Indigenous People, Culture, and Learning
This page is an index of Indigenous cultural works & educational resources from all over the world (a work in progress). Be conscious of what you consume and why you're consuming it. Be critical, be creative; the search must be constant! As a starting point, look for work, ideas, and people based on your own interests (e.g. visual art, science, sports etc.) and go from there!
Important: **150 Acts of Reconciliation for the Last 150 Days of Canada’s 150
This will be updated as regularly as possible. If there's anything you think should be included or changed, please message me at @chandrikaaaaaa
I acknowledge my presence on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the ḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Tsleil-Waututh, Stz’uminus, and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations
A Relocation Experiment – Part 1 and Part 2 - Mi’kmaw communities in Nova Scotia today still suffer the effects of a failed 1940s plan to relocate Mi’kmaq. Now acknowledged as a failed social experiment, eight decades later, some Mi’kmaq are looking for answers -- and an apology from the Canadian government.
All Eyes on Mi'kmaq (Free, YouTube) - This is a documentary short on Sipekne’katik First Nation (Nova Scotia) fishers’ struggle to assert their treaty rights and establish a moderate livelihood fishery to support the community.
Angry Inuk (Alethea Arnaquq-Baril) - CBC Gem (Shortened version)
Canada's Dark Secret | Featured Documentaries - Al Jazeera English (Free, Youtube)
Crimes against children at residential school: The truth about St. Anne's (Canada) (Free, Youtube)
Highway of Tears - "Highway of Tears" is about the missing or murdered women along a 724 kilometer stretch of highway in northern British Columbia (Rent, $1.99)
Indigenous Australia Through American Eyes (Free, YouTube)
Is the Crown at War With Us? (Free, National Film Board of Canada)
Stolen Children | Residential School survivors speak out (Free, YouTube)
We Will Stand Up: The death of a young Cree man, Colten Boushie captures international attention and raises disturbing questions about racism in Canada's legal system (Free, CBC Gem)
Beans - Tracey Deer; It tells the story of the Oka Crisis, which Deer experienced herself as a child, through the story of Tekehentahkhwa, a young Mohawk girl whose perspective on life is radically changed by the events of the crisis.
Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance - Alanis Obomsawin
The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open (Elle-Maija Tailfeathers, Kathleen Hepburn) - CBC Gem
The Grizzlies (Miranda de Pencier) - CBC Gem
Centre for Indigenous Theatre - "an institution offering a unique Indigenous cultural, theatre and performance training program. CIT contributes to the advancement of an Indigenous cultural economy and the Arts generally, helping to mould young talent and professionals, organizing community presentations and workshops, and by working closely with alumni to share our learnings and our craft in a culturally appropriate and inviting setting."
Indigenous playwrights - the link to the article highlighting the playwrights is not inserting correctly so please copy and paste from here: https://www.playwrightscanada.com/Subjects/Indigenous-Playwrights/(offset)/10
Indigenous Theater and Performance of North Ameria - This resource guide offers a primer for theater educators, instructors, and academics interested in indigenous theater and performance of North and Central America. The materials are largely culled from Native authors based in the United States and Canada, with some inclusion of indigenous artists in Central America.
NAC (National Arts Centre of Canada) Indigenous Theatre - Includes events, videos, readings, and more
10 Indigenous movies and TV shows - Compiled by the organization RAVEN: RAVEN raises legal defence funds to assist Indigenous Peoples who enforce their rights and title to protect their traditional territories.
Trickster (Free, CBC Gem) - Jared, an indigenous teen struggling to keep his family afloat, meets a mysterious stranger, who turns his whole world upside down.
Beyond this City's Streets - Youth Poetry Anthology (CITY of NANAIMO)
Canadians have been breaking their promises to Indigenous people
How we lived before the white man came along - Interview with Nganyinytja who is a Pitjantjatjarra woman from South Australia
Namwayut: we are all one. Truth and reconciliation in Canada - Chief Robert Joseph shares his experience as a residential school survivor and the importance of truth and reconciliation in Canada.
Fiction
Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King
Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese - A heart-breaking and heart-warming story about growing up, racism, community residential schools, survival and hockey.
Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson
Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
Split Tooth by Tanya Tagaq - Based in part on her own personal journals, the book tells the story of a young Inuk woman growing up in the Canadian Arctic in the 1970s
Sweetest Kulu by Celina Kalluk
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
The Break by Katherena Vermette - A stunning and heartbreaking debut novel about a multigenerational Métis–Anishnaabe family dealing with the fallout of a shocking crime in Winnipeg’s North End
Nonfiction
21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph
A Knock on the Door: The Essential History of Residential Schools from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada by Phil Fontaine, Aimée Craft, and The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
Fatty Legs: A True Story by Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton - Fatty Legs tells the story of Olemaun (Margaret) Pokiak as she heads off to residential school in the far north of Canada
Firewater: How Alcohol Is Killing My People (and Yours) by Harold R. Johnson
From the Ashes: My Story of Being Métis, Homeless, and Finding My Way by Jesse Thistle
Indigenous Writes: A Guide to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit issues in Canada by Chelsea Vowel
Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City by Tanya Talaga - national bestseller work about systemic racism, education, the failure of the policing and justice systems, and Indigenous rights
The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King - presents a history of indigenous peoples in North America.
94 Calls to Action for Canada by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
Indigenous Peoples of Sámpi - The Sámi people are the Indigenous people of the northern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula and large parts of the Kola Peninsula and live in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia.
Innu Nation files human rights complaint against federal government over child welfare system
Land acknowledgements: uncovering an oral history of Tkaronto
Ontario First Nations mark 25 years since Ipperwash crisis, death of protester
Push to end energy poverty in indigenous communities underway
Shacks and slop pails: infrastructure crisis on native reserves
Through Time and Bitter Distance (Poem) by E. Pauline Johnson
Podcasts
Coffee with Ma by Kaniehtiio Horn - "My radical activist mother Kahentinetha Horn tells me stories of her very long adventurous life, always with the sense of humour that carried herthrough."
New Fire (35 episodes) - From remote reserves to bustling big cities, join Urban Native Girl Lisa Charleyboy as she brings you to the surprising heart of the conversations important to Aboriginal youth.
Songs (100% not exhaustive!)
Arianna Lauren - young Indigenous woman whose company, Quw’utsun’ Made, makes health and beauty products inspired by ancestral knowledge
Elizabeth Peratrovich - American civil rights activist, Grand President of the Alaska Native Sisterhood, and member of the Tlingit nation who worked for equality on behalf of Alaska Natives
Wayne Quilliam - Aboriginal Artist, Storyteller and professional photographer
Legends of Vancouver - This Vancouver walking guide, visits some of the sites of legends documented by indigenous activist Pauline Johnson, and examines places of sacred meaning to First Nations people; places like The Two Sisters, Siwash Rock and Deadman's Island
@decolonizemyself - First Nations Personal journey. Exploring colonization, decolonization, healing, & culture.
@wetsuweten_checkpoint - Upholding Wet’suwet’en law protecting land/water/people. Our system Acknowledgement/Transparency/Respect
Montreal Indigenous Community NETWORK - The NETWORK supports the ecosystem of individuals and groups committed to improving the quality of life of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities living in the greater Montreal area.
Urban Native Youth Association (Vancouver, BC) - Urban Native Youth Association is the centre of Indigenous youth excellence, supporting youth on their journeys by amplifying and celebrating their voices.
Indigenous Ally Toolkit - by Montreal Indigenous Community NETWORK
Indigenous Canada - From the Faculty of Native Studies at The University of Alberta (Coursera)
International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs - IWGIA is a global human rights organisation dedicated to promoting, protecting and defending indigenous peoples’ rights
Explanation of terminology related to Indigenous peoples; including First Nations | Inuit | Metis | Indian | Indigenous | Native | Peoples (plural) - Note: "Terminology can be critical for Indigenous populations, as the term for a group may not have been selected by the population themselves but instead imposed on them by colonizers."
Turtle Island Reads Book Club 2019 - Turtle Island Reads celebrates stories written by and about Indigenous people in Canada. Hosted by CBC Radio’s Rosanna Deerchild and featuring Tracey Deer, Lucy Tulugarjuk and Dayna Danger, the 2019 book club discusses how the modern Indigenous experience is reflected in literature and why bringing Indigenous books into the classroom is important.