AlisonGear,2019
BCPTA2019ConferenceNaniamo,BC-SnuneymuxwTerritory
IndigenousChildren’sLiteratureIndigenousChildren’sLiteratureintheCanadiancontextreflectsIndigenousknowledge,thehistoryandlegacyofcolonialism,andthestrengthandresilienceofthemovementtowardtruthandreconciliation.
IndigenousKnowledge(Indigenousknowledgecomesfromanoraltraditionandiscontinuallyevolving.Thisisanacademicdescriptiononly.)
• TraditionalKnowledge(passeddownorallythroughstories):Describescreation,connectionstothespiritworld,societalformation;memorializeshistoricalevents;recordsgenealogies,ancestralrights,territories;reinforcesvalues
• EmpiricalKnowledgeGainedthroughobservationsofthelandandecosystemsovertime
• Revealed(Spiritual)KnowledgeDreams,visions,intuition(Brant-Castellano,M.,2000)
SevenSacredTeachings(representedonTRClogo)Honesty,Humility,Wisdom,Courage,Love,Truth,andRespectIndividualnationshavetheirownuniquevaluesandprinciples.
IndigenousEducationTRCCalltoAction63:
1. DevelopingandimplementingKindergartentoGradeTwelvecurriculumandlearningresourcesonAboriginalpeoplesinCanadianhistory,andthehistoryandlegacyofresidentialschools.
3. Buildingstudentcapacityforinterculturalunderstanding,empathy,andmutualrespect.
IndigenousEducationisanapproachtoteaching.Justasimportantasthecontentofthecurriculumisthewaythecurriculumistaught.Throughtheintergenerationaltransferofknowledge,Indigenouschildrentraditionallylearnedbyobservationfollowedbyhands-onexperience.Thislearningwasbrokenbytheresidentialschoolsystem.Teacherscansupporttraditionalpracticesthroughofferingexperientialandstrengths-basedlearning;includingfamiliesinlearning;takinglearningoutside;emphasizingidentity(family,culture,placeoforigin);focusingonlocalIndigenouscontent;recognizingthevalueoftraditionalteachings,language,andculture;andusingthepowerofstory.FNESCdescribesIndigenouspedagogyasonethat:islearnercentered;isinquirybased;isbasedonexperientiallearning;emphasizesanawarenessofselfandothersinequalmeasure;recognizesthevalueofgroupprocesses;andsupportsavarietyoflearningstyles(http://www.fnesc.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/PUB-LFP-IRSR-5-2015-07-WEB.pdf).
“Allthatweareisstory…Itiswhatwearrivewith.Itisallweleavebehind.”
(RichardWagamese)
TheEldersareWatching/illus.RoyVickers;WhenWeWereAloneandOwlsSeeClearlyatNight/illus.JulieFlett.Usedwithpermission
Youcanalwaysask/include:ParentsandfamiliesDistrictIndigenousEducationDepts.LocalNativeFriendshipCentresLibraries,Museums,andGalleries(TakenoteofappropriateprotocolswhencontactingFirstNationsresourcepeopleorguests.)
“Whileitisnotpossibletofullycomprehendanotherwayofknowing,whatwecandoisacknowledgethatbothIndigenousandWesternknowledgesystemshaveequalpower.”(Dr.KarenMartin,2013)
“TheeducationsystemitselfmustbetransformedintoonethatrejectstheracismembeddedincolonialsystemsofeducationandtreatsAboriginalandEuro-Canadianknowledgesystemswithequalrespect.”(p.239)
AlisonGear,2019
FirstPeoplesCurriculuminBC:Indigenouscontentiswoventhroughmostsubjects:EnglishLanguageArts(connectiontopeople,communities,andland;oraltraditionandtexts);SocialStudies(localcommunities,culturalcharacteristics,oralhistory,traditions,values,landuse,conflictandcooperation);Science(plantsandanimals,locallandscapes,seasonalrounds,lifecycles,earthmoonandsky,ecosystems,interdependence,sustainability).TheimpactofcolonialismisintroducedinGrade4SS;residentialschoolsareintroducedinGrade5SS.ThefollowingBIGIDEAScanalsobeappliedtoIndigenouscontent:languageandtextcanbeasourceofcreativityandjoy;storiesandtraditionsaboutourselvesandourfamiliesreflectwhoweareandwherewecomefrom;storieshelpusunderstandourselvesandmakeconnectionstoothersandtheworld;textcanbeunderstoodfromdifferentperspectives.
IndigenousChildren’sLiteratureTheOralTradition:….haspreservedIndigenousknowledge,culture,andliteraryexpressionforthousandsofyearsandisstillverymuchalive.Storiesareculturalproperty,someareconsideredsacred.Somearesharedpublically(butthisdoesnotgivealistenertherighttoretellthestory)andsomearereservedforspecificaudiencesorcertainoccasions.Somestorieshaveneverbeenwrittendownandcontinuetobememorizedandpasseddownorally.Itisalwaysuptothelistenertointerpretmeaningfromthestory.
GenresandExamplesofIndigenousChildren’sBooks:NonFiction•GoShowtheWorld,WabKinew,2018•WeAreAllConnectedSeries,StrongNations,2017•SockeyeMother,BrettHuson,2017•SpeakingOurTruth:AJourneyofReconciliation,M.GraySmith,2017•StrongReadersSeries(Frog,Bear,Eagle,Raven),StrongNations,2012TraditionalStorieshavebeenretoldinbookform,oftenportrayinganimalandhumancharacters,connectionstothespiritworld,traditions,values.•TheTwoSisters,PaulineJohnson,2016•StrongStoriesSeries,StrongNations,2016•PeaceDancer(2016),OrcaChief(2015),Cloudwalker(2014),RavenBringstheLight(2013),RoyVickersandRobertBudd•TheRavenandtheLoon,RachelandSeanQitsualik-Tinsley,2013•FlightoftheHummingbird,MichaelNicollYahgulanaas,2008•HowRavenStoletheSun,MariaWilliams,2001•SalmonBoy:ALegendoftheSecheltPeople(Series),DonnaJoe,1999
Timeline:Thistimeline,basedinpartonSnuneymuxwhistory,representsselecteddatesfromthecolonialperspectiveonlyandisusedinthisworkshoptodemonstratetheimpactofpolicy.7,000BCEvidenceofhumansettlementinCoastSalishTerritory1,500BCSnuneymuxwsettlement1534Firstcontactoneastcoast1763RoyalProclamation1791Malaspinaexploresarea1843Hudson’sBayCompanyestablishesFortVictoria1849VancouverIslandbecomesaCrownColony1852HBCPostestablishedatnewcoalmine1850–54DouglasTreaties1854Firstsettlersarrive1862Snuneymuxwremovedfrommainvillage1862SmallpoxEpidemic1867Confederation1876onwardsIndianAct1885-1940sThePassSystem1890KuperIslandResidentialSchoolopens1920ResidentialSchoolsmandatory1946-66NanaimoIndianHospital1960StatusIndiansallowedtovote1960onwardsTheSixtiesScoop1969WhitePaper1973onwards–significantcourtdecisionsregardingrightsandtitle1970sto1996–ResidentialSchoolsclose(KuperIslandclosesmid1970’s)1982Constitution1996RoyalCommissiononAboriginalPeoplesReport2007IndianResidentialSchoolsSettlementAgreement2007/2016Jordan’sPrinciple2008Apology2012SnuneymuxwReserve2connectedtonewwatersystem2015TruthandReconciliationCommissionReport2017Snuneymuxwreceivea$49Msettlement2019MMIWGReport
AlisonGear,2019
ContemporaryTraditionalStoriesarenewlycreatedstorieswhichretainelementsofthestoriesthathavebeenpasseddown(animalandhumancharacters,values,connectionstothespiritworld,humour).•TheGirlandtheWolf,KatherenaVermette,2019•AwasisandtheWorldFamousBannock,DallasHunt,2018•CoyoteTales,ThomasKing,2017•Taan’sMoons,AlisonGear,2014•AManCalledRaven,RichardVanCamp,1997•LittleBear’sVisionQuest,DianeSilvey,1995EverydayStories(PastandPresent)portraylifeasexperiencedbyIndigenouspeople.Thesestoriescanbecontemporary,orcanbearecountingofthepastasacharactershareshisorhermemories.Alargenumberofthemostrecentlypublishedbooksareeverydaystories.•What’sMySuperpower?AviaqJohnston,2017•YouHoldMeUp,MoniqueGraySmith,2017•ADaywithYayah,NicolaCampbell,2017•ThunderboyJunior,ShermanAlexie,2016•AmikLovesSchool:AStoryofWisdom(7TeachingsSeries),KatherenaVermette,2015•SometimesIFeelLikeAFox,DanielleDaniel,2015•P’eskaandtheFirstSalmonCeremony,ScotRitchie,2015•DipnettingwithDad,WillieSellars,2014•AWalkontheTundra,RebeccaHainnu2011•BisforBasketball,SchoolDistrict50,2010•TheMoccasins,EarlEinarson,2008•Yetsa’sSweater,SylviaOlsen,2006•SecretoftheDance,AndreaSpalding,2006ResidentialSchoolStories,whilebeingEverydayStoriesfromthepast,havetheirowncategorybecauseofthenumberofbooksbeingpublishedonthissubject.•Phyllis’sOrangeShirt,PhyllisWebstad,2019•StolenWords,MelanieFlorence,2017•WhenWeWereAlone,DavidRobertson,2016•IamNotaNumber,JennyKayDupuisandKathyKacer,2016•NotMyGirl,ChristyJordanFenton/MargaretPokiak-Fenton,2014•WhenIwasEight,C.JordanFenton/MargaretPokiak-Fenton,2013•Shin-chi’sCanoe,NicolaCampbell,2008•Shi-shi-etko,NicolaCampbell,2005ManytitlesalsoavailableinFrench*
CommonThemes:IdentityImportanceofthefamilyandcommunityIntergenerationaltransferofknowledgeIntegralrelationshipwiththelandTraditionandceremonyNatureandplaceofspiritualityCourageandresilienceHumourLanguagerevitalization “ItispreciselybecauseeducationwastheprimarytoolofoppressionofAboriginalpeople,andmis-educationofallCanadians,thatwehaveconcludedthateducationholdsthekeytoreconciliation.”TheHonourableJusticeMurraySinclairCulturalHumilityHumblyacknowledgingoneselfasalearnerwhenitcomestounderstandinganother’sexperience.Wereviewthehistoryand“connectthedots”tothepresentday,beingawareofpersonalandsystemicpowerimbalances,structuralprivilege,andourownassumptionsandbiases.WhentalkingaboutResidentialschools(oranyotheraspectofcolonialhistory),itishelpfultoemphasize:.thevalueoftheknowledgethatwaslost.thecourageandresilienceofthesurvivors.learningaboutthisisanactofreconciliation
(StarleighGrass,2015)
AlisonGear,2019
ResourcesStrongNations102–5160DublinWay,Nanaimohttps://www.strongnations.com/CanadianIndigenousBooksforSchoolshttps://49thshelf.com/Lists/Members/2018-45/Canadian-Indigenous-Books-for-Schools-2018-19AboriginalWorldviewsandPerspectivesintheClassroomhttps://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/administration/kindergarten-to-grade-12/aboriginal-education/awp_moving_forward.pdfFNESChttp://www.fnesc.ca/PromisingPracticesinIndigenousEducationhttps://www.themfi.ca/ppw-educational-resourcesNationalCentreforTruth&Reconciliationhttp://nctr.ca/map.phpTheirVoiceswillGuideUs(MMIWG)https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/NIMMIWG-THEIR-VOICES-WILL-GUIDE-US.pdfMathCatcher:MathThroughAboriginalStorytelling(SFU)http://mathcatcher.irmacs.sfu.ca/FirstVoiceshttps://www.firstvoices.com/FNHealthAuthorityFoodFactSheetshttp://www.fnha.ca/documents/traditional_food_fact_sheets.pdfPowerfulUnderstanding,AdrienneGear,2018(IndigenousConnections)MOOCCourseUBC-ReconciliationThroughIndigenousEducationhttp://pdce.educ.ubc.ca/reconciliation/ LinkstoVideoClips: TRCEducationDay,Vancouverhttps://vimeo.com/75812900StarleighGrass,WestVancouverhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu0aIw1vdiEFlightoftheHummingbirdhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naj6zZakgEgN’weJinanArtistshttp://nwejinan.com/FrenchResourcesGoodMindsdistributesFirstNations,InuitandMetisbooksinEnglishandFrench.Type“French”inthesearchbarfortheirFrenchtitles.https://www.goodminds.com/search?keys=frenchStrongNationsalsohasagoodselectionofFrenchtitles.Again,type“French”inthesearchbar.https://www.strongnations.com/search/?s=frenchIndspirehttp://indspire.ca/hostsa“asmallgroupofpeopleinterestedinIndigenousFrenchresourcesfromacrossthecountrythatformedafterthelastNationalGatheringforIndigenousEducation.”andsuggeststhisresourcefromBCTF:https://bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/Public/AboriginalEd/PoH(1)/Ressourcesvoleten%C3%A9ducationautochtone.pdf
HowdoIdetermineauthenticity?IndigenousChildren’sresources:
.areappropriateandrelevantfortheteachingandlearningofIndigenousstorytellingtraditions
.respectfullyrepresentthediversity,knowledge,andworldviewsofIndigenouspeoples
.weredevelopedandvalidatedbyaqualified,reputable,Indigenoussource
.includeappropriatestrategies,activities,andvisualsthatsupporttheteachingandlearninginIndigenousstorytellingtraditions(ReconciliationthroughIndigenousEducationMOOCcourse,UBC,2015)Ifindoubt,checktheseonlineresources.ThisguidefromFNESCincludesgradelevels,summaries,andcurricularconnections:
andthiscollectionfromIBBYCanada(InternationalBoardonBooksforYoungPeople)-lists100ofthebestbooksbyIndigenousauthors,manyillustratedbyIndigenousartists,publishedinCanada:
StrongNationsalsoscreensforIndigenouscontent.
AlisonGear,2019
ULShttps://www.uls.com/GotoAdvancedSearch·Ontheleft,typeIndigenousinthe"SubjectBar"·Under"GradeLevels"selectthegradesyouwouldlike.·OntheRight,click"ActiveTitlesOnly"·Click"FrenchOnly"·Ifyouwanttoseejustwhatisstocked,youcanclick"StockTitlesOnly" AlisonGear,[email protected](778)554-4064GratefultobelivingandworkingonthetraditionalterritoryoftheOkanaganFirstNation. AvailableforAuthorTalks,Workshops,andPresentations
AlisonGear,2019
