In this section, you will reflect on your own identity within the histories of colonization in Canada and acknowledge the perpetuation of these histories. You’ll also reflect on ways to engage in decolonization, by recognizing and addressing privilege and power imbalances in contemporary realities.

Indigenous peoples throughout the world have sustained their unique worldviews and associated knowledge systems for millennia, even while undergoing major social upheavals as a result of transformative forces beyond their control. Many of the core values, beliefs and practices associated with those worldviews have survived and are beginning to be recognized as having an adaptive integrity that is as valid for today’s generations as it was for generations past. The depth of indigenous knowledge rooted in the long inhabitation of a particular place offers lessons that can benefit everyone, from educator to scientist, as we search for a more satisfying and sustainable way to live on this planet.

– Barnhardt and Kawagley (2005, p. 9)

We cannot have a conversation about Indigenous Peoples in Canada without drawing on the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. This work involved Indian residential school survivors having the courage to tell the truth of what occurred in the schools and how it harmed their adult lives, families, and communities. The process used in the hearings also provided a way for non-Indigenous people to bear witness to the stories. The regional sessions and hearings enabled survivors to come together, to be spiritually and emotionally supported, to offer their testimonies, and to hear one another. The stories of survival, resistance, and healing are now housed in the National Centre for Truth and ReconciliationNational Centre for Truth and Reconciliation: https://nctr.ca/map.php at the University of Manitoba and the west coast affiliate centre at the University of British Columbia (Indian Residential School History and Dialogue CentreIndian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre: http://aboriginal.ubc.ca/indian-residential-school-centre/).

This dialogue must continue in order to ensure that we do not perpetuate othering. As survivors continue their healing process and reconnection with their communities, culture, and identity, Canadians can educate themselves about how assimilative policies and cultural genocide causes and perpetuates power and privilege imbalances and systemic racism across the country.

Not only has colonization been purposefully omitted from Canadian history, but it continues today. Indigenous scholarship and educational reform resulting from the reports of the 1996 Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada are only now providing a foundation on which these truths can be brought forward.  For instance, the Foundations Guide and UBC’s Indigenous Foundations websiteIndigenous Foundations website: https://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/home/ explore and build awareness of the tools used to form and perpetuate disparity and privilege, such as:

• the spreading of disease to wipe out a healthy and thriving population and gain access to a land base
• the stripping of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit rights through policies and legislation, such as the Indian Act, historic treaties, the Scrip policyCollections Canada Scrip Policy: https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/metis-scrip/index-e.html in Manitoba, and High Arctic relocationHigh Artic relocation article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/inuit-get-federal-apology-for-forced-relocation-1.897468
• assimilation and cultural genocide through the forcing of numerous generations of Indigenous children into the residential school system
• the reserve system, which has affected relationships, consultation, and governance

The effects of colonization on Indigenous communities continue today, as the Indian Act and reserve system still exist. The harm caused by these processes and laws, however, has not extinguished Indigenous Peoples. Rather, the opposite has occurred:

• Indigenous Peoples are among the youngest and fastest-growing populations in the country.
• The apologies for the residential school policy and system and the release of the 94 Calls to Action [PDF]TRC Calls to Action: http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/2015/Findings/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission are pathways to truth-telling and reconciliation.
• Indigenous land rights and title are being reaffirmed through landmark court decisions, international declarations, and tripartite treaty negotiations.
• First Nation, Métis, and Inuit communities are revitalizing traditions and language and building capacity for self-determination.

These paths of resiliency, resistance, reclaiming, and revitalization despite the processes of colonization in this country are becoming more apparent through Indigenous scholarship and engagement with Indigenous activists, knowledge keepers, and leadership.

…who will listen to the trees, the animals and birds, the voices of the places of the land? As the long forgotten people of the respective continents rise and begin to reclaim their ancient heritage, they will discover the meaning of the lands of their ancestors.

– Deloria (1973, p. 300–301)

Racism remains the theory, while intolerance, prejudice, and discrimination remain its integral practice. Although race is a false category, theories of racial superiority and discrimination continue to circulate, and critical cultural studies are only one of the many ways disciplinary knowledges are unpacking, acknowledging, and hopefully terminating racism.

– Battiste (2013, p. 132)

Colonization was built on racism. Superiority and inferiority were concepts incorporated into Canadian policy, legislation, and practice, where Indigenous peoples were identified as savages and wards of the state. As settlers came and governments were built, Indigenous Peoples’ presence and resistance to assimilation created an “Indian problem” that worked against normalizing a story of Canada as a champion of human rights and a progressive nation. The government’s ongoing need to “fix the problem” continues to have far-reaching effects on identity, belonging, and meaningful participation.

For example, the chief and council system imposed by the Indian Act is based on a Western patriarchal model that disregards traditional forms of governance and community wellness. It is a foreign system that conflicts with the Indigenous place-based value of traditional territory and pits families against families. The system is also largely responsible for the lateral violence or intolerance witnessed in Indigenous communities. The “Crabs in the Bucket”Crabs in the Bucket article: http://www.trueactivist.com/crabs-in-a-bucket-as-an-analogy-for-modern-human-society/ metaphor is one way to describe lateral violence – as resentment and hostility toward self-determination and success.

Another example of the disruption of families and communities through racist policy is the Indian Act’s definition of who is a “Status Indian.” Status could be lost by enfranchisement, which included enrolling in and attending university, serving in the military, voting in federal and provincial elections, owning land, and marriage between Indigenous women and non-Indigenous men. These and other forms of enfranchisement applied from 1857 until 1985, when they were finally dropped from the Indian Act. Indigenous women and first-generation children had to prove Indigenous ancestry to regain status. Identity as “status” and “non-status” is still disruptive today and limits access to such things as the ability to live on reserve and to receive health care. “Status” students can seek educational funding support from their registered community, while “non-status” students cannot. Educational attainment dataStatscan educational attainment data: http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/99-012-x/99-012-x2011003_3-eng.cfm show that women make up the highest percentage of Indigenous graduates (55%) and over half of all Indigenous graduates are “non-status” and live off reserve (Statistics Canada, 2011). There are multiple stories and factors behind these statistics that demonstrate the inequity of the Indian Act.

Fig 1.2: Status identity card.

Attributions

Fig 1.2: Status Identity Card by Dianne Biin is under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International Licence.

I’m speaking for Okanagan Indigenous peoples in terms of the way we think about land. We never have ever thought of it, I don’t think, as anything static. As anything physical. We’ve always thought about it as a process of interactions, a process of changes and a process that’s ongoing … And so a lot of things that we think about as Okanagan people is how those systems should inform us, in terms of our interactions and the principles that we need to think about and adhere to. In the process of learning in our society, one of the things that we have come to understand is that there always needs to be that connection to and from the individual, and the connection of the family, and the connection to community, and how that intersects to the natural world.

– Jeanette Armstrong (as quoted by First Nations Studies Program, 2009)

In Indigenous epistemologies, interconnections with every living being and with place (the land) provide power and self-determination. They are remembered and passed on through language and stories. Indigenous ways of knowing, being, doing, and relating (epistemology, axiology, and pedagogy) are reaffirmed through resilience of spirit, resilience of knowledge retention, and the ability to share and transfer these gifts to subsequent generations.

These knowledge systems are now being brought into post-secondary education through experiential and on-the-land courses and programs. Course design and delivery rest with the partner Indigenous communities, and the institution creates a space within its programming to enable learning in a different way. Here are two examples of courses that support reconnection with the land:

• Camosun College – IST 250: QĆÁSET Indigenous Cultural CampQĆÁSET Indigenous Cultural Camp: http://camosun.ca/learn/calendar/current/web/ist.html: QĆÁSET is a SENĆOŦEN word meaning “spiritual renewal.” This course brings Indigenous and non-Indigenous students together to operate within an Indigenous experiential learning praxis cycle: experiencing (engagement in “real-life” learning experiences), reflecting (internalization of the experience), making meaning (analysis of the experience), and acting (application of experience to other “real-life” situations). This course brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous students and provides the opportunity to engage with Indigenous knowledge systems.
• University of Northern British Columbia – First Nations Studies Program (FNST) experiential learning coursesExperiential learning courses: https://www.unbc.ca/first-nations-studies/experiential-learning-courses (winter, spring, summer semesters): The FNST offers a variety of 100- to 400-level courses, designed and delivered in co-operation with various Dakelh communities. Each year a different element of Indigenous epistemology is explored, from traditional technologies to environmental stewardship. This four-minute video explores the pedagogy and transformational learning during the first offering in 2013: Experiential UNBC Course Leads to Cultural Milestone for Northern BC First Nation.Experiential UNBC Course Leads to Cultural Milestone for Northern BC First Nation: https://youtu.be/KDRa_QRhgfE

However, Indigenization is more than including courses in programs and content in curriculum. To appreciate why Indigenization is important in education, we need to acknowledge some important political and societal shifts.

We maintain, however, that recognition of the distinct place of Aboriginal nations in the Canadian federation and accommodation of Aboriginal culture and identity should be regarded as a core responsibility of public institutions rather than as a special project to be undertaken after other obligations are met. Educational institutions have a pivotal role in transforming the relationship between Aboriginal peoples and Canadian society.

– Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples: Final Report, Volume 3: Gathering Strength (1996, p. 477)

British Columbia is the only province that does not have historic treaties within its provincial boundaries, with the exception of Treaty 8 in the northeast of the province. The first modern-day treaties, such as the Nisga’a Treaty and the Tsawwassen Final Agreement, are changing the responsibilities of public organizations, including educational organizations. As public post-secondary teachers and instructors, we have a responsibility to ensure that students have the knowledge and skills necessary to work with and build relationships with Indigenous Peoples and communities. This includes a working knowledge of the changing political and social landscape and emerging and re-establishment of rights and title of First Nations, Métis, Inuit organizations and communities. It also includes incorporating the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous issues can no longer be considered a fringe concern; instead, Indigenous views, perspectives, and self-determination form part of the learning landscape in our institutions.

Working through unlearning and relearning the collective histories of Canada is an emotional journey. Non-Indigenous teachers and instructors often feel anger, guilt, and shame for not having known about the atrocities levelled against a population in this country. As well, teachers exploring ways to include Indigenous content have to explore and identify their own perceptions of Indigenous identity, along with their personal biases and prejudices. Susan Dion, a Lenapte and Potawatami educational scholar from York University, spent time with non-Indigenous teachers to explore ways to weave Indigenous and Western knowledge systems in a participatory, transformative way (the Braiding Histories project). During her research, Susan realized that teachers’ personal biases and prejudices were hindering the way they used or referred to Indigenous pedagogies, such as storytelling:

When teachers take up the task of teaching about Aboriginal people, they are enacting historically structured social forms that organize, regulate, and legitimate specific ways of thinking and communicating. The discourse of the romantic, mythical Other is enacted through the teachers. How and what teachers communicate about Aboriginal people is based not on an arbitrary decision but is established on a long history of how Aboriginal people have been positioned in relationship to non-Aboriginal people. Aware that the discourse of the romanticized, mythical Other is embedded in a teacher’s understanding of what it means to teach First Nations subject materials but simultaneously holding a somewhat contradictory faith in the transformative power of education, I realize that accomplishing change calls for a project that will interrupt the dominant discourse and offer teacher and students alternative ways of knowing. (2009, p. 64)

The teacher’s understanding therefore positions the Indigenous person as the “perfect stranger,” and generates a hands-off relationship with Indigenous Peoples, where Indigenous content is used in a contributive or additive approach (Goulet & Goulet, 2014, p. 20). This understanding perpetuates a dominant view of Indigenous Peoples and disables the ability to respectfully engage and acknowledge Indigenous worldviews in transformational learning. It is not only historical omissions that non-Indigenous teachers have to understand, but also how they hold themselves in relationships and interactions with Indigenous Peoples, knowledge systems, and perspectives. Susan Dion explains:

The fear of offending, the fear of introducing controversial subject material, the fear of introducing content that challenges students’ understanding of the dominant stories of Canadian history all support the claim for the position of perfect stranger. Dominant stories that position Aboriginal people as, for example, romanticised, mythical, victimised, or militant Other, enable non-Aboriginal people to position themselves as respectful admirer, moral helper, protector of law and order. (2007, p. 331)

Indigenization can become misguided if educators and instructors are unaware of the ways in which values and beliefs can perpetuate the “perfect stranger” and thus affect meaningful engagement with Indigenous knowledge systems and perspectives in content and practice.

The education system that many of us have been a part of and participated in has created a rewards system for knowing the right answer and being the expert. As Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators begin to collaborate and build spaces for decolonizing and Indigenizing content, practice, and perspectives, an important core competency is humility. The work of Indigenizing post-secondary education requires accepting that there are ways of holding and sharing knowledge and learning and engaging all parts of the human being (spiritual, intellectual, emotional, physical), thus moving beyond seeking a singular right answer. The complexity of Indigenization is realizing that there are multiple truths and no single clear answer; so as educators, we need to trust the unlearning and relearning process and be humble while engaging in the process.

We invite you in as a learner, and in doing so we ask you to walk lightly. By walking lightly, you are not only aware of yourself in this learning process, but you are aware of others as well. Here are some ways that you can bring humility into your practice:

• Ask your questions with the understanding that some of the work required to answer them is yours.
• Ask whose truths are valued and represented in your curriculum and discipline, what counts as knowledge, and why this is.
• Be aware of the space you take and the space you give. “Make space, take space” (Janey Lew, personal communication, 2017) entails giving yourself time to explore and appreciate Indigenous worldviews and taking the time to understand and disrupt beliefs and misconceptions.

Professional humility is being aware that we cannot know everything. It opens up our minds and hearts to accepting other ways of doing, knowing, and being so that we naturally create a shared learning space.

In this section, you have looked at how the history of colonization and its continued effects today affect our professional practice. The final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report speaks to the gaps in our collective knowledge as Canadians of how we treated and harmed significant portions of the population. It takes time to decolonize our attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge to a place where we can accept other knowledges as valid, authentic, and meaningful. Accept this as a learning journey and be humble as you acquire this knowledge, as it will strengthen your teaching practice.

Giving yourself time and space to explore Indigenous epistemologies in comparison with your own requires holistic engagement. Some Indigenous core values and principles are shared in this section. They are shared as foundational and not finite; as you work with the Indigenous Peoples in your institution and region, these values and principles will vary.

A university professor went to visit a famous Zen master. While the master quietly served tea, the professor talked about Zen. The master poured the visitor’s cup to the brim, and then kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself.

“It’s full! No more will go in!” the professor blurted.

“This is you,” the master replied. “How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

– Suler (2013)

Two processes are guiding Indigenization in post-secondary institutions:

• Since the 1990s, the provincial government has implemented frameworks and action plans [PDF]BC government action plan: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/post-secondary-education/aboriginal-education-training/aboriginal_action_plan.pdf to increase Indigenous student success in public post-secondary institutions.
• Indigenous voice and activism in post-secondary institutions have supported the development of principles and protocols, such as the Universities Canada Principles on Indigenous EducationUniversities Canada Principles on Indigenous Education: https://www.univcan.ca/media-room/media-releases/universities-canada-principles-on-indigenous-education/.

These processes have become more prominent since the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report and the 94 Calls to Action. Many of these processes and principles express the need for teachers and educators to unlearn and relearn, as Indigenous history, culture, and current realities are basically unknown and are generally not “seen” (Bopp, Brown & Robb, 2017). It is hard to come to an understanding if you are not willing to “empty your cup” and accept new ways of engaging and relationship building.

Indigenization requires that equitable space for Indigenous knowledges and perspectives be held and explored in the classroom. Many institutions have defined Indigenization on the basis of current, authentic relationships, and there are nuances and different approaches to Indigenization. What a teacher needs to be mindful of is that Indigenizing one’s practice is an emotional journey as well as an intellectual examination of how systems of knowledge can complement and coexist in any field of study.

A realm that most Indigenous worldviews recognize and affirm is the circles of influence of individual well-being. Through interactions and connections with the world, community or nation, and family, an individual gains strength to form a healthy identity and a place within culture. Indigenous worldviews recognize that the strength of and support for an individual contribute to the wellness of communities, nations, and the land. For educators, a strengths-based approach acknowledges interconnections and intersections of knowledge and practice:

In addition to knowing their students as individuals and configuring instruction to connect with their interests and build on their strengths, teachers who espouse a learner-centred approach typically adopt an outlook characterized by: a willingness to see themselves as facilitators of students’ learning rather than autonomous classroom managers; a focus on “setting the bar ever higher” with respect to what students can do rather than on magnifying their awareness of what they cannot yet do (i.e., a deficit focus); an emphasis on promoting student self-regulation and student initiative with respect to their own learning; the more extensive and frequent use of student self-assessment activities; and the ability to nurture reflective learning (including the use of student-generated criteria for assessment).

– Province of British Columbia (2015, p. 48)

While the above quote relates to the role of teachers in K–12 education, it applies to post-secondary education as well. Indigenous worldviews should not only be part of the content that is taught, but be part of a relevant and responsive assessment process as well.

Elders are recognized for their cultural knowledge and wisdom. Their “credentials” are not determined by a university or other institution; their credibility is built on trust gained from community and other knowledge holders, expertise from lived experience and oral transmission of knowledge, and their practice of generosity.

There are Indigenous knowledge keepers who may not yet be recognized as “Elders” but who nevertheless carry teachings and practices and are recognized for their expertise. This includes youth who are fluent speakers, cultural practitioners, and teachers of song, dance, stories, art, and environmental stewardship. Learning from Elders, these knowledge keepers are continuing the transmission, retention, and sharing of Indigenous knowledge systems.

In recent years, post-secondary institutions have been privileged to work with Elders and other Indigenous knowledge keepers in the classroom. For students, having Elders in their classroom creates a place where living knowledge and presence remind them to receive teachings in a loving, caring way. Elders and other knowledge keepers come with a breadth of wellness and cultural connections that aid in transformational learning. Non-Indigenous teachers can facilitate knowledge, but could not and would not necessarily be accepted to shape relevant cultural teachings and Indigenous self-determination themselves.

Bringing Elders and other knowledge keepers into the classroom requires considerable preparatory work, and you will need to be aware of the procedures for working with Elders in your institution. The following protocols and procedures can guide your work with Elders and other knowledge keepers:

• The Guide for Curriculum Developers,Pulling Together: A Guide for Curriculum Developers: https://opentextbc.ca/indigenizationcurriculumdevelopers/ another guide in the Indigenization learning series, shares procedures from Royal Roads University’s Working with Elders (see Appendix F of that guide).
• If you want to interview an Elder for a program or course, you need to accommodate the protection of knowledge systems and practise respectful behaviour. The National Aboriginal Health Organization’s Interviewing Elders [PDF]UVic Interviewing Elders: http://icwrn.uvic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/InterviewingElders-FINAL.pdf provides practical tips.

Below, the College of the Rockies describes its relationship with Elders in the classroom and how the knowledge shared across the institution with students, staff, and teachers is respected.

“From coffee mugs to compensation”:
Promising practice from College of the Rockies

College of the Rockies currently employs more than 20 Ktunaxa Nation members on a part-time basis as Ktunaxa Knowledge Holders and Elders. The resident Elders have been paid employees for many years, but we have only recently begun providing financial compensation to other Ktunaxa Elders and experts in cultural knowledge. While the college has always recognized the valuable contributions brought to classrooms and to students by Ktunaxa community members, we wanted to reflect that appreciation through more tangible means. This vision was brought to action in partnership with Ktunaxa Nation Council’s Traditional Knowledge and Language Sector through the development of Ktunaxa 100: Introduction to Ktunaxa Peoples.

“These Ktunaxa community representatives provide integral support to our Indigenous Education Services, engaging in consultations with faculty members along with our resident Elders on how to bring Ktunaxa knowledge and worldviews into courses and programs,” says College of the Rockies’ Indigenous Education Coordinator, Avery Hulbert.

“I feel that Ktunaxa Elder involvement is important because it provides voice for our people and youth can see us in their courses and they want to be here,” adds Ktunaxa Elder kȼikaǂi paǂki (Kay Shottanana).

“There are many ways that College of the Rockies and the Ktunaxa Nation work together to support our students,” says Darrell Bethune, College of the Rockies Dean, Business and University Studies. “Welcoming members of the Nation into our classrooms to share their knowledge and history is one way that we live our values and build an appreciation of people, land and culture. I’m pleased that we are now able to recognize the value of their contributions in a more concrete way.”

During the fall 2017 semester, Ktunaxa community members participated in 16 College of the Rockies programs, including hairstyling, nursing, English, and biology.

Fig 2.2: Front row (Left to right): Roberta Gravelle, Laura Birdstone, Kay Shottanana, Pete Sanchez, Dorothy Alpine. Middle row: Amelia Danyluck, Mary Mahseelah, Elizabeth Ignatius, Avery Hulbert (Coordinator), Christopher Horsethief (Indigenous Scholar), Shaunee Murphy (Assistant). Back row: Marie Nicholas, Darrell Bethune (Dean, Business and University Studies), Leeanna Gravelle (Staff, Traditional Knowledge and Language), Marguerite Cooper, Anne Jimmie, Fudge Alexander, Don Sam (Director, Traditional Knowledge and Language).

Attributions

Fig 2.2: Elders by College of the Rockies, 2017. Permission granted to use and share openly.

Elder Terry P’ulsemet Prest at University of the Fraser Valley teaches students that we have to “learn to listen so we can listen to learn.” Often the elder will go on and explain that over time we learn to make the connection between the heat and the mind, the mind and the heart. He also tells students that sometimes this is the longest journey, from the heart to the mind. He tells his students – who are very often faculty instructors on campus – this because he recognizes that education has not necessarily prepared us to be “good listeners.”

As an educator I am often reminded that listening with our whole self is not necessarily practised in the academy. I learned this the hard way. One of my instructors in my graduate program pointed out to me that I rarely “spoke up” in class. I reflected upon this feedback and thought of all the times that I was eager to participate in the classroom dialogue, only to be “beaten to the punch” by classmates who either spoke up as soon as one had finished speaking or who seemingly dominated the classroom dialogue (almost always!). This self-reflection led me to understand the different ways I, as an Indigenous person, listen in comparison to many of my non-Indigenous counterparts.  I began to recognize that oftentimes people would be preparing what they were going to say while the other person was still talking. While I on the other hand listened, completely listened, and only when one finishes speaking do I think about how I might respond. This is true, I came to learn, for many of the Indigenous students in my classes and at our university.

– Shirley Hardman (personal communication, 2017)

The longest journey you can take in Indigenizing your teaching practice is listening from your heart rather than your mind. Affective listening takes patience, practice, and kindness. In this lecture, Otto Scharmer on the four levels of listeningOtto Scharmer on the four levels of listening video: https://youtu.be/eLfXpRkVZaI describes listening from the head to heart as: downloading (“I and me”), factual (“I and it”), empathetic (“I and you”), and generative or emergent (“I and now”). However, these ways of listening happen while information is being shared, so the meaning behind and within that instance of sharing can be lost if it is not wholly acknowledged or filtered by stereotypes and biased judgment. We need to practise silence after receiving knowledge so the meaning can be constructed.

The concept of “listening to hear” is explored in allyship scholarship (McGloin, 2015). When teachers and students hear stories and different perspectives on racism and colonization, they have to consider how their own perpetuation of colonization affects what is heard, and learning stops if they become paralyzed by guilt and shame:

A productive pedagogical approach therefore is to build into courses a methodology that reminds students – and teachers – that dis-ease can be a valuable starting point for a more healthy alliance with Indigenous people…[L]istening – or hearing – what the “other” has to say, in fact, must be a risk-taking venture in order for a change in thought, perception and action to occur. If we are only to hear what is safe or familiar, there will be no conflict, no “poles of contradiction”, no impetus or motivation for transformation. (p. 276-277)

Listening to hear requires that you hold the information that has been shared in order for multiple meanings to come forward, rather than immediately responding or reacting. What you are hearing are your values, beliefs, and perceptions sifting through the shared information.

In this section, you have explored ways to move from an additive approach to Indigenous knowledge systems and perspectives to a strength-based, transformative learning approach. Unlearning and relearning ways to listen helps build a respectful space to bring Indigenous knowledge systems into your classroom. The nuances of carrying and holding knowledge systems alongside, rather than competing, is also a key component of Indigenization. There are times when you, as the teacher, are not the expert. Learning can be a reciprocal process with Indigenous knowledge keepers.

In this section, you will look at ways to facilitate and nurture relationships as an ally of Indigenous knowledge and pedagogy, in order to transform learning for all students.

More Indigenous people are accessing public post-secondary institutions. They are doing this for reasons that are both similar to and different from those of other students. On the one hand, there is a desire to obtain better-paying jobs or to meet market economy demands. On the other, there is a unique and important part of the journey, which is the need to build on the capability of Indigenous Peoples and to improve the socio-economic conditions of Indigenous communities. As Verna Kirkness and Ray Barhardt (2001) assert, Indigenous students and communities are seeking an education that will also address their communal need for “capacity-building” to advance themselves as a distinct and self-determining society, not just as individuals. In this context, a “job” may be important, but more as a means to an end than as an end in itself (p. 6).

Kirkness and Barnhardt (2001) shared a series of relational protocols for engaging with Indigenous students, with cultural integrity, in post-secondary learning:

Respect for First Nations cultural integrity:

• There is not one knowledge – this requires that we move away from normalizing a Western approach to knowledge acquisition to accepting and respecting that other knowledges are part of the learning experience (pp. 7–8). This diversity helps all learners.

Relevance to First Nations perspectives and experience:

• Not all knowledge is literate – this requires that we create a space for different ways of learning knowledge in orality and “culturally [accommodating] … how knowledge is constructed and passed on to others” (p. 9).

Reciprocal relationships:

• Learning is not a passive process of receiving knowledge from the expert or “sage on stage.” Learning and teaching is a two-way process, between the student and teacher, of exploring other levels of understanding. Learning is “sense-making and skill-building through active participation in the world around them” (p. 11).

Responsibility through participation:

• This requires that we shift our practice to working with Indigenous Peoples and communities to facilitate a “more hospitable environment” (p. 13) across the institution, across programs, and in the classroom.

Facilitating and nurturing relationships weaves these protocols together. For educators, relationships with Indigenous communities and lands are an essential part of walking with Indigenous Peoples. As Lorna Williams (interviewed in Ormiston, 2012), Líl̓wat scholar, states:

The relationship is not only the relationship that we have person to person between the people who are leading the class and receiving teachings in the class, but the relationship amongst the members of that immediate community. As well, what is emergent in a relationship that people find themselves within the space within which they find themselves. And the space is, in this case, not just the university but the land that we’re on and the community that we’re a part of.

As you begin to Indigenize your practice, you will hear people sharing their story as a way of introducing themselves, authentically identifying who they are and their connections through kinship ties, and acknowledging their relations and their connection to homelands and the land they may now be on as a guest. This is an approach, a practice, and a protocol for setting up the space in a good way to listen, share, and get to know one another.

Sharing this aspect of who we are and where we are rather than what we do draws attention to how we will approach our work and frame the knowledge we are sharing. Setting up space in a good way for listening and hearing models Indigenous values of kinship ties, land connections, positionality in history, and roles in present relations.

In post-secondary classrooms there is often little space in which to know each other in this way. The precedent for this is often overshadowed by what seems like immovable factors, such as too many students, too much to teach, not enough time, and so on. In these classrooms, a student can spend the entire semester sitting behind the same person and never really know them.

Through the process of Indigenizing the spaces we teach in, we are shaped not only by the content that is brought into the classroom but also by the way we interact with one another and share what we know and what we may still need to learn. We need to do this with humility. This is transformative learning.

The work to create these spaces cannot be done solely by Indigenous teachers, Elders, or knowledge keepers invited into your classroom. The richness of the overall learning experience comes through a collaborative and reciprocal effort by everyone in these spaces. Here are some considerations to keep in mind:

• Create an atmosphere where Indigenous land and traditional territories are known about and acknowledged. Conversations about positionality are invited and modelled, and there are opportunities to share what you know and acknowledge what you do not know, openly and respectfully.
• Reflect on how you honour Indigenous perspectives in your classroom. How will you set up the space prior to a visit from an Elder or Indigenous knowledge keeper? How will you maintain this relationship after their visit? Consider ways to reciprocate something of yourself in this visit. How will you give back and reinforce this relationship with Indigenous knowledge systems? Be a mentor and model for students to show how an Indigenous way of being can build good relationships.
• Participate in acts of generosity. Set up the classroom space so that not only are you and students receiving knowledge but you are also thinking about ways to share what you are learning. One way to do this is to ask, what are the responsibilities that we have as a class after a guest visit? Another way is to ask students, what is one thing you have contributed to the class, and what is one thing you will take away with you?
• Model humility. When you create a culturally safe space in which to discuss Indigenous perspectives on contemporary realities, you also create a “brave space” where opposing views can be shared “with honesty, sensitivity, and respect” (Arao & Clemens, 2013, p. 135). This is a vulnerable space for you as the teacher, because you co-create shared learnings based on multiple viewpoints and truths.
• Accept teachings. In a learning relationship, accept your mistakes and be open to receiving guidance from Indigenous colleagues and community educational partners. Guidance can be subtle and may arise as a gentle reminder or kind correction.
• Ensure that Indigenous knowledge systems are included in a way that does not cause appropriation and harm. Appreciating, rather than appropriating, Indigenous knowledge systems “is characterized by a meaningful and informed engagement that includes acknowledgement and permission” (Brant, 2017). This also means positioning Indigenous knowledge systems; so when sharing Indigenous scholarship and stories, state the cultural location – for example:
  • “Micmaq scholar, Marie Battiste, describes cognitive imperialism as …”
  • “Ojibwe writer, Richard Wagamese, in his book Indian Horse explores the …”
  • “In this Big Thinking talk, Dr. Leroy Littlebear, Blackfoot philosopher and scholar, discusses how Cree metaphysics …”

Working with Indigenous perspectives and voice in your course and program also involves the inclusion of authentic resources. The Guide for Curriculum DevelopersA Guide for Curriculum Developers: https://opentextbc.ca/indigenizationcurriculumdevelopers/chapter/appropriate-use-of-indigenous-content/ explores appropriate use of Indigenous knowledge through use of appropriate textual resources. Another resource is the provincial First Nations Education Steering Committee and First Nations Schools Association’s (2016) Authentic First Peoples Resources [PDF]Authentic First Peoples Resources for K-9 Educators: http://www.fnesc.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/PUBLICATION-61460-FNESC-Authentic-Resources-Guide-2016-08-26.pdf for K–9 educators. The annotated handbook provides the following definition for authentic texts:

Authentic First Peoples texts are historical or contemporary texts that:

• present authentic First Peoples voices (i.e., are created by First Peoples or through the substantial contributions of First Peoples);
• depict themes and issues that are important within First Peoples cultures (e.g., loss of identity and affirmation of identity, tradition, healing, role of family, importance of Elders, connection to the land, the nature and place of spirituality as an aspect of wisdom, the relationships between individual and community, the importance of oral tradition, the experience of colonization and decolonization); and
•  incorporate First Peoples story-telling techniques and features as applicable (e.g., circular structure, repetition, weaving in of spirituality, humour).

When you are including authentic resources, please connect with Indigenous colleagues and the teaching and learning centre at your institution to ensure that the materials you want to use have included Indigenous voice and perspectives and are themselves not appropriated writings and knowledge.

As an Indigenous scholar, ethical practice is rooted in cultural protocols and in this I acknowledge that I have experienced many transformative approaches which reflect teachings from these lands. Therefore, I acknowledge the territories for facilitating and assisting in the development of Indigenous leadership, pedagogies and transformation within academia. The relationships we develop within these territories can assist in spiritual, emotional, physical and mental well-being for students, administrators and faculty. I also acknowledge that it is a form of respect, wherever we live, to find out whose traditional territory we are on because every part of what is now known as Canada is someone’s Indigenous traditional territory.

– Todd Ormiston (personal communication, 2017)

Territorial acknowledgements are now being made in many post-secondary institutions across the country. The Canadian Association of University Teachers has developed a living resource called Guide to Acknowledging First Peoples and Traditional Territory,Guide to Acknowledging First Peoples and Traditional Territory: https://www.caut.ca/content/guide-acknowledging-first-peoples-traditional-territory which shows how institutions are identifying the traditional First Nation and Inuit territories they reside upon. As an educator, you play a part in modelling and sharing this learning with students. Meaningful territorial acknowledgements develop a closer relationship with the land and stewards of the place by recognizing the living history and connections of ourselves with other communities. Providing a territorial acknowledgement is protocol. In this Vancouver Island University welcome videoVancouver Island University Welcome video: https://aboriginal.viu.ca/, Snuneymuxw Elder Gary Manson speaks to the importance of protocol when doing a territorial acknowledgement. Acknowledging territory is political, an act of alliance, and a practice for reconciliation.

Learning to do a territorial acknowledgement takes time. You can learn from other leaders and colleagues. As you build connections with the land, you also build connections with and belonging to Indigenous community; it enables you to engage with education and community in the classroom, together. Modelling a territorial acknowledgement for students creates space to talk about systemic change. In his blog, Liberated Yet?, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh-Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw educator and artist Khelsilem (2015) shares five tips for acknowledging territory:

1. Elevate Indigenous polity (society, governance, and jurisdiction)
2. Practise unceded territory, don’t just talk about it
3. Move the yardstick – centre yourself and your role in the acknowledgement
4. Don’t insert yourself into internal politics by only sharing one perspective
5. Make mistakes so you can learn

By providing a meaningful territorial acknowledgment, you are deepening your understanding and incorporation of Indigenous knowledge systems and perspectives in your practice.

In this section, you have explored the four R’s – Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, and Responsibility – in relation to creating space for Indigenous knowledge systems and perspectives in your classroom and informing and guiding your practice of Indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation.

In this section, you’ll see how allies and post-secondary institutions are supporting Indigenization in practice and reciprocal relationships. This is also an opportunity to address your fears about and the challenges of Indigenization.

The BCcampus Indigenization project included an environmental scan [PDF]BCcampus environmental scan: http://solr.bccampus.ca:8001/bcc/file/c0a932f4-8d79-4d3d-a5d4-3f8c128c0236/1/BCcampusIndigenizationSummary.pdf of training offered in post-secondary institutions across the province; it revealed over 40 training events and programs ranging from Indigenous speaker series to blended courses. Almost all training offered some background on historical relationships, and there were a few that delved deeper into ways to support systemic change by using Indigenous pedagogy in teaching practice. Here are some examples:

• Towards Indigenizing Higher Education video series,Towards Indigenizing Higher Education video series: https://towards-indigenizing.trubox.ca/session-videos/ facilitated by Thompson Rivers University – Teachers and students share their experiences with Indigenized course content and practice.
• Reconciliation through Indigenous Education: Massive Open Online Course,Reconciliation through Indigenous Education: Massive Open Online Course: http://pdce.educ.ubc.ca/reconciliation/ facilitated by the University of British Columbia – This six-week online course explores Indigenization, decolonization, and reconciliation practices of teachers across the province and around the world.
• Situating Yourself to Indigenize Curriculum program, facilitated by Indigenous educators and curriculum developers at Camosun College – Faculty explore the Circle of Courage model [PDF]Circle of Courage model: https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/cardev/gr9_found/courage_poster.pdf (developed by Lakota scholar and theologian, Dr. Martin Brokenleg) as an Indigenous pedagogical technique to build learning resiliency. The transformative learning model looks at ways of building belonging for students so they can see themselves contributing and learning from one another.

To find out about the supports and learning communities at your institution, start networking with colleagues and attend events. Indigenizing your practice is professional development.

If you are at a point of Indigenizing your practice, you may still have to face fears and concerns. When developing the framework for the Indigenization project, the project steering committee considered the statements and instances where systemic change is not supported. The committee members then situated them in “levels of Indigenization.” These levels progress from fears to control and then rejection of Indigenization processes. They are not progressive levels, but they show that there are various levels of resistance and barriers to Indigenizing practice, field of study, and institutions.

Fig 4.2: Levels of Indigenization. [Long Description]

Here are some strategies to keep in mind to help you overcome these challenges and barriers:

“I’m afraid to make a mistake”

• Do the emotional labour instead of being politically correct.
• Listen deeply.
• Trust that there are Indigenous people who have the skills to share with you and that you are willing to learn.
• Prepare yourself to conduct the appropriate protocols in their entirety and seek guidance.
• Include appropriate gestures/language of the land.
• Be kind to yourself.
• Ask yourself: What was the first or biggest mistake I made in the classroom? What were the consequences? What did I do?
• Approach with a “good mind and good heart”; be intentional to avoid tokenism.

“I am not Indigenous. Isn’t it appropriation?”

• Are you appropriating or being appropriate?
• Acknowledge (in your delivery) that others know much more than you; practise humility.
• Always ensure that you acknowledge and properly recognize the sources of your information.
• Be open to being “corrected” and willing to do more research.
• Use guest speakers.
• Practise reciprocity by being a guest speaker for Indigenous faculty you invite into your classroom.
• Ensure that the information and resources you use are authentic.

“I’ll do it if the university/college/institute gives me a course release”

• Indigenous perspectives and content are related to the original course outline.
• Indigenous and non-Indigenous students deserve to be taught this information to allow them to become respected citizens and understand their lived realities.
• In this era of reconciliation, Indigenizing is responsible practice and part of staying current.
• Indigenizing your course content and practice can go into your teaching portfolio, thus contributing to professional practice and tenure.

“I have 13 weeks to deliver all content and can’t include anything else”

• Start small; set some goals and objectives for your course to include Indigenous ways of learning, such as making a territorial acknowledgement and sharing why this is important to you with students.
• Identify some topics that could include local Indigenous communities and adapt your course to include local knowledge.
• Inter-culturalize your “lesson planning”; once you create the space it becomes a natural part of your course delivery.
• Ask yourself: What is my understanding of “Indigenizing”?
• It will take our very best thinking, but we are in the best position to do this thinking/creating.

“I can’t do this myself”

• Take personal responsibility for your teaching practice.
• Devote more professional development time to engaging with Indigenous content and perspectives.
• Meaningfully involve “authentic” scholars who devote their life to inclusive and generous learning.
• Be inclusive of all stakeholders in the area.
• Develop curriculum and policies together.
• You are not alone; you are supported by policy, colleagues, Indigenous people, and educators.
• Look for allies!
• Have a cup of coffee with an Elder or Indigenous instructor to develop a relationship as a start to Indigenize your course
• Read Indigenous Peoples’ writings in your discipline
• Attend Indigenous sections at discipline conferences

Long Descriptions

Fig 4.2 long description: Levels of resistance to Indigenization:

• Fear of the unknown: People saying, “I don’t know what I don’t know,” or “I don’t want to appropriate.”
• Fear of change: People saying, “Yes… but,” or “I don’t know who to talk to…,” or “I don’t have time.”
• Fear of losing control and power: Racism of lower expectations and people saying, “I know, but I don’t care.”
• Resisting process: Overworking Indigenous staff and people taking the “We don’t have enough resources” approach.
• Rejecting and asserting control: Demand constant validation of identity and Indigeneity and saying, “There are limitations to…”

[Return to Fig 4.2]

Attributions

Fig 4.2: Levels of Indigenization by Indigenization Project Steering Committee is used under a CC BY 2.0 Generic Licence.

As Indigenous People, it is not our responsibility to do all the education. However, our allies need to be kind to themselves, take care of themselves, and receive support, so that they too can continue their important work of helping to educate others.

– Baskin (2016, p. 111)

Throughout this guide we talk about connecting and building relationships; this also applies within your institution and field of study as you examine ways to Indigenize and decolonize and reconcile histories, perspectives, and pedagogies. One of the most powerful Indigenous pedagogies to engage with is storytelling:

In the forward to Potlatch [1969], George Clutesi tells us: “This narrative is not meant to be documentary. In fact it is meant to evade documents. It is meant for the reader to feel and to say I was there and indeed I saw.” The power of the storyteller to make the listeners/readers visualize events and feel like they are part of the story is a principle that I have heard from others … Mr. Clutesi was a very respected orator, artist, and educator. His legacy of knowledge, wisdom, and philosophy has been left to those who take the time and effort to learn from his teachings.

– Archibald (2008, p. 21)

Drawing meaning from and connecting the story with yourself transforms the way you see and respond to past events. Indigenous storytelling places us in a timeframe through which we can experience with clarity. Where settler narrative is absent or lost, Indigenous narrative provides another way of looking at our shared history.

A recent example of holding both narratives together is the “rediscovery” of the Franklin expedition ships. Inuit historian Louie Kamookak worked for 30 years gathering and remembering the oral history based on a story he heard as a youth (O’Connor, 2018). Inuit oral history recounted where the ships and crew were last seen, and these accounts stretch back to the time of the expedition in 1845. “If you take Inuit oral history and combine it with modern science, that’s when the breakthrough comes” (Worrell, 2017). Archaeologists, historians, and the Royal Canadian Geographic Society combined their knowledge with Inuit oral history to locate the ships. While the reasons for the expedition were political, the relationships developed were genuine.

One of the most proactive approaches you can take as an educator is to have an open mind, kind heart, and willingness to continually learn. In this section, you explored examples of Indigenization of practice supported at post-secondary institutions. Indigenization is looking at ways to walk perspectives and knowledges alongside one another. Knowledge systems coexist and create ways for students to engage in content in various ways and at various levels of learning. You are encouraged to always ask, listen deeply, and try to use informed teaching methods in your course/program.