As we approach Truth and Reconciliation week and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we want to acknowledge and honour the ancestral territory of all the Inuit, Metis, and First Nations people that call this land home. We are committed to rebuilding and renewing our relationships and recognize the ongoing impacts of colonization.
We want to pause, reflect, and learn during this time and honour the survivors and victims of the residential school system.
During this time, there are some activities that you can do with your students to reflect and build mutual respect and equitable relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples.
1. Take time to reach out within your community and connect with Indigenous Peoples, even an Elder.
2. In your classroom, read a book. A great choice is Spirit Bear and Children Make History by Cindy Blackstock and Eddy Robinson.
You can download the book for free here:
Use this to open a discussion with your students.
What did you learn from Spirit Bear and Children Make History?
What can you do to ensure all children are treated fairly and equally?
3. Take time to explore the outdoors and learn about “Mother Earth.” Learn about plants and animals, their significance to Indigenous Peoples, and the importance of protecting and caring for the land.
Discover the four plants of the medicine wheel: tobacco, sage, sweetgrass and cedar.
As you explore the outdoors, see if you can find other indigenous plants—identify them and what they can be used for. Some examples:
Mountain Maple
Hazelnut
Stinging Nettle
Goat’s Beard
Red Elderberry
Sword Fern
Black Gooseberry
Cottonwood
Swamp Horsetail
Willow
Skunk Cabbage
High-bush Cranberry
Indian Plum
Bulrush
Devil’s Club
Maidenhair Fern
Sage
Sweet Grass
Red Cedar
Even Dandelions are important; the leaves and roots can be made into teas
4. Learn more about Indigenous Arts and artists. Allow your students to explore the Indigenous world of arts, through such activities as beadwork, dance, or storytelling.
Check out these resources:
Indigen Artsy https://indigenartsy.com/
University of Calgary https://werklund.ucalgary.ca/teaching-learning/giving-tree-retelling-traditional-metis-story
Indigenous Arts and Stories http://www.our-story.ca/teachers/
5. Learn about how and why bannock was important to different Indigenous Peoples. You can even try making some with your class. You can find the recipe in our Culture of Agriculture magazine here: https://www.agricultureforlife.ca/product-page/the-culture-of-agriculture-north-american-edition
6. Check out these great resources that have been vetted by Indigenous authors:
The Martin Family Initiative https://ppw.themfi.ca/en/
Good Minds.com https://goodminds.com/
University of Calgary https://www.ucalgary.ca/indigenous
Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada https://indigenouspeoplesatlasofcanada.ca/section/truth-and-reconciliation/
These are only a few of the ideas and activities that you and your classroom can participate in, to recognize and continue the healing and learning for Truth and Reconciliation. Be sure to take the time to pause and reflect, and continue this journey not only now but ongoing.