Friday, May 1, 2015

Francis Horne Jr - Carving

I was in Abbotsford to present a session on electronic resources and was pleasantly surprised to find beautiful carvings by Francis Horne Jr. in the school library.
Some info about Francis from the Douglas Reynolds Gallery: 
  • Born in 1976, in Chilliwack, BC Francis Horne Jr. watched his father, Francis Horne Sr. carve since childhood.  He carved his first mask when he was twelve years old, and sold the first one at thirteen.  Francis has experience carving poles, masks, and rattles. He has also worked on a canoe that his father made for the Commonwealth Games.  Francis works in traditional styles while continuing to explore new ideas.  He is well on his way to becoming one of the prominent Northwest Coast artists of his generation

Friday, April 24, 2015

Authentic First Peoples Resources For Use in K-7 Classrooms

An educationally useful list of authentic texts
A reminder that this resource is available as a download from FNESC.

"This guide (updated 2012) has been created to help the BC elementary school teacher make decisions about which of these resources might be appropriate for use with [his/her] students."

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Wednesday, April 22, 2015

The inconvenient Indian : a curious account of native people in North America

Looking for a Study Group title?
Do you want to learn more about First Nations issues?  DRC has 7 copies of "The inconvenient Indian : a curious account of native people in North America" by Thomas King. This title is a required read for teacher candidates in the PDP program at SFU and a recommended title for UBC students.

The book comes with a reader's guide and print interview with the author to deepen your discussion. Borrow a single copy to read on your own, or borrow them all to discuss with colleagues. It has received rave reviews!

Discussion guide:
Interview with the author:

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"The Truth about Stories: A Native Narrative"

Thomas Kind and the 2003 CBC Massey Lectures
(Follow the link too listen to this fascinating podcast series.)
"In his five part 2003 Massey lecture series, award-winning author and scholar Thomas King looks at the breadth and depth of Native experience and imagination.

"Beginning with Native oral stories, King weaves his way through literature and history, religion and politics, popular culture and social protest, in an effort to make sense of North America's relationship with its Aboriginal peoples.

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Monday, April 20, 2015

Cape Breton school offers course in conversational Mi'kmaq

A sense of pride and recognition of their own first language
"Students at the Whycocomagh Education Centre in Cape Breton are learning the language of their neighbours at the Waycobah first nation. The P-8 school is offering a course in conversational Mi'kmaq for the first time this year."

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Friday, April 10, 2015

Gov of Canada and FNI bolster Qalipu Enrolment Process

"The wheels turn slowly!"
Finally!

"The Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, and Brendan Sheppard, Chief of the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation, today announced the Government of Canada and the Federation of Newfoundland Indians (FNI) have doubled the number of members to the Qalipu Mi'kmaq Enrolment committee.

"The new Enrolment Committee members will apply the same approach to reviewing the files in accordance the 2008 Agreement and the 2013 Supplemental Agreement. The additional four members continue to offer equal representation from the Mi'kmaq and the Government of Canada.

"Further, the parties have agreed to extend the deadline for the Enrolment Committee to review the 94,000 eligible applications for enrolment in the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation. The new deadline for completion of the review process will be June 30, 2016 and, as a result, the deadline for completion of the appeals process will be January 31, 2017.

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April Qalipu Newsletter

Mawpmit'jik Qalipu'k
Read this month's newsletter to see what the Qalipu community is accomplishing.

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Nunavut schools look at standardizing Inuktitut writing system

Writing a culture
Many FN groups grappling with how to keep their language alive in the 21st century. Syllabics is another hurdle for the people of Nunavut!

"Nunavut education minister Paul Quassa announced yesterday in the legislative assembly that the government is looking into using Roman orthography as the standard writing system for Inuktitut in schools across the territory.

"Inuktitut is commonly written across Nunavut in two different systems: syllabics, which uses a system of symbols adopted from Cree script, and Roman orthography, which uses the roman alphabet used to write in English. Both systems enjoy official status in the territory, and are used more frequently depending on geographical location: syllabics in the east, orthography in the west.

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Thursday, March 5, 2015

Mi'kmaq, province to ensure treaty knowledge reaches all

Commitment to add treaty knowledge to the school curriculum
"Officials with the Education Department and the aboriginal community in Nova Scotia are meeting at the Membertou Heritage Centre to discuss ways to include treaty education in the P-to-12 school curriculum. The workshop is part of Education Minister Karen Casey's commitment in the recent Action Plan for Education to add treaty knowledge to the school curriculum over the next five years. Johnson said many people don't realize the Mi'kmaq did not give up land ownership under the Peace and Friendship Treaties signed in the 1700s. Instead, he said, they agreed to share the land and resources with non-aboriginal settlers."

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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Joe B. Marshall Invested into the Order of Canada

Preserving the traditions and culture of the Mi'kmaq people
"Mr. Joe B. Marshall, of Eskasoni First Nation, has been a long-time friend of Cape Breton University.  His commitment and passion to teaching and speaking the Mi'kmaq language has played a key role in preserving the traditions and culture of the Mi'kmaq people. Marshall has dedicated his life to advocating for the rights of the Mi'kmaw as an Aboriginal veteran, esteemed leader, role model, and mentor."

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