June is National Indigenous History Month. Throughout the entire year, we, at the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB), are committed to ongoing learning, speaking the truth, and to reconciliation.
We have compiled resources for further learning as well as resources for Indigenous students and families below:
Week One: What is Indigenous History Month?
- We Were Not the Savages by Daniel Paul
- First Peoples in Canada by Alan D. McMillan and Eldon Yellowhorn
- 21 Things You May Not Know About The Indian Act by Bob Joseph - Also check out Bob Joseph's blog.
Junior/Intermediate Resources:
Intermediate/Senior Resources:
Junior/Intermediate/Senior Resources:
- National Indigenous History Month
- Stories of the Longest Days of the Year - Isaac Murdoch
-
Série de vidéos pour célébrer ce mois - English with French subtitles
- I Hope by Monique Gray Smith *FR J'espère
- Encounter by Brittany Luby
- The Sharing Circle by Theresa Corky Larsen-Jonasson, Allison Parker *FR Le cercle de partage
Week Two: Indigenous Excellence
- Perception – A Photo Series by KC Adams
- Braided Learning –Illuminating Indigenous Presence Through Story by Susan Dion
- My Conversations with Canadians by Lee Maracle
Junior Resources:
Junior/Intermediate/Senior Resources:
- Paul Seesequasis - Indigenous archive art exhibit + see his book Blanket Toss Under the Midnight Sun – Portraits of Everyday Life in Eight Indigenous Communities
- Cindy Blackstock - Canadian Human Rights Tribunal on First Nations child welfare
Intermediate/Senior Resources:
- Autumn Peltier
- Cindy Blackstock - Reconciliation: Mere co-existence, New Foundation, or Mutual Celebration? - Video
- Interview with Beedahbin Peltier on empowering students to connect with Indigenous knowledges
- Jesse Thistle
- Wab Kinew (plus his book: Walking in Two Worlds)
- Jody Wilson Raybold (Books: ‘Indian’ in the Cabinet and True Reconciliation
- Life, living, relatives, and creation with Beedahin Peltier and Kylie Fox-Peltier: 1 hr 27min
- Spoken Word Poem ‘Leaks’ by Leanne Simpson
-
Grassy Narrow First Nations – Youth Song - Home to Me
- Joe Pitawanakwat - Creator’s Garden
- David Robertson: https://www.darobertson.ca/
- Beany John – Hoop Dancer
- Katie Yu, 17, of Iqaluit Takes Home Silver at National Youth Skills Event
- Governor General of Canada - Mary Simon *FR
- Science North video (Indigenous STEM: From Canoes to NASA with Dominic Beaudry)
- You Were Chosen To Be Here - Matt Epp & Isaac Murdoch ft. Shannon Paul
- Aysanabee (Singer/Song writer)- We Were Here and live from the Junos featuring Northern Cree
- Alanis Obomsawin
- RoseAnne Archibald elected 1st female national chief of Assembly of First Nations
- Cherie Dimaline
- The Day I Became Number 54 by Lorrie Gallant
- Go Show the World by Wab Kinew *FR Héros Autochtones
- Beautiful You, Beautiful Me by Tasha Spillett-Sumner *FR Belle comme toi, belle comme moi
- When We are Kind by Monique Gray Smith *FR Nous sommes gentils
- With Our Orange Hearts by Phyllis Webstad *FR Avec nos coeurs oranges
- Meet Tom Longboat by Elizabeth MacLeod *FR Voici Tom Longboat
- What's My Superpower? - by Aviaq Johnston *FR Quel est mon superpouvoir?
Week Three: Language and Land
Language:
Land:
- Land Based Education – Embracing the Rhythms of the Earth from an Indigenous Perspective by Herman J. Mitchell, PhD
- Unsettling Canada by A National Wake-Up Call; Arthur Manuel (also a podcast)
- Truth and Conviction by Donald Marshall Jr. And the Mi’kmaw Quest for Justice; L. Jane McMillan
- Braiding Sweetgrass and Braiding Sweetgrass for Youth by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Language - Junior/Intermediate/Senior Resources:
Land - Junior/Intermediate Resources:
- Indigenous History - Oshawa
- Indigenous Voices for Earth Day Video
- Symbols We Recognize versus plants
Land - Junior/Intermediate/Senior Resources:
- Land Acknowledgment – Conversation Starter; Baroness Von Sketch
- Jake Skeets: Daybreak (Poem and analysis from Poetry Unbound)
- Bob Randall, Yankunytjatjara elder of Australia - Do We Own the Land video.
Land - Intermediate/Senior Resources:
Language:
- Emma Stevens sings Blackbird in Mi’kmaq (Miꞌkmawiꞌsimk)
- International Decade of Indigenous Languages
- TRACKS - Indigenous Languages
- Margaret Noodin Gimaazinibii’amoon (A Message to You) (Poetry Unbound)
- Elisapie - Taimangalimaaq (Time After Time in Inuktitut) and Heart of Glass
- Ojibwe Resources
- NFB - Indigenous Languages Playlist
- Ontario First Nation legislator makes history at Queen's Park
- Vidéo: Le 21 juin, c'est la journée national des peuples autochtones!
Land:
- Learn about the land on which you live. Explore territories/treaties/languages: https://native-land.ca/
- David Robertson speaking about his book - On The Trapline (in school libraries)
Language:
- You Hold Me Up by Monique Gray Smith *FR Tu es là pour moi
- Way Back Then by Neil Christopher
- We All Play by Julie Flett *FR Tout le monde joue
- Nibi is water by Joanne Roberston translated by Shirley Williams and Isadore Toulouse
- It's a Mitig by Bridget George
- Meennunyakaa / Blueberry Patch by Jennifer Leason, translated by Norman Chartrand
- The Giving Tree by Leah Dorion, translated by Norman Fleury
Land:
- On the Trapline by David Roberston *FR Linge de Trappe
- Be a Good Ancestor by Leona Prince and Gabrielle Prince *FR Laisse un bel héritage
- Berry Song by Michaela Goade *FR La mélodie des petits fruits
- Stand Like a Cedar by Nicola I. Campbell *FR Debout comme une grand cèdre
- This is How I Know: A Book About Seasons by Brittany Luby *FR La terre me parle: un livre sur les saisons
- Lesson from Mother Earth by Elaine McLeod
- We Give Our Thanks by Sara General Odadrihonyanisoh
Week Four: ReconciliACTION and Resurgence
- In this Together – 15 Stories of Truth and Reconciliation by Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail
- Becoming Kin by Patty Krawec
Junior/Intermediate/Senior Resources:
Intermediate/Senior Resources:
Resources for All Grades:
- Gardening With A Purpose: How You Can Honour Residential School Survivors
- Check out The Indigenous Foundation (TIF)
- Take the free course Home on Native Land
- Take the free course Indigenous Canada from the University of Alberta
- Tracks Program
- Take the Facing History and Ourselves course Stolen Lives (Teaching the History and Legacies of Canada’s Residential Schools)
- Follow Indigenous people on social media and amplify voices:
-
- @MSIFN
- @Pam_Palmater
- @TanyaTalaga
- @Notorious Cree
- @DCDSBIndigenousEd
- @Songstress28 (Brandi Morin)
- @Nigannwewidam (Nigaan Sinclair)
- @dhkBeau
- @DaveAlexRoberts
- @TheDHTaylor
- @IndigenousWome4 (Indigenous Women’s Collective)
- @MetisNationOn
- @IndigiNewsMedia
- @FallonFarinacci
- Indigenous Creators to Follow
- When We Were Alone by David Robertson *FR Quand on était seuls
- Finding My Talk by Rebecca Thomas
- Birdsong by Julie Flett *FR Mon amie Agnès
- Dakota Talks about Treaties by Kelly Crawford, Isadore Toulouse Bebamikawe, Shirley Williams *FR Dakota parle des traités
- When I was Eight by Margaret Pokiak-Fenton *FR Quand j'avais huit ans
Government of Canada Websites - English and French content available: