FSS Indigenous Learning

FSS Indigenous Learning
As part of the LDSB Indigenous Learning Month, FSS has been learning about Indigenous culture, history, language, worldview and knowledge from many fronts. 

The Grade 9 Arts and Grade 11/12 Indigenous Studies courses participated in the Blanket Exercise to learn about the devastating impacts of coloniziation, residential schools, the Indian Act, smallpox, 60s Scoop and treaty violations.  The work was led by three Queens Education Faculty PhD students.

Knowledge Keeper Judi Montgomery told stories about water, women's roles and Indigenous regalia in the Grade 11/12 Indigenous Studies class.  Judi will be returning on November 19 to teach drumming and drum making.

For Treaty Recognition Week (5-9 November), the Grade 11/12 Indigenous Studies class made a wall of posters to acknowledge actions takes while the treaties were broken and our need to reconcile by reforming the intent of the treaty relationship.

Former residential school teacher and P4W volunteer Ann MacLellan provided a riveting talk about her 1964 experiences and her personal efforts to reconcile.

Queens University professor Heather Castleden will be speaking on ally-ship on November 28.  She will be discussing the "Two Eyes Watching" initiative, discussing her work with Indigenous communities and presenting ideas to support student seeking to ally with our local First Nations.