What is Orange Shirt Day?

 

             Students and a nun in a classroom at Cross Lake Indian Residential School, Manitoba, 1940.                                                                                   (Reuters/Canada)

Orange Shirt Day (September 30th) is a day when we honour the Indigenous children who were sent away to residential schools in Canada. It's also a day to learn more about the history of those schools.

Residential schools were church-run schools where approximately 150,000 Métis, Inuit and First Nations children were sent between the 1830s and the 1990s.

The schools harmed Indigenous children by removing them from their families and forcing them to speak English or French instead of their ancestral languages. They were also disconnected them from their culture and traditions and forced to adopt Christianity in order to be assimilated into Canadian society.

The government has since acknowledged that this approach was wrong, cruel and ineffective, and offered an official apology to the Indigenous people of Canada in 2008.

Watch video here: https://www.cbc.ca/kids/articles/what-is-orange-shirt-day

Why is September 30th a special date?

September 30th falls during the time of year when Indigenous children were taken away to residential school. Today, it's also known as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Why is it an orange shirt?

What does Orange Shirt day represent?

The message that Phyllis wants to pass along on Orange Shirt Day — and every day — is that every child matters. Orange Shirt Day was started by Phyllis to educate people about residential schools and to fight racism and bullying.

What can you do?

You can read Phyllis Webstad's book about her orange shirt. (Medicine Wheel Education)

There are many ways you can get involved!

• Wear an orange shirt on September 30th
• Read Phyllis' story "The Orange Shirt Story" with your classroom or your family. It's available in English, French and Shuswap.
• Read books by Indigenous authors about residential schools.
• Trace your hand and write something on it that you can do to help others feel like they matter.
• Share Phyllis’ story. You can watch it on YouTube or below:

Source: https://www.cbc.ca/kids/articles/what-is-orange-shirt-day

Content curated and shared by Petrina Moir

N`WE JINAN Project

 Shared by Petrina Moir:

I came across this movement while researching. In parts of Canada there is a movement of indigenous groups and the importance of having a voice. 

For many years they were forced to leave thier families and "integrate" resulting in loss of their culture and the feeling of shame associated with it. 

This unique project is a grassroots project which encourages indigenous children to explore their roots. They have many songs on Youtube and some are really catchy. 

For teens it opens their eyes to experiences faced by tennagers and also gives them a chance to see new talent. From rap, poetry to painting. There are many projects which might be interesting to explore with students. /https://nwejinan.com/https://nwejinan.com/

Here is one of my favourite artists videos. The artist is actually blind. 

Matthew Monias, whose artist name is Mattmac, is from a small fly-in community nearly 500 kms north of Winnipeg.

Monias has been blind since birth but he hasn’t let that stop him as a music producer and recording artist. Monias was depressed at an early age and said music is what helped him overcome that.

Terminology guide to adress First Nations

 

Download this map here:https://fner.wordpress.com/2013/06/09/canadas-first-people-map/

           Terminology Guide

            

Terms to Use

Indigenous

Indigenous" is an umbrella term for First Nations (status and non-status), Métis and Inuit. "Indigenous" refers to all of these groups, either collectively or separately, and is the term used in international contexts, e.g., the ‘United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples’ (UNDRIP). Recently, it has been associated more with activism than government policy and so has emerged, for many, as the preferred term.

In some contexts, however, it can be ambiguous: a reference to ‘Indigenous Peoples in Canada’ could include Maori or American Indian (US) people living here, as well as Canadian Aboriginal people, so in contexts in which legal specificity to people originating in Canada is important, ‘Aboriginal,’ or a more qualified use of ‘Indigenous’ may be war- ranted (e.g., The Indigenous Peoples of Canada). Thus, it may be acceptable to use both terms in a formal document or across a communications channel. To avoid confusion, however, do not use both in the same article, unless there is a logical reason to do so.

First Nations

Most, but not all, reserve-based communities in Canada refer to themselves as ‘First Nations’. For informal documents, use ‘First Nation,’ or, collectively in referring to reserve-based communities, ‘First Nations,’ but in specific references, it is more preferential to use the name that the community (or First Nation) uses publicly.

The term ‘First Nations’ can be applied to individuals, but, technically refers only to those who have Indian status under Canadian law as part of a recognized community. Many Aboriginal people in Canada do not have this formal connection, and those who are Métis or Inuit should never be referred to as ‘First Nations.’ Sometimes, the term ‘Nation’ is more generally applied to a whole cultural group, e.g., “the Mohawk Nation.”

Métis

Métis are a specific Indigenous (and Aboriginal) group in Canada with a very specific social history. Until very recently, they have not been regarded as ‘Indians’ under Canadian law and are never considered ‘First Nations.’ The term ‘Métis’ may be used as singular or plural, and refers to individuals or groups, e.g., “Tom, a Métis student, is attending Queen’s University,” or “The Indian Act does not govern the Métis.” Please be sure to use the acute accent over the ‘e’ in Métis unless quoting a name or source in which it is not used.

Inuit

Inuit are another Aboriginal group, historically located in the Arctic and legally and culturally distinct from First Nations or legally-defined Indians and Métis. The singular of ‘Inuit’ is ‘Inuk,’ and because the translation of Inuit is ‘the people,’ it is redundant to add ‘people’ after it. Do not use ‘Eskimo,’ which the Inuit consider a derogatory term.

When in doubt as to what is the most appropriate term to use, ask the person or group involved, learn what is in use in your area or subject field, or simply ask someone knowledgeable.

Terms to Avoid

Native

This term is rarely used in respectful conversations and we advise this term not be used unless there is a specific reason to do so, such as in an organizational name that derives from an earlier period (e.g., Queen’s Native Students Association). However, those with Indigenous ancestry might use the term to refer to themselves or other Indigenous peoples. ‘First Nations,’‘Aboriginal,’ and more recently, ‘Indigenous’ are more current and are preferred by many in the community, though each has particular nuances.

Our Native People / Native Canadian / Indigenous Canadian

Indigenous peoples have been on these lands for time immemorial, thousands of years before Canada became a nation. Indigenous peoples are NOT Indigenous or Native to Canada.

Many Indigenous peoples DO NOT consider themselves Canadians. They are part of their own sovereign nations and do not consider themselves part of one that has actively worked to assimilate their people.

Stop saying "our. " Indigenous people do not belong to Canada. Canada is bound to Indigenous peoples through treaties that were made by early representatives of the Crown. By saying "our" or "Canada's Indigenous peoples", you are reinforcing a false narrative that is paternalistic. This narrative is one that was created by the Canadian state and is false.

Aboriginal

"Aboriginal" is a general term that collectively refers to First Nations, Métis and Inuit people in Canada, and is found in the Canadian constitution. This distinction legalized in 1982 when the Constitution Act came into being. Section 35 (2) of the Act states, “Aboriginal Peoples of Canada” includes the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada. It is broad, on one hand, because it includes all Canadian groups, but specific, on the other, in that it is not widely used in international contexts. (In the US, for instance, it is not widely understood.) Though until recently a preferred term, it does carry a negative connotation because of its use in government policy, though not nearly as strong a one as its predecessor, ‘Indian.’ Please note that ‘Aboriginal’ should never be used as a noun, e.g., "Aboriginals think..."

Be aware that Aboriginal people, however named, do not ‘belong’ to Canada. Therefore, do not preface any of the terms considered above with a possessive, e.g., "Canada’s Aboriginal (or First Nations, Inuit, Indigenous, Métis) people," or worse yet, "our Aboriginal people." This is profoundly insulting and not easily forgiven, as it invokes an entire history of paternalism and control.

Never use ‘Aboriginal’ as a noun, but rather as an adjective. The former, especially ‘Aboriginals,’ connotes an early colonial time when poorly conceived synonyms like ‘Indians,’ ‘primitives’ and others were casually applied to Indigenous people. It is also needlessly reductive, as it unnecessarily diminishes an agglomeration of distinct Indigenous groups to a singularly blunt term. For example: Do not say “The Aboriginals of Canada...” or “the student is an Aboriginal”. Instead say “The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada...” or “He is an Aboriginal student (person, athlete, leader, etc.) ...”

Indian

The term ‘Indian’ because of its negative connotation, should be avoided in most contexts unless it is used as part of a historical reference or used in reference to a government policy (eg. The Indian Act, ‘status Indian’).

You may encounter, particularly in legal or policy contexts, the terms:

• status Indian
• Indian status
• status

All refer to the government classification system in which ‘status’ confers certain agreements based on treaties with the Crown, however; historically, certain penalties were also handed down. This is a technical area with sensitivities, so you may want to consult with knowledgeable people before initiating the use of any of these terms.

More definitions:

• Ally, Accomplice, Co-Resistor...
• Decolonization, Indigenizing, Indigenous Pedagogies...

Download and share

QU-Indigenous-Terminology-Guide [PDF, 2.4MB]

Source: https://www.queensu.ca/indigenous/ways-knowing/terminology-guide#:~:text=and%20is%20false.-,Aboriginal,found%20in%20the%20Canadian%20constitution.

Why Canada is making a major immigration push

Shared by Michael Church: 

Canada’s government hopes to welcome nearly 1.5 million immigrants by 2025 to fill critical jobs. It's something business leaders have long been pushing for. NBC News’ Julia Ainsley reports from Toronto on the recruitment push, especially in health care.

Plus 15 network – Calgary’s Skywalk

Shared by Juan Ignacio Blanco:

I have been in Canada a couple of times,both of them in Summer and I have always been astonished about the importance of the weather and how everything changes from Summer to Winter, This aspect is truly canadian too. The most amazing aspect regarding cold is PLUS 15 in Calgary. Plus 15 is a pedestrian network, which is 15 feet over the ground and connects a lot of downtown buildings. This way people do not need to stay outside during the extreme winters.

 This is the link if you want to have a look https://www.calgary.ca/bike-walk-roll/plus-15-network.html 

TRADITIONAL INDIAN DANCES AND HIP HOP

 

Shared by Petrina Moir:

I was absolutely riveted when I came across this video. The beats and hip hop vibe give Indian dance a complete makeover! It might be interesting to get students to come up with their own traditional dance fusions or give this choreography a whirl!

THE TIMES OF INDIA

 

Acccording to Wikipedia, there are over 100.000 publications registered as "newspapers" in India. India has the second-largest newspaper market in the world, with daily newspapers reporting a combined circulation of over 240 million copies.

There are publications produced in each of the 22 scheduled languages of India and in many of the other languages spoken throughout the country. Hindi-language newspapers have the largest circulation, followed by English and Telugu.

The Times of India has a daily circulation of 2.830.000 papers, and the good news is that you ca  read in on line and download its pdf for freee daily after 7.00 am here: https://dailyepaper.in/times-of-india-epaper-pdf-download-2023/ .

Goodness Gracious Me: comic series

 Shared by Petrina Moir:

Most Brits will say that a fun Friday night entails going for a curry. 

Goodness Gracious Me is a comic series that turned the tables on the Brits regarding Indian stereotypes. This sketch sees the Indians going for an "English". 

This was a great series as they essentially poked fun at both the English and the Indian cultures, as British born they often were met with the social pressure of parents traditions and strict upbringing and the conflict of "fitting in".

 We say "go for an Indian or a Chinese, and if we want to order takeaway we have an Indian or order Indian/Thai etc"

TASTE ATLAS: locate food, meals and recipes all over the world

 

TasteAtlas is an encyclopedia of flavors, a world atlas of traditional dishes, local ingredients, and authentic restaurants.

This is one of the entries in Western Australia:

There are over 10,000 foods and drinks cataloged , and The popular ones, as well as the forgotten tastes and aromas of every city, region, and village in the world. Travel, explore, eat, and drink. Discover and appreciate local foods, respect the people making it.

Their mission, in their own words, is "to catalog the world’s dishes and ingredients, to save our grandmothers’ traditional recipes from oblivion, and to encourage travelers to familiarize themselves with different cultures through high-quality, authentic, local food."  You can join  in this exciting adventure through the authentic tastes of the world, because here are dozens of thousands yet to be researched and mapped: Explore the above World Map here: https://www.tasteatlas.com/search

You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! 

facebook.com/TasteAtlas
instagram.com/thetasteatlas
twitter.com/TasteAtlas

Website: https://www.tasteatlas.com