Back in April I wrote about my concern that many Indigenous communities in what we currently call Canada do not have water safe enough to wash their hands in. I also worried about the past response (that is the LACK of response) of the Canadian government when First Nation communities have experienced outbreaks of infectious diseases. A number of Indigenous communities have experienced outbreaks of Covid-19. Indigenous communities by many accounts did an amazing job of preventing Covid-19 from taking hold in their communities during the first wave.
From setting up road blocks at the entry and delivering groceries to their residents, to educating the community on testing and hosting virtual events to stave off loneliness and boredom, it was inspiring to see the creative community-driven solutions that emerged.
Now as we climb the second wave, infections are up in communities. However again I am witnessing the political will to take meaningful action again fail to materialize.
For instance, Indigenous advocates raised concerns after the Federal Throne speech this week that the government might be delaying its promise to eliminate boil water advisories in First Nation communities from the 2021 deadline it had set in 2019. The reason - delays caused by COVID-19.
Again, we saw with the swift implementation of the CERB benefit that if something is seen as an emergency, money can be found and action can be taken by the Federal Government. As I write to you this morning, I find myself wondering what meaningful action I am going to take this time. Because it seems like Listening & Learning is not enough.
Black Lives Matter on Turtle Island
Listen and Learn has from the beginning been about Settler educators examining our positionality, privledge and complicity in colonial education settings while simultaneously attempting to undo those practices to better serve Indigenous students and bring the Truth to Settler students. Another hat I wear in my life is of an instructor at OISE, where I often teach a course on Anti-Discrimination in Education, where one of the topics is how anti-Black racism is pervasive throughout our education system.
There are many places where these two sets of knowledges come together but this week I've also been reflecting on the fact that they are separate too, that we cannot conflate Indigenous resistance with the drive to justice for Black Lives.
What we can do in service to both of these things is to continuously confront White Supremacy in ourselves. It is a process that is ongoing. I want to credit the work of Robyn Maynard, Policing Black Lives (Social Studies & Histories teachers of all grades, I highly recommend this book!) and most recently Layla Saad's work, Me and White Supremacy, for being crucial on my journey.
Let’s continue this discussion together…More to come….
What I'm Reading - Braiding Sweetgrass
This month I'm reading Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
It is giving me hope for a better way forward as we move through this pandemic, and opening my eyes to the vast wisdoms Indigenous peoples have accrued through their relationship to the land since Time Immemorial.
It has also made me confront the grief that I feel in not having a closer relationship and knowledge with the plants, animals, and minerals
Here are the questions that this book is provoking in me:
How would our consumption, economies, and relationships be different if we were to see everything we take from the earth as a gift?
How do I (we) enter into right relations at this time, and how can I support Indigenous peoples to lead the way?
You can purchase a copy from Goodminds.com or hopefully access it through your local libary's online system.
Indigenous ways of knowing and placed-based learning in the STEM classroom (Video Available!)
Dr. Restoule and I were thrilled to welcome Dhakāle or Hayle Gallup to the Kikinoo’amaadiwin Webinar Series last week.
You can view the video below, and access the resources Hayle mentions during the webinar HERE.
Hayle currently lives on the West Coast and shared rich stories of working with students from K to 12 in connecting to the land. She also shared about her trepidation in approaching communities and Elders who belong to a different Nation than she does, feeling I thought only Settlers experienced when approaching this work. What I took from her sharing was the importance of slowing down, focusing on relationship, and that good work can be done by anyone who carefully builds on a foundation of respect and humility towards Indigenous ways of knowing and Knowledge Keepers.
You can't wash your hands in all Indigenous communities in Canada
The image above was tweeted out by the federal Minister of Indigenous Services, Marc Miller on March 18, 2020 and was directed towards Indigenous communities.
In this pandemic, we are told to wash our hands as often as we can to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our neighbors. But what if you don't have water with which you can safely do so?
Viewing this graphic makes me starkly aware of how Canada has completely failed Indigenous communities.
After $27 billion dollars was announced to help Canadians through the economic downturn, it became very clear that not providing clean water to Indigenous communities has never been about a lack of money.
It's about a lack of political will.
We are all in this together, but these communities are among the most vulnerable in our country and now that we find ourselves in the midst of a pandemic, I am scared that this injustice will have even more damaging impacts than before.
I know many Listen & Learn readers have been learning about access to water in Indigenous communities, and building relationships with water including through the Junior Water Walkers initiative.
So today I am grateful for all you do to educate yourselves and your students about these issues. Thank you all for doing your part to contribute to changing consciousness and perceptions about Indigenous peoples and their ways of knowing.
As this plays out, I hope you will join me in renewed efforts towards justice for the original peoples of this land.
In the meantime, take care of yourselves, your families, and each other. And please reach out if you have any questions, and I will do my best to support you.