Cultural Resources

Cultural understanding and cultural expertise are approaches that have framed cultural teaching practices for many years. Although these approaches are valuable, they do not address historical and current political, social, and economic forces that are the context for most teaching and learning experiences involving Aboriginal students.

Past and current practices of colonialism are practices that degrade or diminish the dignity, worth and potentials of Aboriginal peoples. Many Aboriginal peoples, scholars, researchers, and educators are using the concepts of cultural safety and decolonization as a framework to reveal the practices inherent in historical and current colonialism. One scholar described the process of uncovering practices as “unsettling the settler within—a practice that would move us from unconsciousness, racism, denial, and guilt about history to critical inquiry, and social action”. Recognizing the practices of colonialism offers greater hope of positive and progressive experiences for teachers and students. The following are several resources that describe, investigate, and offer ways in which teachers can integrate the concepts of cultural safety and decolonization into the classroom.

Culture

Indigenous Identity Resource Guide is a companion to Identity Matters, a sharing circle within the larger Meymey’em 2022 gathering at Emily Carr University. 

“As I Am” is a 2010 NFB short documentary set to a poem written by Mohawk Janet Rogers that challenges stereotypes of Aboriginal people.

First Peoples: A Guide for Newcomers aims to fill the need for clear information in simple language about the First Peoples in Vancouver.

Indigenous Foundations  is an information resource from the University of British Columbia on key topics relating to the histories, politics, and cultures of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada. It was developed to support students in their studies, and to provide instructors, researchers and the broader public with a place to begin exploring topics that relate to Aboriginal peoples, cultures, and histories.

Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society is an undisciplinary, peer-reviewed, online, Open Access journal committed to supporting and advancing decolonization scholarship, practice, and activism within and, more importantly, beyond and against, the academy.

Indigenous Peoples: Language Guidelines is a guide from the University of British Columbia created to help communicators navigate the terminology and meanings associated with Indigenous Peoples. The guide is refreshed as understandings change.

Aboriginal Protocols

Although similar protocols are observed within many Aboriginal communities, each community can differ in their traditions and protocols; therefore it is essential to explore the appropriate approach for each community with which you work. The following resources provide a guide to understanding tradition and protocol in most Aboriginal communities.

The Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia created Building Bridges Together (2008) to support intercultural work between Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal people.

First Nations Education Steering Committee seeks to improve education for all First Nations Learners in BC. It gives information on special education, youth programs, and parent and community involvement, to name a few.

Frameworks for Teaching and Learning: What Educators Need to Know

  • An understanding of the history of the education of Aboriginal peoples explains the present and provides direction for the future.
  • Aboriginal prehistory dates back thousands of years—“since time immemorial.”
  • The maintenance of oral traditions is critical to Aboriginal peoples.
  • Colonization has tried to systemically destroy Aboriginal cultures, languages, and traditions.
  • Colonization is often found embedded in texts and pedagogy in the mainstream educational system, sometimes referred to as the “hidden curriculum”, creating a legacy of colonial constructs that includes stereotypes and racist attitudes.
  • The legacy of the Residential School experience is multi-generational and survivors still suffer traumatic effects.
  • The “Sixties Scoop” has compounded the effects of separation of children from families with consequences still felt today.
  • Although decolonization is challenging deep-rooted Eurocentric attitudes and practices, the process is not complete.

A Handbook for Educators of Aboriginal Students is a resource from Thompson Rivers University (TRU) which is intended to foster a respectful, positive relationship between the faculty at TRU and Aboriginal students. The information provided is meant to assist faculty in gaining a better understanding of the unique social, political, and cultural context from which Aboriginal students come.

What Matters in Indigenous Education: Implementing a Vision Committed to Holism, Diversity and Engagement explores an Indigenous approach to quality learning environments and the Measuring What Matters competencies and skills. Dr. Pamela Toulouse draws out the research, concepts and themes from Measuring What Matters that align with Indigenous determinants of educational success. It expands on this work by offering perspectives and insights that are Indigenous and authentic in nature.

Grunt’s educational guides offer instructors guidelines by which to introduce students to a variety of topics, including colonialism, stereotypes, social responsibility, national languages, and local activist, artistic, and new media practices. Provided resources include texts (articles, essays, and short stories), images, worksheets, essay and discussion questions, and outlines for group activities. The guides are free to download in PDF format.

What I Learned in Class Today: Aboriginal Issues in the Classroom is a research project that explores difficult discussions of Aboriginal issues that take place in classrooms at the University of British Columbia. Students frequently report troubling and sometimes traumatic discussions of cultural issues in class. These situations often affect their ability to function in their coursework, and even their ability to return to class.

Kinàmàgawin: Aboriginal Issues in the Classroom is an accompanying resource guide to a documentary film that examines the difficulties experienced when discussing Aboriginal issues in post-secondary classrooms at Carleton University. The film and resource guide work to improve the ways that cross-cultural discussions occur in the classroom by asking the questions: How does communication about Aboriginal issues take place in the classroom? And how can it be improved?

Culture & Property Rights & Protection

Things to know and questions to ask in order to avoid misappropriating Indigenous cultures:

Indigenization

These guides are the result of a collaboration between BCcampus and the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training. The project was led by a steering committee of Indigenous education leaders from BC universities, colleges, and institutes, the First Nations Education Steering Committee, the Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association, and Métis Nation BC. The content in these guides is authored by teams of Indigenous and ally writers from across BC. We thank them for sharing their knowledge and wisdom with others.

Highlighting BCcampus’ Indigenization Professional Learning Series: