By Ian McCallum
In 2015, after years of interviews and testimony from survivors, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its report regarding the Residential School experience of Indigenous peoples in Canada. For nearly 150 years, Indigenous children were placed in schools that did not teach from an Indigenous worldview. Furthermore, many forms of abuse occurred at the schools leading to “lost generations” of people suffering from trauma associated with the schools.
With this in mind, Indigenous people have viewed schools in a negative light. School was a place associated with loss of language, culture and tradition. Freedom to express as an individual was replaced with uniforms. Names were replaced with numbers. Indigenous students received less education than non-Indigenous students, and their schooling emphasized manual labour. The curriculum focused on that of the norms and values of the dominant culture while marginalizing Indigenous learning practices.
Pushing for change, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission issued “Calls to Action” challenging Canadian institutions and Canadians as a whole to “reconcile” with this dark period of the country’s history. As educators, Calls to Action 62 and 63 task schools and school boards with “Developing and implementing Kindergarten to Grade Twelve curriculum and learning resources on Aboriginal peoples in Canadian history, and the history and legacy of residential schools. ii. Sharing information and best practices on teaching curriculum related to residential schools and Aboriginal history. iii. Building student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect.”
School libraries can play a major role in the reconciliatory process. They can seek out contemporary fiction and nonfiction to support the new curricula and any classroom activities dealing with Indigenous history and residential schools. These resources will have been created by the Indigenous community (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) and will provide an authentic perspective.
It is imperative that schools and libraries engage the local Indigenous communities in the selection of appropriate resources that provide an Indigenous worldview. These resources should reflect the local Indigenous communities as well as communities across the country and offer both a contemporary and an accurate historical view. In this way, the incredible diversity of Indigenous cultures and languages will be available to students.
A Library Learning Commons looking to incorporate Indigenous perspectives would naturally turn to Indigenous publishers and booksellers. When purchasing resources, it is important to ensure that all three Indigenous groups are represented. For example, Inhabit Media offers resources regarding the Inuit and life in the North. The Gabriel Dumont Institute offers resources regarding the Métis of the prairie regions and Theytus Books offers material that reflects First Nation peoples. All three are community based and operated by Indigenous peoples. Goodminds is a “go to” online bookstore as it is located in a First Nation community and actively promotes the material selection process order to provide authentic literature.
“Truth” in the Library Learning Commons means acknowledging that the material that students access must provide an accurate and respectful view of Indigenous peoples. Resources that are more than ten years old may provide a view that is not supportive and is ultimately detrimental to the “reconciliation process.” “Reconciliation” in the Library Learning Commons starts by acquiring and highlighting authentic resources that show Indigenous communities in a positive and respectful light. Most importantly, the Library Learning Commons invites the entire Indigenous community into the school by showcasing Indigenous authors.
The following is a short list of material for each age division to start the “truth” conversation about residential schools in the library and the classroom.
BOOKS FOR PRIMARY (Ages 3-8)
Campbell, Nicola, with illustrations by Kim LeFave. Shin-chi’s Canoe. Toronto, ON: Groundwood/House of Anansi, 2008.
Campbell, Nicola I. La pirogue de Shin-chi. [French version] Saint-Boniface, MB: Editions des Plaines, 2010.
Campbell, Nicola, with illustrations by Kim LeFave. Shi-shi-etko. Toronto, ON: Groundwood/House of Anansi, 2005.
Campbell, Nicola I. Shi-shi-etko. [French version] Saint-Boniface, MN: Editions des plaines, 2010.
Kusugak, Michael Arvaarluk. Arctic Stories. Illustrated by Vladyana Langer Krykorka. Toronto, ON: Annick Press Ltd., 1998.
Robertson, David. When We Were Alone. Portage & Main Press, 2016.
BOOKS FOR JUNIOR (Ages 9-12)
Dance, Jennifer. Red Wolf. Toronto, ON: Dundurn Press, 2014.
Dupuis, Jenny Key & Kacer, Kathy. I Am Not a Number. Toronto, ON: Second Story Press, 2016.
Florence, Melanie with illustrations by Francois Thisdale. Missing Nimama. Aurora, ON: Clockwise Press, 2015.
Harper, Maddie with illustrations by Carlos Freire. “Mush-hole” Memories of a Residential School. Toronto, ON: Sister Vision Press, 1993.
Jordan-Fenton, Christy and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton. A Stranger at Home. Toronto, ON: Annick Press, 2011.
Jordan-Fenton, Christy and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton. Fatty Legs. Toronto, ON: Annick Press, 2010.
Jordan-Fenton, Christy and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton. Not My Girl. Toronto, ON: Annick Press, 2014.
Jordan-Fenton, Christy, Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, Gabrielle Grimard. When I Was Eight. Toronto, ON: Annick Press, 2013.
Loyie, Larry with Constance Brissenden. As Long as the Rivers Flow. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books, 2002.
Loyie, Larry with Constance Brissenden. Goodbye Buffalo Bay. Penticton, BC: Theytus Books, 2009
Olsen, Sylvia, Rita Morris and Ann Sam. No Time to Say Goodbye: Children’s Stories of Kuper Island Residential School. Victoria, BC: Sono Press, 2001.
Robertson, David with illustrations by Scott B. Henderson. Sugar Falls: A Residential School Story. Winnipeg, MB: Highwater Press, 2011.
Sterling, Shirley. My Name is Seepeetza. Vancouver, BC: Douglas & McIntyre, 1993.
BOOKS FOR INTERMEDIATE (Ages 12-14)
Boyden, Joseph. Wenjack. Canada: Penguin, 2016
Carvell, Marlene. Sweetgrass Basket. New York, NY: Dutton Children’s Books/Penguin Putnam Young Readers Group, 2005.
Charleyboy, Lisa and Leatherdale, Mary Beth. Dreaming In Indian: Contemporary Native American Voices. Annick Press, 2014. (Intermediate/ Senior)
Charleyboy, Lisa and Leatherdale, Mary Beth. Urban Tribes: Native Americans in the City. Annick Press, 2015. (Intermediate/Senior)
Downie, Gord and Lemire, Jeff. Secret Path. Simon and Schuster, 2016.
BOOKS FOR SECONDARY (Ages 15+)
Boyden, Joseph. Three Day Road. Toronto, ON: Penguin Canada, 2005.
Charleyboy, Lisa and Leatherdale, Mary Beth. Dreaming In Indian: Contemporary Native American Voices. Annick Press, 2014. (Intermediate/Senior)
Charleyboy, Lisa and Leatherdale, Mary Beth. Urban Tribes: Native Americans in the City. Annick Press, 2015. (Intermediate/Senior)
Downie, Gord and Lemire, Jeff. Secret Path. Simon and Schuster, 2016.(I/S)
LaBoucane-Benson, Patti. The Outside Circle. House of Anansi Press, 2015.
MacDonald, Tracey. Moving Forward. Whitby, ON: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2016.
Metatawabin, Edmund. Up Ghost River: A Chief’s Journey Through the Turbulent Waters of Native History. Knopf Canada, 2014.
Mishenene, Rachel and Toulouse, Pamela. Strength and Struggle: Perspectives from First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples in Canada. Whitby, ON: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2011.
Mosionier, Beatrice Culleton. In Search of April Raintree. Winnipeg, MB: Pemmican, 1999.
Robertson, David. Betty: The Helen Betty Osborne Story. Winnipeg, MB: Highwater Press, 2015.
Robertson, David. The Life of Helen Betty Osborne. Winnipeg, MB: In a Bind Publications, 2008.
Robertson, David. 7 Generations: A Plains Cree Saga. Winnipeg, MB: Highwater Press, 2012.
Robertson, David. Will I See? Winnipeg, MB: Highwater Press, 2016.
Sellars, Bev. They Called Me Number One: Secrets and Survival at an Indian Residential School. Vancouver, BC: Talonbooks, 2013.
Wagamese, Richard. Indian Horse. Madeira Park, BC: Douglas & McIntyre, 2012.
Ian McCallum is the Indigenous Education Resource Teacher at the Simcoe County District School Board in Ontario. In this role, Ian supports students, teachers and administration in implementing Ontario’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) Education Policy Framework. He also supports culture, language and tradition through professional learning and classroom visits. In his role, Ian also works collaboratively with other school boards to create new curriculum.