjective opinion, preference, prejudice or inclination, often formed without reasonable justification, that influences an individual's or group's ability to evaluate a particular situation objectively or accurately; a preference for or against."

(© Canadian Race Relations Foundation. Glossary. http://www.crrf-fcrr.ca/en/resources/glossary-a-terms-en-gb-1/item/22801-bias. Nov. 2012). Reproduced with Permission.)

Bill C-3

This bill amended provisions of the Indian Act, which the Court of Appeal for British Columbia found to be unconstitutional in the case of McIvor vs. Canada.

Bill C-3: Gender Equity in Indian Registration Act, effective on January 31, 2011, ensures that "eligible grand-children of women who lost status as a result of marrying non-Indian men are entitled to registration (Indian status). As a result of this legislation approximately 45,000 persons will become newly entitled to registration."

View more information about the bill at the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada website.

Bill C-31

Bill C-31 was the pre-legislation name of the 1985 Act to Amend the Indian Act. This act eliminated certain discriminatory provisions of the Indian Act, including the section that resulted in Indian women losing their Indian status when they married non-status men.

Bill C-31 enabled people who were affected by the discriminatory provisions of the old Indian Act to apply to have their Indian status and membership restored.

Clan System

A clan system is a social organizational system where each clan member performs a specific group of functions for the community at large. Membership in a clan may be hereditary, through community appointment, or by clan adoption. A clan system describes the interconnected relationships between individuals and groups.

Colonialism and Colonization

Colonialism "usually refers to the period of European colonization from Columbus (1492) onwards, in the Americas, Asia and Africa, and taking on different forms from settler colonies like Canada to non-settler colonies such as India during British rule. Colonialism differs also across colonizing nations and across time. For example, French colonialism had different policies from British colonialism."

(© Canadian Race Relations Foundation. Glossary. http://www.crrf-fcrr.ca/en/resources/glossary-a-terms-en-gb-1/item/22808-colonialism (Nov. 2012). Reproduced with Permission.)

The WNCP Common Tool for Assessing and Validating Teaching and Learning Resources for Cultural Appropriateness and Historical Accuracy of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Content states the following: "Modern colonialism is often seen as part of 'globalization,' which includes the exploitation of labour and national resources by transnational corporations, the expansion of free trade agreements and blocs, and the commoditization of Indigenous Knowledge.

"The colonizers impose their institutions and belief systems in the colonized territories. Britain and France fought for the colonization of what is now called Canada until Britain gained full power in 1763. Nine tenths of the earth's land base was colonized by European nations throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. (Canadian Race Relations Foundation 2006)" (pp. 20-21).

Cultural Advisors

The WNCP Common Tool for Assessing and Validating Teaching and Learning Resources for Cultural Appropriateness and Historical Accuracy of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Content, describes cultural advisors as "First Nations, Métis and Inuit individuals who have specific knowledge and wisdom related to their cultural practices, customs, history, values, and language. They facilitate, support, promote and coordinate cultural practices" (p. 21).

Cultural Appropriateness

The WNCP Common Tool for Assessing and Validating Teaching and Learning Resources for Cultural Appropriateness and Historical Accuracy of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Content says this term means that a resource "appropriately respects the languages and cultures of a diverse group of people, manifested through actions which reflect their protocols and ways of knowing that encompasses their values, traditions, customs, practices, histories and experiences" (p. 21).

Culture

Culture is "the mix of ideas, beliefs, values, behavioural norms, knowledge and traditions of a group of individuals who have a historical, geographic, religious, racial, linguistic, ethnic or social context, and who transmit, reinforce and modify those ideas, values and beliefs, passing them on from one generation to another. . . . It results in a set of expectations for appropriate behaviour in seemingly similar contexts."

(© Canadian Race Relations Foundation. Glossary. (Nov. 2012). Reproduced with Permission.)

De-colonization

De-colonization is the process of (re)claiming Indigenous identities or non-Western identities in former colonial states. Canada, Australia and New Zealand are former colonies and experienced various forms of de-colonization. De-colonization is the process of asserting the validity and status of cultural practices, knowledge and experiences that have been discounted due to Eurocentric systemic imposition.

Diversity

Diversity is a "term used to encompass all the various national, racial, ethnic, religious and other backgrounds of people-and used increasingly in Canada to describe workplace programs aimed at reducing discrimination, promoting equality of opportunity and outcome for all groups. The presence of a wide range of human qualities and attributes within a group, organization, or society. The dimensions of diversity include, but are not limited to, ancestry, culture, ethnicity, language, race, religion, and socio-economic status."

(© Canadian Race Relations Foundation. Glossary. http://www.crrf-fcrr.ca/en/resources/glossary-a-terms-en-gb-1/item/22818-diversity (Nov. 2012). Reproduced with Permission.)

Elder(s)

Our Words, Our Ways: Teaching First Nations, Métis and Inuit Learners offers the following description of Elders on page 71.

"Elders are men and women regarded as the keepers and teachers of an Aboriginal nation's oral tradition and knowledge. Age is not considered a determinant of wisdom; young people of sixteen years may have essential knowledge. Different Elders hold different gifts.

"Their contributions to schools and classrooms can be significant when they are involved in meaningful ways such as bringing traditional ceremonies and teachings into the school or classroom; providing advice to parents, students, teachers and school administrators; providing accurate information about Aboriginal heritage and Aboriginal communities; and acting as a bridge between the school and the community.

"Elders are considered vital to the survival of Aboriginal cultures and the transmission of cultural knowledge is an essential part of the preservation and promotion of cultural traditions and their protocols. Elders are always to be treated with great respect and honour.

"The roles of Elders vary greatly from community to community, as do the protocols and traditions they teach. Elders can be spiritual guides, healers, medicine men and women, artists, seers, and counsellors. Elders often perform such services as:

giving prayers before meetings

describing or performing traditional ceremonies

sharing traditional knowledge

giving spiritual advice to individuals

demonstrating traditional crafts and practices

teaching the community's protocols."

More information on appropriate protocol for welcoming an Elder can be found on page 75 of the document.

The term Elder is capitalized when used in reference to a specific individual who is recognized by his or her community as a holder of specific traditional, ceremonial or environmental governance or spiritual knowledge. When used in reference to a person beyond a specific age, the term does not need to be capitalized.

Eurocentrism

The WNCP Common Tool for Assessing and Validating Teaching and Learning Resources for Cultural Appropriateness and Historical Accuracy of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Content describes Eurocentrism as the "practice of viewing the world from a European perspective and the belief that European (or Western) worldviews and accomplishments are superior to all others. Presupposes the supremacy of Europe and Europeans in world culture and relates history according to a European perception and experience (Canadian Race Relations Foundation 2007). Eurocentrism dominated during the 19th and early 20th centuries and influenced the international relations of many nations around the world" (p. 21).

First Nations

This term is preferred by many Aboriginal peoples and the Assembly of First Nations and refers to the various governments of the First Peoples of Canada. There are over 600 First Nations across Canada. In Alberta, there are 45 First Nations, all of whom belong to one of the three treaty areas: Treaty 6, Treaty 7, and Treaty 8.

Treaty 6: Signed at Carlton and Fort Pitt in 1876 and covers central Alberta and Saskatchewan. There are 16 Alberta First Nations.

Treaty 7: Signed at the Blackfoot Crossing of Bow River and Fort Macleod in 1877 and covers southern Alberta. There are five Alberta First Nations.

Treaty 8: Signed at Lesser Slave Lake in 1899 and covers portions of northern Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and part of Northwest Territories. There are 24 Alberta First Nations.

First Nations Authorities

First Nations chiefs and councils are the local governing authorities for First Nations.

All First Nations in Alberta are a member of one of three Treaty organizations:

First Nations have developed tribal councils or similar organizations to act for them under delegated authority, including:

First Nations, MÉtis and Inuit (Policy Term)

First Nations, Métis and Inuit is a phrase that is grounded in the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education Policy Framework developed by Alberta Education.

The phrase First Nations, Métis and Inuit is generally used to refer to the diversity of Aboriginal peoples in Alberta. When making reference to a particular language, community or group, use the specific name rather than the collective phrase. Examples: Cree, Dene Tha, Kainai, Tsuu T'ina, Nakota, Mikisew Cree First Nation, Blood Tribe.

Historical Accuracy

The WNCP Common Tool for Assessing and Validating Teaching and Learning Resources for Cultural Appropriateness and Historical Accuracy of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Content states "historical accuracy in the context of this document reflects information based on First Nations, Métis and Inuit traditional knowledge, practice and factual research regarding the past that has the condition or quality of being true and correct" (p. 22).

Identity

This is a term used to describe a people, often imposed by non-members of that group. The people in question have a term of self-identification that speaks to them being "people." The use of some terms of identification, such as Indian, continues the stereotyping of Indigenous peoples.

Indian

Indian people are one of three cultural groups, along with Inuit and Métis, recognized as Aboriginal People under section 35 of the Constitution Act.

The use of the term Indian has declined since the 1970s when the term First Nations came into common usage. However, there are legal reasons for the continued use of the term Indian.

Such terminology is recognized in the Indian Act and is used by the Government of Canada when making reference to this particular group of Aboriginal people. There are three legal definitions that apply to Indians in Canada:

Status Indian describes a person who is registered as an Indian under the Indian Act. The act sets out the requirements for determining who is an Indian for the purposes of the Indian Act.

Non-status Indian describes an Indian person who is not registered as an Indian under the Indian Act.

Treaty Indian describes a Status Indian who belongs to a First Nation that signed a treaty with the Crown.

For more information about these and other terms, go to the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada website.

Indian Act

The Indian Act, 1985, a piece of Canadian federal legislation, was first passed in 1876 and has been amended several times since.

The act "sets out certain federal government obligations and regulates the management of Indian reserve lands, Indian moneys, and other resources."

Among its many provisions, the Indian Act currently requires the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs to manage certain monies belonging to First Nations, to manage Indian lands and to approve or disallow First Nations bylaws.

Indigenous

Described by the United Nations' factsheet titled Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Voices: "Considering the diversity of indigenous peoples, an official definition of 'indigenous' has not been adopted by any UN-system body. Instead the system has developed a modern understanding of this term based on the following:

Self-identification as indigenous peoples at the individual level and accepted by the community as their member.

Historical continuity with pre-colonial and/or pre-settler societies

Strong link to territories and surrounding natural resources

Distinct social, economic or political systems

Distinct language, culture and beliefs

Form non-dominant groups of society

Resolve to maintain and reproduce their ancestral environments and systems as distinctive peoples and communities."

There are four relevant factors that inform the concept of Indigenous peoples:

"Priority in time, with respect to the occupation and use of a specific territory;

The voluntary perpetuation of cultural distinctiveness, which may include the aspects of language, social organization, religion and spiritual values, modes of production, laws and institutions;

Self-identification, as well as recognition by other groups, or by State authorities, as a distinct collectivity; and

An experience of subjugation, marginalization, dispossession, and exclusion or discrimination, whether or not these conditions persist" (Erica-Irene Daes, Working Paper on the Concept of 'Indigenous People,'" 1996).

In usage: Indigenous (noun) vs. indigenous (adjective): A noun is used in global contexts.

Examples:

Noun: The United Nations has several statements regarding Indigenous people across the world.

Adjective: Pharmaceutical companies have found indigenous plants in the rainforests valuable to their research.

Inuit

"Inuit means 'the people' in Inuktitut. Inuit living in the western Arctic are Inuvialuk (singular) or Inuvialuit (plural) and speak Inuvialuktun. Inuit living in the central and eastern Arctic are Inuk (singular) or Inuit (plural) and speak Inuktitut. Most Inuit live in Nunavut, the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Labrador, northern Quebec, Greenland, Russia and Alaska.13 Inuit have a rich oral history with distinct traditions, language, beliefs, song, art and culture.

"* Inuit do not practice the traditional or ceremonial use of the pipe ceremony, smudging, tobacco or the sweatlodge.

"Inuit Nunangat refers to the four Inuit regions in Canada: Northwest Territories; Nunavut; Nunatsiavut - Labrador; and Nunavik - Quebec. Each region has land claim agreements with the Government of Canada - assigning rights, land ownership, money, wildlife harvesting rights; participation in land, resource, water, wildlife and environmental management as well as measures to promote economic development and protect the Inuit culture" ( Edmonton Public Schools, p. 12).

A document titled Inuit History and Heritage (Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, 2004) states: "For 5,000 years, the people and culture known throughout the world as Inuit have occupied the vast territory stretching from the shores of the Chukchi Peninsula of Russia, east across Alaska and Canada, to the southeastern coast of Greenland. It is here, based on our [the Inuit's] ability to utilize the physical environment and living resources of this geographic region known as the Arctic, where our culture developed and our history unfolded. Inuit are an original people of the country now known as Canada (p. 2)." More information is available at the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami website.

The Inuit are not covered by the Indian Act. Section 4(1) says, "A reference in this Act to an Indian does not include any person of the race of aborigines commonly referred to as Inuit," but the federal government makes laws concerning the Inuit.

For more information about the Inuit, see the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada website.

Knowledge Keeper

The Common Curriculum Framework for Aboriginal Language and Culture Programs: Kindergarten to Grade 12 says a Knowledge Keeper is a person designated or acknowledged by Elders of a cultural community as being knowledgeable about various aspects of the culture, its perspectives, practices and products (p. 131).

Kinship

A kinship is a tie between related individuals, usually through blood, but also through adoption (Kainai Board of Education, et al., 2004, p 238).

Matrilineal

A cultural and social organizational system based on the kinship of the mother's line of descent.

MÉtis

The Métis are Aboriginal people of mixed First Nations and European ancestry. Currently, Métis are considered Indians under the Indian Act. This was confirmed April 11, 2016, by the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Métis have a unique culture that draws on their diverse ancestral origins, such as Scottish, French, Ojibway and Cree. For more information about terminology, go to the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada website.

The Métis dates back to the days of the fur trade when Aboriginal people and French or French-Canadian people married. Historically, the Métis have been refused political recognition by the federal government; they were excluded from registration under the Indian Act despite being specifically referenced to as "halfbreeds" in Treaty 8. However, they were allotted money scrip or land scrip. With the repatriation of the constitution, Métis have been recognized as Aboriginal people of Canada. The Constitution Act, 1982, Section 35(2) says, "In this Act, 'aboriginal peoples of Canada' includes the Indian, Inuit, and Metis peoples of Canada." The Supreme Court of Canada reaffirmed that distinction in its ruling of the case of Daniels v. Canada, 2016 SCC 12 ("Daniels"). Under the ruling, Métis are Aboriginal peoples of Canada along with Treaty Indians, non-status Indians and Inuit. Inherit rights and responsibilities concerning this ruling need to be defined.

MÉtis (Policy Term, National Definition)

The Métis National Council adopted the following definition of the term Métis in 2002: " ... a person who self-identifies as Métis, is distinct from other Aboriginal peoples, is of historic Métis Nation Ancestry and who is accepted by the Métis Nation."

"In 2003, the Supreme Court of Canada confirmed that Métis are a rights-bearing Aboriginal people. Its judgement in R. v. Powley set out the components of a Métis definition for the purpose of claiming Aboriginal rights under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. These are:

Self-identification as a member of a Métis community.

Ancestral connection to the historic Métis community whose practices ground the right in question.

Acceptance by the modern community with continuity to the historic Métis community."

(© Métis National Council. The Métis Nation; Citizenship. http://www.metisnation.ca/index.php/who-are-the-metis/citizenship (Nov. 2012). Reproduced with permission.)

MÉtis Authorities (Policy Term)

There are two recognized Métis authorities in Alberta who speak on behalf of their membership:

The MNA's provincial council consists of elected provincial president and vice-president, plus six elected zone presidents and six vice-presidents representing each of six zones across Alberta. There are approximately 65 MNA locals across Alberta.

The MSGC consists of 40 councillors, representing the eight Alberta Métis Settlement councils and four non-voting executive officers. The general council was established in 1990 under Alberta's Métis Settlements Act and serves as the collective governing body for the settlements. The MSGC is established as a corporate entity (separate from the settlement corporations) and holds the fee-simple title to the land within the settlement areas.

MÉtis Settlements (Policy Term)

There are eight Métis settlements in Alberta:

Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement

East Prairie Metis Settlement

Elizabeth Metis Settlement

Fishing Lake Metis Settlement

Gift Lake Metis Settlement

Kikino Metis Settlement

Paddle Prairie Metis Settlement

Peavine Metis Settlement

The geographic area of each settlement lay within the northern regions of Alberta. There are 1.25 million acres of land in total in the eight Métis settlements.

Métis settlements were established in the 1930s in response to recommendations contained in the Ewing Commission, 1932. Although 12 colonies were originally established, four of the colonies ceased to operate because the land was unsuitable for farming.

Under the 1989 Alberta Métis Settlements Accord and resulting 1990 legislation, the settlements collectively acquired title to the settlement areas and were established as corporate entities, similar to municipal corporations, with broad self-governing powers.

The settlements are governed locally by elected five-member councils and collectively by the Métis Settlements General Council. The Metis Settlement Act, 2000, takes the place of the Alberta Métis Settlements Accord.

Negative Tone

The WNCP Common Tool for Assessing and Validating Teaching and Learning Resources for Cultural Appropriateness and Historical Accuracy of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Content identifies a negative tone as "references that focus only on what specific groups did not have or accomplish" (p. 24).

Oral Traditions and Oral History

Oral history is defined by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada as "evidence taken from the spoken words of people who have knowledge of past events and traditions. This oral history is often recorded on tape and then put in writing. [Oral history] is used in history books and to document claims."

(© Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100014642/1100100014643.)

Paternalism

The WNCP Common Tool for Assessing and Validating Teaching and Learning Resources for Cultural Appropriateness and Historical Accuracy of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Content describes paternalism as "a policy or practice of treating or governing people modelled after a family structure in which the father figure makes the decisions for the family. Paternalistic practices often are based on the assumption that a group of people needs care from another group that considers itself superior, and this 'superior' group provides for the perceived needs of the other and assumes what is best for them without respecting their rights or responsibilities" (p. 24).

Place and Identity

Land is reflected as a sense of place and as more than a location through traditional knowledge, protocols, and scientific and traditional perspectives regarding the use of land.

Protocol

Protocol is a code of etiquette appropriate to the customs and traditions of the people or community. Protocol is described on page 71 of Our Words, Our Ways: Teaching First Nations, Métis and Inuit Learners.

" In Alberta, each Aboriginal community has its own cultural and social traditions that translate into protocols that should be carefully followed. Although regional and tribe-specific protocols have evolved over time, there are many similarities and common themes that are important to remember.

"Using proper protocol means following the customs of the people or community. As protocol varies between communities and individuals, it is important to ask an informed community member about the protocol that needs to be followed. Generally, people respect those who care enough to ask."

Racism

"Racism is any individual action, or institutional practice backed by institutional power, which subordinates people because of their colour or ethnicity." This distinction is often used to justify discrimination.

(© Canadian Race Relations Foundation. Glossary. http://www.crrf-fcrr.ca/en/resources/glossary-a-terms-en-gb-1/item/22874-racism (Nov. 2012). Reproduced with Permission.)

Reclamation

Reclamation is the process of reclaiming or changing back to a former state. For Indigenous people, this means reclaiming or claiming traditional languages, protocols, practices and lands for traditional ceremonies and use. Reclamation, in the Indigenous context, is one component of decolonization.

Reconciliation

Reconciliation is about establishing and maintaining a mutually respectful relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples in this country. Education for Reconciliation is the collective work of ensuring curriculum and the education system support the process of reconciliation. ( Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada)

View Justice Murray Sinclair's address about reconciliation on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's website.

Re-matriation

This describes the process of revitalizing matriarchal society and affirming the role of women, a contemporary movement of empowering Aboriginal women.

Residential Schools

Day and boarding schools that were funded and established from federal government policy and operated by religious organizations to assimilate Aboriginal people into mainstream society by forcibly removing Aboriginal children from their homes, families and communities.

Alberta had the most residential schools between 1884 and 1974: 31 residential schools operated across the province. Alberta's first residential school was Blue Quill's Indian Residential School.

"Blue Quill's Indian Residential School originated in Lac la Biche, AB. It was also known as the Sacred Heart Indian Residential School and later the Saddle Lake Boarding School. This school was operational in Lac la Biche between 1862 and 1898. The school was of Roman Catholic denomination and was under the jurisdiction of the Saddle Lake Indian Agency. In 1898, the school moved to Saddle Lake, AB from Lac la Biche, AB, it would move again to St. Paul, AB in 1931, where it was renamed St. Paul's Boarding School. Blue Quills became the first Native-administered school in Canada in 1970."

Larsson, P. (2013, October 24). Blue Quill's Indian Residential School (Lac la Biche). Retrieved June 2, 2016, from http://eugenicsarchive.ca/database/documents/52692189dc1dc8b865000005

The last residential school in Alberta to close was St. Mary's Indian Residential School. The school was located in Cardston and operated from 1911 to 1975.

"Also known as the St. Mary's Mission Boarding School, the Immaculate Conception Boarding School and the Blood Indian Residential School. . . . This school was under the jurisdiction of the Blood Indian Agency."

Larsson, P. (2013, October 26). Immaculate Conception Indian Residential School. Retrieved June 2, 2016, from http://eugenicsarchive.ca/database/documents/526b8345dc1dc8b86500000b

Resilience

The concept is most often defined as the capacity to spring back from adversity and have a good life outcome despite emotional, mental or physical distress.

Aboriginal People, Resilience and the Residential School Legacy, 2003. Obtained from http://www.ahf.ca/downloads/resilience.pdf

Revitalization/Revitalizing

Bring back into active use cultural practices and languages.

Language revitalization is the process of learning Indigenous languages according to traditional pedagogical and epistemological systems and protocols.

Cultural revitalization is the contemporary process of learning traditional protocols, ceremonies and rites in accordance with Indigenous pedagogical and epistemological systems and protocols.

Self-government

The WNCP Common Tool for Assessing and Validating Teaching and Learning Resources for Cultural Appropriateness and Historical Accuracy of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Content states, "Self-Government agreements are negotiated arrangements between an aboriginal community, the government of Canada and a provincial and/or Territorial government which provides powers and authority to enact laws and regulations of a local nature for the good governance of its lands, resources and citizens, and general welfare and development of the First Nation. Self-Government agreements are not considered as Treaties as defined under the section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982" (p. 25).

For more information regarding First Nations self-government, see Bill C-7: The First Nations Governance Act.

Sixties Scoop

"The term Sixties Scoop was coined by Patrick Johnston, author of the 1983 report Native Children and the Child Welfare System. It refers to the mass removal of Aboriginal children from their families into the child welfare system, in most cases without the consent of their families or bands. . . . Although the practice of removing Aboriginal children from their families and into state care existed before the 1960s (with the residential school system, for example), the drastic overrepresentation of Aboriginal children in the child welfare system accelerated in the 1960s, when Aboriginal children were seized and taken from their homes and placed, in most cases, into middle-class Euro-Canadian families. This overrepresentation continues today." ( University of British Columbia)

Stereotype

A stereotype is a preconceived overgeneralization "of a group of people, ascribing the same characteristic(s) to all members of the group, regardless of their individual differences. An overgeneralization . . . may be based upon misconceptions, incomplete information and/or false generalizations about race, age, ethnic, linguistic, geographical or natural groups, religions, social, marital or family status, physical, developmental or mental attributes, gender or sexual orientation."

(© Canadian Race Relations Foundation. Glossary. http://www.crrf-fcrr.ca/en/resources/glossary-a-terms-en-gb-1/item/22880-stereot ype (Nov. 2012). Reproduced with Permission.)

Stories

Stories provide a vital opportunity to bring history to life. Through stories, people share information, values and attitudes about history, culture and heritage. Stories are communicated through legends, myths, narratives, oral traditions, song, music, dance, literature, visual and dramatic arts, traditions and celebrations. They can include or be supported by biographies, autobiographies, archives, news items, novels or short stories.

Treaties

Treaties are agreed-upon declarations and sacred agreements between sovereign nations.

Prior to Confederation, treaties in Canada were made between First Nations and the British Crown.

Subsequent treaties, including the western treaties, were made between First Nations and the Crown in right of Canada.

The treaties are legal documents that confer rights and obligations on both parties. Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 recognizes and affirms the "existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada."

No two treaties are identical.

Treaties 6, 7 and 8, which cover most of Alberta, describe certain treaty rights including, but not restricted to, entitlement to reserve lands, hunting, fishing and trapping.

Treaties 4 and 10 have some Alberta land but contain no federally registered First Nations communities or reserves.

First Nations people clearly state that the treaties mean more to them than simply legal documents. The treaties are sacred agreements made by the parties and sealed by pipe ceremonies. First Nations consider the treaties to be the essential basis for any relationship between First Nations and other governments.

Strengthening Relationships: The Government of Alberta's Aboriginal Policy Framework states: "The Government of Alberta recognizes and respects the treaties and the lands set aside under the treaties as First Nation reserve lands. Nothing in this document will abrogate or derogate from the treaties."

In usage: Treaty (capitalized) vs. treaty (lowercase, singular) and treaties (lowercase, plural): Use the capitalized term in reference to a specific treaty; e.g., Treaty 6. The lowercase, singular term is used in reference to items contained in a treaty; e.g., treaty rights. The lowercase, plural term is used in reference to the numbered treaties; e.g., no two treaties are identical.

Treaty Rights

Treaty rights are special rights to lands and entitlements that Indian people legally have as a result of treaties (including modern land claims agreements). Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 recognizes and affirms the "existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada."

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC)

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada is a component of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. The federally appointed commission was mandated to investigate the history, legacy and experiences of residential school survivors.

For more information about the TRC and its findings, go to the Truth and Reconciliation of Canada website.

Uncertain of Ancestry

The WNCP Common Tool for Assessing and Validating Teaching and Learning Resources for Cultural Appropriateness and Historical Accuracy of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Content describes uncertain of ancestry in this way: "Due to factors such as the Residential Schools experience, 60s Scoop and child welfare and adoption practices, many Aboriginal peoples have been impacted by a loss of identity. Some Aboriginal peoples, although they are aware they have Aboriginal ancestry, may be unable to identify with a particular classification, such as First Nation, Métis or Inuit; in this event, the 'uncertain of ancestry' identifier may be used" (p. 25).

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

This is a United Nations' document setting out the individual and collective rights of Indigenous people around the world. When the document was introduced in December 2007, the Canadian government voted against it along with Australia, New Zealand and the United States. In 2016, however, the Canadian government announced its decision to implement the declaration. For more information, go to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples site.

Ways of Knowing

Ways of knowing is tied to both individual and cultural epistemologies and belief systems. It is affiliated with a particular personal or worldview as well as the content under examination.

For a more detail discussion of ways of knowing, see chapter 3 of the document titled From Knowledge to Action.

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The reference terms and concepts explore legal and policy definitions; historical or contextual use of terminology; and concepts related to citizenship, culture and cultural repatriation, epistemologies and identity. All terms and concepts presented here are for reference only to support building shared meaning and understanding about the criteria used in Guiding Voices.

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Some tips on what to expect at various cultural events...

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Stepping Stones - Numbered Treaties Within Alberta - Treaty 8

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Stepping Stones - Numbered Treaties Within Alberta - Treaty 8

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Stepping Stones - Numbered Treaties Within Alberta - Treaty 7

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Stepping Stones - Numbered Treaties Within Alberta - Treaty 7

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Stepping Stones - Numbered Treaties Within Alberta - Treaty 6

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Stepping Stones - Numbered Treaties Within Alberta - Treaty 6

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Stepping Stones - Timeline of Alberta's Indigenous History

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Stepping Stones - Timeline of Alberta's Indigenous History

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Stepping Stones - An introduction to Inuit

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Stepping Stones - An introduction to Inuit

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Stepping Stones - Alberta Metis Settlements and Agreements

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Stepping Stones - Alberta Metis Settlements and Agreements

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Written by a team of Indigenous writers... increase awareness of Indigenous history, culture, languages...

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Indigenous Education Resources | Office of Teaching & Learning | University of Calgary

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If you find this, or one of my other tutorials, helpful and would like to make a monetary contribution to help me keep wool in my basket and ideas flowing, I'd be so grateful. By clicking the "Buy Now" button below you can choose your own price for the tutorial. It's completely optional, but oh so appreciated.

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As promised, a birch bark tutorial!

Since so many people seemed to love these tiny birch bark canoes, I thought I'd share how I make them.

birch bark (bark, not birch paper)

raffia or waxed thread/artificial sinew

clothespins or small binder clips

I've found it really helpful to soak the birch bark for several hours or overnight before doing this project. It makes the bark more pliable and seems to keep it from tearing quite so easily. If your bark starts to dry out while you're sewing you can dunk it in a bowl of water or steam it with your steam iron (which is also a nice way to convince pieces of bark to lie flat since the bark wants to curl up. Perfect for making gift tags.).

Cut a rectangle of bark to the length and twice the height of the boat you want to make. The piece I've cut is about 2 1/2" x 2". Gently fold it in half but don't try to crease it. I lay my finger along the center and use even pressure when I fold.

Cut the top curve of the canoe while holding the top edges together, making sure to get a symmetrical cut.

Clip a clothespin on one end of your canoe to hold it in place while you cut the curves at the other end of the canoe, again making sure the two sides match up evenly. Repeat for the other side.

You now have your canoe shape and can begin to sew. Use the clothespins or binder clips to hold the ends together while you work or to hold the piece together if you have to leave the project for a minute.

Thread your raffia or waxed thread onto your needle and prepare to sew. You'll be sewing the entire canoe with one length of thread so make sure you snip a long enough piece. I cut about 20" for this tiny canoe.

note: if you have a dremel tool with a very tiny drill bit you can pre-drill your holes. This makes the job much easier and the bark is less likely to tear while sewing. If you don't have one it's OK, just sew carefully and keep a distance between your stitch holes and the edge of the bark.

Begin stitching at the bottom of one end, sewing through both layers of bark. Sew up the curve and over the top of the "point" using a whipstitch.

Hold a twig flush to the side of the canoe and whipstitch around it and the top edge of the canoe side.

When you reach the "point" on the other end of the canoe, stitch through both layers of bark, down then back up the second curved end, making an "x" or shoelace pattern.

When you reach the top of the curve your needle should be on the unfinished side of the canoe. Sew a twig to this side as you had done on the other side.

Sew the "x" pattern down the end curve, and tie a small knot at the end. Trim any excess twig and you have a canoe!

I choose to add some decorative stitches under the twig supports, but you can leave it as is if you'd like. You can add a loop to use as a hanging ornament also.

You can also simplify the process by just sewing each end and skip the twig supports. This style is more prone to tearing so handle these with care.

I made one of these canoes out of a cereal box for the boys to play with and the cardboard is a great weight to practice with. I think these would also be really sweet made out of felt.

This is a decorative canoe and won't float as is. By sealing the holes and weighting it properly though, it could be.

If you give this a try, I'd love to know how it turns out.

My PSA: I think it should be noted that I gather my birch bark from trees that fall in our woods. You can read about that process . Although I've read that you can harvest birch safely from a live tree, it seems unnecessary and destructive to me. That's not my kind of thing. Birches are plentiful where I live, but if they're not plentiful in yours, I'd bet you can find some suppliers of sustainable bark online.

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If you find this, or one of my other tutorials, helpful and would like to make a monetary contribution to help me keep wool in my basket and ideas flowing, I'd be so grateful. By clicking the "Buy Now" button below you can choose your own price for the tutorial.

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Elder's Teachings, Life on the Land, Treaties...

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Elder's Teachings, Life on the Land, Treaties...

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By Allan Sapp

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Tebatchimowin
I am done telling my story

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http://www2.uregina.ca/education/saskindianresidentialschools/

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DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY OF Shattering the Silence: The Hidden History of Indian Residential Schools in Saskatchewan

A project of heart Saskatchewan ebook resource for educators

Title: Shattering the Silence: The Hidden History of Indian Residential Schools in Saskatchewan
Commissioned Author: Shuana Niessen
Publisher: Faculty of Education, University of Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
110 pages
July 2017
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

To keep your place in the ebook while exploring links, download and save the file to your computer before clicking links.

Warning! This book contains disturbing elements that are not suitable for some audiences. Topics that are covered may cause trauma invoked by memories of past abuse. Those eligible for Indian Residential School Health support who are in need of emotional and crisis support, please contact Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program 24-hour crisis line: 1-866-925-4419

Click on the cover image to download the .pdf version to your computer or ipad/iphone

Flash version for PCs. To turn page, place Cursor on corner,
click and drag page over or click on the bottom corner of the page
Click here to view full size

If the flash version does not automatically load to your browser, the ebook may be viewed in Explorer or Irfanview.

For areas with unstable internet connection, a low-resolution file can be downloaded by clicking here

Tweets:

Great resource on IRS in Sask that includes curriculum connections. https://t.co/Oy44Mte35J

- STF Library (@STFLibrary) August 27, 2017

"Shattering the Silence" a superb new IRS teaching resource by @URFacofEd and POH Saskatchewan https://t.co/S2TKOWhfrg

- Project of Heart (@projectofheart) August 24, 2017

"Shattering the Silence": University of Regina and POH Saskatchewan's superb new resource https://t.co/rZIiKOn9eG via @NationTalk

- URFacultyofEducation (@URFacofEd) September 8, 2017

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DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY OF Shattering the Silence: The Hidden History of Indian Residential Schools in Saskatchewan A project of heart Saskatchewan ebook resource for educators Title: Shattering the Silence: The Hidden History of Indian Residential Schools in Saskatchewan Commissioned Author: Shuana Niessen Publisher: Faculty of Education, University of Regina Regina, Saskatchewan 110 pages July 2017 Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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Martin Initiative

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Source: Cochrane Library

Summary: This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of family-centered interventions for Indigenous early childhood well-being, delivered by primary healthcare services in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the USA, on a range of physical, psychological and behavioral outcomes Indigenous children, parents and families.

Description of the condition

The clear need for improved approaches to the health of Indigenous families is evidenced by the striking disparities in health between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the USA. Disparities are evident in infant mortality rates which are 1.7 to 4 times higher than those of non-Indigenous infants (Smylie 2009). In addition, higher rates of sudden infant death syndrome, child injury, accidental death, suicide, ear infections, respiratory tract illness and mortality, dental caries and exposure to environmental contaminants have been reported (Smylie 2009). Health inequities are consistently reported across the four countries examined in this review, although there is diversity in indicators across and within their Indigenous populations: the Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders of Australia; First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples of Canada; the Maori of New Zealand; and American Indian, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian peoples of the USA (Cunningham 2003; Welch 2015). To inform health equity, it is important to examine and use diverse data from these different populations; yet consistent with Cochrane Library Special Collections on the health of Indigenous peoples (Welch 2015), restricting the review to Indigenous populations of the four included countries allows identification of important differences.

Source: Glenbow Museum. Virtual Museum Canada
Focus: Grades 4-6

Summary: This web site was created as a companion to the Niitsitapiisini Virtual Exhibit created by the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, Alberta and is divided into two main sections: Blackfoot Culture and Learning Resources.

The Blackfoot Culture section of the toolkit provides an overview of the culture and history of the Blackfoot people. This section introduces teachers to the Blackfoot world and how it has changed and adapted over the centuries.

The Learning Resources section informs teachers of the protocols involved in teaching First Nations students, provides access to instructional units and a list of additional resources. The units are designed to complement and extend the Virtual Exhibit web activities and include cultural and historical resources, activities and assessment strategies.

Source: Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat (APCFNC) Circle of Knowledge Keepers
Focus: Secondary Students

Summary: The book, Stories from our Elders: Stories and Teachings from an Atlantic Circle of Knowledge Keepers, was published by Atlantic Aboriginal Economic Development Integrated Research Program (AAEDIRP) in response to a need to advance understanding and education of Atlantic Aboriginal customs and traditions. Elders from Maliseet, Mi'kmaw, Innu, and Inuit communities gathered and contributed narratives, pictures, and information on their respective ways of life. The book may be of special interest to those who are engaged in education and/or building capacity and understanding of Aboriginal cultures.

Source: Pincher Creek Voice

Summary: Napi's Playground School at Piikani Nation hosted a reopening ceremony for their extensively renovated library on November 15. Guests in attendance included representatives of the Fu Hui Education Foundation (FHEF) and the Martin Family Initiative (MFI). Both organizations provided financial support to the school to refit the library. The guests were toured through Napi Playground (Piikani Nation's elementary school) and visited with students in their classrooms before the presentation.

The School Staff, the Students and the Community all demonstrated a renewed interest in making their library an integral part of the school. Based on these factors as well as the school's commitment to provide personnel to oversee the maintenance of the collections and to encourage multiple uses of the facility, it was decided that the Napi's Playground Elementary School and Piikani Nation Secondary School Library would be an excellent choice for support through the Model School Library Project.

Martin Family Initiative (MFI) representative Carlana Lindeman explained the organization's intent to support students to help them reach their full potential. Federal funding eligibility is across the country. Originally there were two First Nation schools in a pilot project. Napi's Playground is the third school. MFI's Julia O'Sullivan later explained the organization's ongoing efforts. "We have a goal to be in 20 schools, by the year 2020." Napi's Playground is the first of six schools which MFI is supporting. Each school will work with MFI for six years. "We work with schools who have applied to work with us to improve the children's reading and writing within their school."

Judy San of Fu Hui Education presented a commemorative plaque to the school. San said the foundation is aiming at helping build 6 schools across Canada in the upcoming year. San also presented the library with a number of unique bookmarks made of real maple leaves, laminated, with inspirational messages, to be given to the students.

Source: University of British Columbia. First Nations and Indigenous Studies
Focus: Senior Secondary and Post-secondary students

Summary: Classroom discussions of Aboriginal issues often leave students feeling alienated and angry. "What I Learned in Class Today": Aboriginal Issues in the Classroom is a video-based research project developed by two undergraduate students in FNIS. It asked both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students at the University of British Columbia to share their experiences of these situations in videotaped interviews in order to find ways of having more productive and professional classroom discussions.

To view the project materials, including the screening video, interview archive, and accompanying support materials, click here to visit the project's website.

Source: Alberta Mentoring Partnership (AMP)
Focus: Intermediate students

Summary: AMP offers two primary resources to support the establishment of new mentoring programs. For community groups or organizations, the "Create a Community-based Mentoring Program" Toolkit or for schools, the "Framework for Mentoring in Schools."

The following Considerations for Mentoring within Indigenous Communities are a supplementary resource to support primarily non- Indigenous organizations that desire to develop and deliver quality mentoring programs for and with children, youth, and families of Indigenous descent. They are based on research and the combined expertise of those who are already engaged in this important work.

These considerations complement the existing mentoring resources available on the AMP website by providing specific suggestions to strengthen your mentoring work with Indigenous communities in service of young people. These ten considerations are intended to help you support the development and implementation of quality mentoring programs that build on the strengths of the community, children, and youth.

We also encourage you to use this resource in conjunction with other community-based resources from the Alberta Government and the Alberta Mentoring Partnership such as the Handbook for Aboriginal Mentoring and Mentoring Programs for Aboriginal Youth.

Source: Government of Manitoba

Summary: This support document is aimed at promoting school divisions, schools, teachers, parents, and students to undertake critical and courageous conversations on racism to create inclusive and equitable classrooms and schools for First Nation Métis Inuit students and all students. The document helps to inform and encourage educators, describes the levels and effects of racism, acknowledges history, stimulates dialogue through critical and courageous conversations and contributes to the TRC's Call to Action.
Creating Racism-Free Schools through Critical/Courageous Conversations on Race (1.41 MB)

Source: Joseph Martin, Richard Manning, Larry Steeves, Josephine Steeves, and Jon Reyhner

Summary: North American Indigenous students lag academically behind their non-Indigenous peers (Native Americans, 2013). This trend shows no sign of reversal unless changes are made to how Indigenous students are educated. Leadership within schools is an essential and vital component to student success, regardless of demographics or other factors like access to resources. As research on Indigenous student achievement is still a limited subject of study, we must look for ways to build on the knowledge we have. Experienced Indigenous educational leaders and teachers have a wealth of knowledge about how to educate their people.

The study reported in this chapter builds on previous studies that sought the knowledge of Indigenous educators to learn what is needed to improve education for Indigenous students in North America (Cleary & Peacock, 1998; Huffman, 2008, 2013). Five experienced Navajo educators in the United States and four experienced First Nations educators-including one non-Indigenous educator who had worked extensively within Indigenous education-in Saskatchewan, Canada, were interviewed about student achievement and their experiences within Indigenous education structures. We approached this study with a recognition that Indigenous education-as recognized by Tribal Crit theory (Brayboy, 2005)-is burdened by a history of colonialism and needs to be decolonized by listening to Indigenous peoples, including experienced Indigenous school administrators who know what is important and needed for their children's education.

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Source: Cochrane Library Summary: This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of family-centered interventions for Indigenous early childhood well-being, delivered by primary healthcare services in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the USA, on a range of physical, psychological and behavioral outcomes Indigenous children, parents and families.

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Assisting in learning Cree

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Assisting in the learning Cree

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Assisting in learning Cree

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Assisting in learning Cree

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Winter - What it means to Cree People...

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Winter - What it means to Cree People...

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Winter is the month when everything rests... Kîwêtin (Old Man Winter) covers the ground with a blanket of snow. The winter months in Canada can start as early as October and end in March. However, our elders shared that after the Bald Eagle Moon if the snow is still on the ground that this is not the doing of the Kîwêtin but his daughters - Kîwêtiniskwewak.