Week Five

What is the purpose of teaching Treaty Ed (specifically) or First Nations, Metis, and Inuit (FNMI) Content and Perspectives (generally) where there are few or no First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples?

What does it mean for your understanding of the curriculum that "We are all treaty people"?

Cynthia Chambers wrote in We Are All Treaty People that in treaty negotiations, Indigenous tribes shared their stories, and their desperation for livelihood. There were stories about beavers and buffalos, and stories of creation predating the treaties. As a crucial part of Truth and Reconciliation, Treaty Ed exists to share these stories in recompense for the forced silence and risk of extinction of Indigenous culture and language. In Treaty Ed, we can also debunk the lies that covered historical accounts of what's happened in this country like how the Crown stated Indigenous peoples voluntarily surrendered their lands and their identities. We can raise awareness and advocate for better conditions. Claire, for example, mentioned the quality of water in reserves, and this is an issue we can all see. A common idea I got from all the resources this week is that we are all connected to the treaty land and to the First Treaty peoples. We don't have to identify with Indigenous familial lines to care about Treaty Ed or anything Indigenous-related. The fact that we live here and not somewhere else is reason enough to care about the past that's resurfacing, the present that's still troubled, and the better future we can all have. There does not need to be any or a few Indigenous people in our classrooms to teach Treaty Ed. In fact, this curriculum is important in both situations. Any knowledge feeds the potential for students to grow as independent citizens. For non-Indigenous students, learning about Indigenous history and culture is beneficial and never detrimental to their education even if some will disagree. 

Dr. Mike Cappello's intern brought up the concern that students are not willing to learn and become serious about Treaty Ed as well as teachers' ignorance of this curriculum. In my opinion, you can't ultimately force the learning of other people when they are set on their present circumstances, but you can try challenging this comfort they have in smaller ways. I had peers who ridiculed Indigenous culture and used terms to degrade other students. One of these peers later admitted to having Indigenous ancestry and continues now to advocate in social media. I believe it wasn't originally Treaty Ed that inspired her to embrace the culture, but it was Treaty Ed that made her a true witness to Indigenous presence before she realized she was part Indigenous. However, this peer who has an Indigenous familial connection is almost the same as a peer who would become an engaged citizen. We're all treaty people because we're witnesses to this presence of culture in our country.