Local school districts are featuring Indigenous education this week as a part of Treaties Recognition Week. The Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) has over 100 classes already signed up for a series of webinars.
These five livestreams have, and will continue to feature throughout the week, multiple indigenous voices. Isaac Murdoch of Serpent River First Nation, and Shannon Paul, an artist from Treaty 3, Northwest Angle #33 in Lake of the Woods, Ontario, will share information with students.
The Treaty Week 2023 website states "in 2016, Ontario passed legislation recognizing the first full week of November as Treaties Recognition Week. This annual event honours the importance of treaties and helps students and residents of Ontario learn more about treaty rights and relationships."
"Since 2020, Robinson Huron Waawiindamaagewin (RHW) has used this opportunity to educate students and community members, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, about the Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850 and the work being done in the territory to establish a treaty-level governance body to address treaty-specific issues as well as efforts to return to traditional governance systems."
The livestreams will highlight how treaties are important in understanding indigenous veterans and explore how treaties are not just a human-to-human relationship. Jerica Fraser, the Indigenous program lead at UGSDB, referenced the importance of both animals and the environment when discussing the topic. Fraser says ensuring livable land for future generations is a major focus being taught to students K-12.
"I'm always very mindful about 'how am I acting in ways that will ensure that my great, great, great grand nieces and nephews will be able to have land they can live on?'" Fraser stated.
She added that it's important for board members to not only educate on indigenous relationships, but also establish a partnership between themselves and the treaty partner in their proximity.
To mark Indigenous Remembrance Day, there will be a webinar on treaty remembrance. The freedom on the land livestream will permit students to ask questions of the presenter. Fraser explained treaties have shaped the country we are today.
"There is no Canada without treaties," Fraser pointed out.
"I think everybody has an opportunity to express gratitude and then move that gratitude into thinking about 'okay, yeah, I'm really grateful, but what am I doing about it?'" she added.
Fraser says bettering relationships with the indigenous community will take some substantial effort.
"How indigenous people are insuperable from the land I think is really, really important for people to understand. We will always be here, and we really want to better that relationship," Fraser said.
"But it takes work. It takes action," she went on.
The livestreams, Fraser pointed out, are available to students for all of November. This isn’t just about one day, week, or month, though as Fraser stated.
"It's not just a one and done."
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