Embedded Files
Aligning with the program, consider this fresh take on topics that fit in with the curriculum from an Indigenous perspective that could be a valuable addition to the Truth and Reconciliation ambitions of the school board.
Grade 7: Hudson's Bay Company (1670-Today)
Grade 7: Hudson's Bay Company (1670-Today)
Recently, a number of Hudson Bay stores are closing, and so it is a timely moment for students to explore the history of this department store that started as a colonial pursuit in the north of Canada, transforming the lives of many Indigenous people. This is an opportune time to teach about european hegemony. Exploring the history, creating timelines and following discussion questions can be found in this Canadian Geographic Guide.
Activity: One activity that you can do to explore the history of the fur trade and the impact of the Hudson Bay Company is to participate in this Fur Trade Simulator game with students. It invites them into what fur trading may have been like. It is important to have students participate with a critical eye on the impact of Indigneous people in particular with respect to the fur trade. Fur Trade Game Simulator
Field Trip Idea: In Lachine, they have the Fur Trade Historical Site . Visiting this site can be an interactive way for students to be able to connect to the history in their local environment.
Article about Resilience: https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/hbc-colonization-conflicted-1.7488401
Documentary : An Indian View of the Hudson's Bay Company
https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/the-untold-story-of-the-hudsons-bay-company/
Grade 8: The Great War (1914-1918)
Grade 8: The Great War (1914-1918)
Did you know that the Haudenosaunee confederacy declared war on Germany twice, as a soverigen nation? While Canada and the US were doing so as nations furing the Great War and WW2, the Haudenosaunee who always saw themsleves as a sovereign nation on Turtle Island aslo have a history of delaring war in the great wars as well.
There are same many resources for students to learn about the contributions of Indigenous people from different communities, nations and across countries, including code talkers, and other servicemen. A good opportunity here is for students to create their own research opportunities to create presentations, posters, or some sort of campaign highlighting the contributions of Indigenous people to the Great War. This is a way for them to be able to interact with local communities, as just next door from the NFSB in Kahnawake, there were a number of men who went to war.
Activities: There is a very comprehensive document that has a number of activities and was to engage with Indigenous War Heroes. It can be found here
Film and Activity: Forgotten Warriors , a NFB documentary about WW2 ( althought WW1 also) comes with a teaching guide, allowing for meaningful conversations about Indigenous contributions to war. It also poses an important question: what is the difference between warriors and soldiers?
Field Trip Idea: Visit the Kahnawà:ke tourism office who I'm sure can put together a tour specifically looking at the contributions of war from Individuals in our community. There are several monuments that exist that can be visited today.
https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1414152378639/1607908713791
https://www.oneidaindiannation.com/did-you-know-oneidas-declared-war-on-germany-in-1918/
https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/native-americans-twice-war-germany/
Grade 9: French and Indian War (1754-63)
Grade 9: French and Indian War (1754-63)
A big portion of the Seven Years war is the contributions of the Indigenous people to not only the process of war on Turtle Island, but also in the ways that Indigenous war tactics changed war forever.
The War that Made America by PBS is a live-action reenactment of some of the French and Indian war from the American perspective, but what is most interesting is the ways in which the French defeated the British in the opening battle because they changed their war tactics from traditional open field, organized battle, to a gorilla war, that changed the game.
War Simulation: One way for students to understand this change in war is for them to explore plotting a war for themselves. I have adapted this activity to relate to different wars, and encourage you to use the documents to divide students into two countries, and have them determine what sort of strategy and tactics they would employ to be able to win a war. The documents that are in the link above come from the National Park Service of the United States; what is cool about these maps and made up countries that you can engage with will allow students to test out their theories in a war simulation.
Pre-contact War: Understanding Indigenous Guerilla warfare can lead to a number of different lessons, including connections the Great Law of Peace which came to be at a time of heavy war between the 5 nations; it can also connect to teachings of Lacrosse, which culturally has been called the "little brother of war" as it's original form was a way to practice war tactics in the forest, while playing the ball game. This is a good opportunity for students to learn how to play Lacrosse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxM5mcuCR8M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0qbzNHmfW0&t=337s
Grade 10: Indian Act (1876)
Grade 10: Indian Act (1876)
The Indian Act is one of those things that is so monumental in the history of Canada, and yet, can feel very daunting to explore. Below are a couple of ideas for lessons on particular topics that you can do with your classes.
Status and Women: Mary Two-Axe Earley was an activist ( from Kahnawake) for the rights of Indian women; there is a documentary about her life and her fight to regain status for Indigenous women who lost their rights because of the Indian Act. Begin by watching the film I am Indian Again ; there are is an education guide already created by the NFB to support teachers with their viewing of this film with students, so feel free to use that. However, an activity that I've developed is called:
6(1), 6(2), Not me, Not you In this activity, there are documents that explain some important terminology and the equations for status that exist within the Indian Act ( some still today). Following that is a worksheet with some examples of scenarios where you need to answer the question using what you've learned from the status equations and information. This is a very powerful activity as it emphasizes just how complex Indigenous identity in Canada can be with its politicization.
Banning of traditional cultural practices: Known as the Potlach law, many Indigenous ceremonies were band during the major reign of the Indian Act well until the 1960s. Historica Canada has a very interesting Debate Activity that invites students into considering the ban of traditional culture brought on through the Indian Act. Students could also do some research on the types of ceremonies that were banned, and have no been reinstated.
Contemporary Affects of Indian Act: It's important to continue to teach students that the Indian Act is still intact, and although it's transformed, it is still affecting the lives of Indigenous people. Here is a really good short film about the ways the Indian Act works today . There are also a number of activities that exist out there to explore this further with your students, like this one from British Columbia
Resources:
Open Library Ceremonies and Songs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RzuooDOV6U
Grade 11: First Allies (Post WW2)
Grade 11: First Allies (Post WW2)
Contributions to war have been ongoing for Indigenous people. There are still men today who are in both the American and Canadian armed forces, and so it's important to also highlight their contributions as well.
Activity 1: Students can contribute to creating researched profiles of Indigenous soldier who participated in the Vietnam, Korean, Iraq or Afghanistan wars; they can do their research and teach each other about the contributions and the communities with which these men have come from. Following this, there is an opportunity for students to create pieces of Art Work related to the Indigenous veteran they have chosen.
Activity 2: A discussion could happen around what the differences are, once again, between warrios and soldiers. What is the implication or responsibility of Indigenous men fighting as soldiers in organized armed forces. Some interesting research could be seen here. Visiting Kahnawake might be a good place to start, and maybe bringing in a guest speaker from a more recent war could be a good starting place to explore why men are still enlisting, and what it means to participate in the armed forces today as an Indigenous person.
https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/people-and-stories/indigenous-veterans
https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/classroom/aboriginal-veterans-dog-tags
https://americanindian.si.edu/static/why-we-serve/topics/korea/
https://www.oneidaindiannation.com/first-allies-korea-and-vietnam/
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