Learning Canada’s real history raises the bar for students
By Kelly Anne Smith
NIPISSING FIRST NATION—Treaty education resource author, Kelly Crawford, recently spent a weekend in the Elders Hall at the Anishinabek Nation head office where she was devoted to training a diverse group of participants that we are all treaty people.
Crawford says in-person training gives the best base to learn the knowledge involved in the We Are All Treaty People Teachers Kit as the primary educational tool and the Secondary School Teachers Resource Kit: Gdoo-sastamoo Kii Mi – Understanding Our Nation to Nation Relationship.
The training seminar, which was sponsored by the Anishinabek Educational Institute, consisted of participants which included teachers, students, social workers, Anishinabek Nation staff, a local city police officer and others seeking a richer understanding of Indigenous history in Canada.
One participant, a local high school teacher of Fine Arts and Indigenous Studies, Robin Bartlett, summarized the experience to be the most insightful professional development activity that she was ever participatory to.
During the two-day seminar, Bartlett learned about the treaty relationship from Crawford and about cultural teachings from Elder Josh Eshkakogan. During his teachings, Elder Eshkakogan emphasized that the respect for a person’s identity needs to be a focus for First Nations.
Bartlett reflected on the experience of cultural training.
“I thought ‘I need to teach this’. And not just because I need to teach it, but because the students need to know these things. Within this course, there are a number of topics and aspects that can be covered. You can easily skim over anything that you don’t have a full understanding of, but I feel I would be doing an injustice to the study of Indigenous Studies. I feel I need to know these things, not just on a professional level, but on a personal level.”
Bartlett thought the cultural knowledge was an important component during the professional development day.
“It wasn’t just history and facts. It was very cultural as well. Josh did a full smudge and checked our balance.”
The Elder asked participants to stand with their arms out to check if you stood tall with arms out like an eagle with wings expanded.
Bartlett applied the new knowledge promptly.
“For about two weeks after the weekend session, I really worked with the students with the material being fresh in my mind. I did a review with them today to make sure they are retaining the information.”
Bartlett plans to have a Residential School survivor visit her classroom to speak to her students.
“I want to delve deeper and have the students feel safe to pose questions about treaties and about our history.”
Crawford spoke about getting stronger as Anishinaabe people.
“We need clarity and balance. To be able to change things, we have to have an understanding of relationships to fix, build and heal them. There is a reason Indigenous History in Canada wasn’t taught. The kit [We are all Treaty People] is how you teach it.”
Asked about the need for intensive two-day seminars, Crawford replied that when she first started doing sessions, they were more like conference sessions and condensed into a couple of hours or half a day.
“But the reality is that teachers need more of a background, that’s why the training piece was developed. It is to integrate treaty learning but to also give them a base.”
Crawford has lectured at sessions, conferences, and school boards all over the province. She estimates well over a thousand teachers have heard her speak about the real history of Canada.
“The truth of this land was not shared through the education system and that perpetuated through society, so we see a lot of systemic racism. It’s really important for teachers and people in general to be able to connect with somebody that has a real story. Some of the truths are very hard to hear because many people have an idea of what Canada is and what Canada means. When they start to learn some of the real history behind it, specifically the Indian Act and Residential Schools, it makes them question their own educational experience. That’s a challenge. They have to experience or expose themselves to their relationship with their own education and with history.”
Crawford says it’s a lengthy process to update the curriculum.
“There are many voices pushing for change in the curriculum. There will be mandatory pieces. The work is not done.”
She is hopeful the new curriculum will rapidly reach all students.
“When you are looking at how students learn, there has to be connection between community and land. It is an experience that has to reach them holistically, not learning from a textbook.”
Along with Teacher training, Industry and Government training sessions on the treaty relationship are also available. For more information on how to purchase the kits and receive training, contact Brenda Labreche: 705-497-9127 ext. 2227, or via e-mail: orders@anishinabek.ca.