First Nations Education Steering Committee
This poster is hung up in my classroom, it shares the First People’s principles of learning, something my teacher tries to incorporate into our education. An important takeaway from this poster is the concept of interconnectedness, community, and taking a holistic approach when learning by accepting all angles and voices in a story. One way to do this is by having a talking circle. A talking circle typically consists of:
– A circle formation to create unity and equality, we did this by moving our chairs into a circle shape when we first got to class
– A facilitator to guide the process, we had Ms Maxwell (thank you Ms Maxwell 🙏)
– A sacred object to use as a talking piece only the person holding can speak, we used a feather Ms Maxwell borrowed from a friend (thank you Laura 🙏)
– Honest and open sharing, I think this was hard for my class at first but as we became more comfortable we started sharing more of our thoughts, feelings, and experiences
After experiencing two talking circles I’ve learnt a few things about them. My main takeaway is truly learning what the word holistic means, and why it’s so important. A talking circle is more than just a discussion, it is a safe space where people can connect their ideas together from multiple perspectives. People can take the time to express a thoughtful idea, while others respect their time to talk and stay present in the moment. I learnt in this circle that holistic learning is about seeing the whole picture, not just fragments of it. A talking circle involves everyone’s experiences, emotions, and voices, which truly creates a real and full story. It also gave me the time to reflect on my own thoughts and share them accurately, with respect and empathy from others.
The Indigenous Origins of Circles and How Non-natives Learned About Them
So what did we talk about in our talking circle? First of all here is a link to my preparation notes before the circle. We focused on 6 main questions to guide us, but let the conversation go where it needed to. I’m not going to re-answer every question here but I will briefly go over my thoughts.
We began by talking about what “status” is in Canada. I had no idea how much it shapes indigenous identity and access to rights and resources. I also didn’t know how hard a status card was to obtain, that really surprised me. The system of status links people to their First Nations heritage under the Indian Act, but it’s from the colonial definitions of identity. Although status provides access to healthcare and treaty rights, it doesn’t guarantee adequate resources of fair treatment due to systemic racism and oppression. Because of this systemic bias against indigenous people I never thought people would make a false claim about their race to receive a status card, but people do, and they are called pretendians. These false claims harm Indigenous communities by taking resources and spreading misinformation. A good example of this is someone you most likely have heard of, Buffy Saint Marie. I was shocked to find out she is a pretendian as my mom loves her music and that was my only impression of her. As a class, we watched the Fifth Estate, a video analyzing Buffy Saint Marie’s history. Here are some notes I took on the documentary on Mindnode.
Learning about Buffy Saint Marie’s story taught me the difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation, an important topic we discussed in our talking circle. Cultural appreciation involves respecting and learning about another culture, where appropriation uses culture for personal gain without understanding its history. Through these conversations, I became aware of the complexities of proving Indigenous identity. I’ve learnt the importance of listening to Indigenous voices, using accurate sources, and avoiding stereotypes. Talking about these subjects respectfully and thoughtfully is important to help support indigenous sovereignty and challenge the systems that worsen these issues.
Now that I’ve learned that education is not just facts and information, but about understanding the full picture, I will approach my projects differently. I will use an open mind, embrace diverse voices and stories, and continue to learn from the people around me. Community is power, and essential for personal growth and a collective understanding.
