….being in a canoe together….

The trend in Education since the Province announced embracing TRC recommendations for meaningful Indigenous inclusion and consultation, has been mixed.  Sadly there has been a stalled process. The Euro-American-centric model of education still reflects it’s hegemonic values that influence and shape hierarchical discourse models where “competitional, individualism, scientific research has dominated educational thinking” with “few individual educators innovating alternative process” into their classroom/schools/districts/institutions (Sanford et al, 2012).

NONU WEL,WEL TI,Á NE TȺ,EȻEȽ ~ this canoe is really tippy. While some willing minds and hearts make efforts to embrace the fullness of the provincial announced intentions, the way to ‘balance the canoe’ is difficult while the mindset that knowledge is “objects of knowing to be retained, repeated back and applied within an array of assignments that serve as evaluation of understanding… (competing for) higher marks than peers”, and is still valued as the only method of learning (Sanford et al, 2012).   To open a space for education to transform, a new model of thinking needs to be invited to the table.  Change or transformation is not easy or comfortable for most. “Humankind is at a historic point that demands a culturally combined approach …we need to open up a third space” (Sanford et al, 2012). In a space of fluctuation hybridity is “a stimulus for engaging in critical discussions about the challenges and tensions involved in working across cultural boundaries”  leaving space for innovation in education (Sonn & Green, 2006).  Or in the words of Bruce Mau (who worked for Ryerson 2014), “prerequisites for growth is ..openness to experience (and) willingness to be changed by them”.

Bringing balance to all who travel the canoe requires us to be patient with the process that trans-formative third space takes.  The paradoxical struggle of the institutional approach has woven Indigenous people and teachings into “colonial institutions (we have) set out to challenge” (Alfred & Cortassel, 2005).  To aid transformation or decolonization of thinking Alfred & Cortassal suggest five focuses for Indigenous resurgent: land is life, language is power, freedom is the other side of fear, decolonize your diet, change happens one warrior at a time.  Through the process of decolonizing our thinking we will regain our strength as a people working together ~ our SNWÍȽ.

Standing strong with our SNWÍȽ, we will be able to work with the others in our canoe to begin building a way to transform education to ways of knowing and being.  This will happen when we are able to nurture the many ways, including but not limited to Euro-American, that learning can occur. Our canoe can paddle strongly towards our collective future with a better balance.

Hyjka …

BC Government (2015). New education guide will help teachers connect students to Aboriginal perspectives. Ministry of Education, Victoria, BC.  https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2015educ0059-001458

Alfred, T. & Corntassel, J. (2005). Being Indigenous: resurgences against contemporary colonialism. Government and Opposition 40(4), 597-614. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1477-7053.2005.00166.x

Sanford, K., Williams, L., Hopper, T. & McGregor, C. (2012). Indigenous Principles Decolonizing Teacher Education: what we have learned. Indigenous Language Learning
Resources About Teaching and Learning Indigenous Languages. For Everybody. Nov 21, 2017. http://indigenouslanguagelearning.ca/teacher/graduate/indigenous-principles-decolonizing-teacher-education-what-we-have-learned/

Sonn, C. & Green, M. (2006) Disrupting the Dynamics of Oppression in Intercultural Research and Practice, Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 16(5), 337–346.  https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.877 

Truth and Reconciliation Canada. (2015). Honouring the truth, reconciling for the future: Summary of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Winnipeg: Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.