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Video addressed to teachers from the First Peoples’ storytelling (FPPSE) project

March 23rd, 2021

“…as a teacher, I think you don’t have the sole responsibility of teaching a curriculum, you have the responsibility of being acquainted with your student, and knowing their strengths as well as the emotional pitfalls or whatever struggles that they’re going through. Because if you don’t, then you’re not reaching them. It just takes a bit of your time, compassion and understanding.“

“My first year I never went to see my teachers. I was too shy, I never had that role before. I never had to ask an adult for help for something so serious like school. After a year, I realized that teachers are nice. And I can actually go ask them questions.”

“Your language and how you speak, it’s the simplest things in the world that could really affect a person’s educational outcome so it’s really important that our identities are considered.”

-Quotes from First Peoples' Post-Secondary Storytelling Exchange (FPPSE) storytellers 

In this 20-minute video produced by the First Peoples' Post-Secondary Storytelling Exchange, Indigenous students and families share experiences of post-secondary education, offer suggestions for teachers and make recommendations for creating safe learning environments.

Click Read More to watch the video.


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Students make earrings and learn about beading

March 23rd, 2021

The Beading Together project offered 40 students the opportunity to connect to Indigenous cultures and ways of learning through guided beading workshops with artist Cory Hunlin on March 15 and March 17.

Dawson students enrolled in the Decolonization and Indigenization Studies Certificate and those who participate in the First Peoples' Centre activities were invited. The funding was provided by SSAP and the Certificate. Students received beading kits in the mail from Nicia's Accessories in Kahnawake.

Jennifer Smith (Faculty, Anthropology and Coordinator of the Decolonization and Indigenization Certificate) reported that the students loved the workshop. "While frustrating at first (about three meters of thread are used for one earring) as knots are commonplace, students reported feeling relaxed and peaceful afterwards," she said.

Workshop leader Cory Hunlin is a Tsilhqot'in artist originally from B.C. who is now based in Tio'tia:ke (Montreal). He taught the students to make a beaded pair of earrings. Beading as a group is a common practice for many Indigenous peoples and is central to relationship and skill building. These workshops opened up a collaborative space for students, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to work together and learn about beading, Jennifer said.

Student Mia Kennedy shared her experience: "This workshop showed me how accessible beading is. Anyone can bead. Also, it felt really special to explore and participate in an artform that is so fundamental to Indigenous communities. I felt like I was able to further appreciate the work of Indigenous artists by seeing how long it takes to complete a piece of beadwork. It took me three hours to complete a single earring. ... It takes a lot of skill to make beadwork as clean and beautiful as Cory can. I admire their skills and their patience. All in all, this was a wonderfully positive experience for me."


First Peoples’ Week is March 29-April 1

March 23rd, 2021

Monday, March 29:
10 a.m.: Traditional Opening with elder Otsi'tsaken:ra Patton

various time slots available for reservation: Storytelling with Sam Ojeda, Honouring the Red Road. Sam is Yoreme from the North West of Mexico. Sam is a multi-talented artist, a storyteller, a traditional dancer, a ceremonialist, a social worker, a painter, and a musician.

1 - 2:30 p.m. Indigenous Fashion and Arts, a roundtable with Ceder Eve Peters and Louisa B. Saganash. Moderated by Dayna Danger.

2:30 to 4 p.m.: Indigenous Voices in Academic Writing with Charlie O'Connor.

3 p.m.: Paint Night hosted by Carmen Joseph, a Cree artist from Big River Saskatchewan. Supplies will be provided to student participants.

March 29 (4-6 p.m.)-30 (3-5 p.m.)-31 (10 a.m. to 12 p.m.): From Trees to Weaves. "As a 19-year-old Mi’kmaq student, I am proud and thrilled to share my culture with others. I will present a 30-minute video tutorial demonstrating how to craft traditional Mi’kmaq black ash baskets, with a focus on the historical significance and the importance for young Indigenous peoples to continue their cultural practices."

Tuesday, March 30:
11:30 am to 1 p.m.: Pow Wow Dance workshop with Barbara Diabo

1 to 2:30 p.m.: Daphne Art Centre presentation featuring Lori Beavis. Daphne is the first Indigenous run art centre in Tiohtiá:ke (Montreal), it is named after the late artist Daphne Odjig.

2:30 to 4 p.m.: Immigrant Settler Responsibilities to Indigenous Peoples in the time of Reconciliation hosted by the Dawson Peace Centre.

Wednesday, March 31:

10 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Introduction to Kanien'kehá:ka ceremonies and worldview with Aronhiaes Herne.

2:30 p.m.: Screening of Rustic Oracle in the presence of Kanienkehaka Director Sonia Bonspille Boileau and actor and Cinema | Communications student McKenzie Deer Robinson. Set in the late 90s, Rustic Oracle is a dramatic feature about Ivy, an 8-year-old girl trying to understand what happened to her big sister who has vanished from their small Mohawk community. With minimal clues, Ivy and her mother Susan embark on an unwelcome journey to find Heather which ultimately brings the pair closer together despite challenging circumstances. Behind the story of desperation, told through the eyes of a child, lies one of hope, growth, awakening and love. The film was shot in Rustic Oracle was filmed in Kanesatake.

6 - 7 p.m.: Prairie Fire is a Métis Cultural Family dance group performance. Learn the Métis jig with the dance group who shows audiences how to dance through live teaching during their performances. All of the dancers, Hunter, Riley, and Jacob are siblings, and their mother is Jaime Morse who helped them get started in the performing arts.

Thursday, April 1:

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: First Peoples' Post-Secondary Storytelling Exchange (FPPSE) presentation featuring Pasha Partridge, Alexandrea Matthews, and Kahawishon Horne.

2:30 to 4 p.m.: Traditional closing with Otsi'tsaken:ra Patton

4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.: Virtual Comedy Show featuring Tai Leclaire (Dawson's Class of 2009, Professional Photography), a Kanienkehaka and Mi'kmaq actor, writer, comedian from Kahnawà:ke, Quebec. He is a writer for the upcoming NBC Peacock sitcom Rutherford Falls.

Click Read More to register for the events.


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Read more about: Recommended video and media coverage of FPPSE storytelling project

Recommended video and media coverage of FPPSE storytelling project

March 9th, 2021

Some media coverage of the FPPSE project:  CBC Breakaway interview with me and Concordia student Lucina Gordon: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-79-breakaway/clip/15826578-a-storytelling-project-help-indigenous-students-post-secondary-education Radio Canada: https://bit.ly/3bcozUZ Winschgaoug, CBC North Interview with Dawson student Alexandria Matthews in Cree https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-146-winschgaoug-cree/clip/15824821-alexandria-matthews-participates-first-peoples-post-secondary-storytelling-exchange?fbclid=IwAR3ZBNwY64SNXiErLvtwNoVuEPywOd31vB-0mtvumPVFl9xPRy_naxh_J8E The Link, Concordia paper: https://thelinknewspaper.ca/article/feature/new-virtual-project-aims-to-improve-indigenous-students-access-to-post-secondary-education Noovo NVL Web TV Interview with Michelle at 4:12 https://noovo.ca/videos/nvl/nvl-du-18-fevrier-2021 FPPSE project website: https://fppse.net/ 

Website live for First Peoples’ Post-Secondary Storytelling Exchange

February 23rd, 2021

A celebration was held online Feb. 16 to launch the new website of the First Peoples' Post-Secondary Storytelling Exchange project. About 170 people attended from all over Quebec and other parts of Canada. An elder opened the event, some of the storytellers shared their experiences, a quliq was lit, a video was premiered and the new website was shown.

There is a great amount of content to read and watch on the website. Perhaps you can begin by viewing this 10-minute video, which was premiered at the event: https://fppse.net/stories/

City TV broadcast this report on the day of the launch: https://montreal.citynews.ca/video/2021/02/15/indigenous-students-share-their-story/

Click Read More to visit the new website.


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Powerful stories bring Indigenous perspectives to higher education

February 9th, 2021

Storytelling is at the heart of the oral cultures of Indigenous peoples in Canada. A unique project in Quebec led by Dawson College faculty uses storytelling to advance the inclusion and welcome of Indigenous cultures and students in higher education institutions.

“Our project is about changing the culture in academic institutions, underlining the need for Indigenous people to have leadership roles within these institutions and making sure that Indigenous perspectives are reflected and part of the educational experience for everyone,” explained Michelle Smith, a faculty member of Dawson’s Cinema | Communications Department and principal investigator.

Click Read More to go to the Homepage news story.


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We can all participate in decolonization

January 28th, 2020

Decolonization was the subject of two workshops at Ped Days Jan. 13-14. Everyone can participate in decolonization efforts, Catherine Richardson said at her workshop. To read more of what she shared and to get practical tips and resources on decolonization, click Read More to go to the news article.


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Read more about: Jan. 30: Mohawk Environmental Stewardship and Action

Jan. 30: Mohawk Environmental Stewardship and Action

January 28th, 2020

In the first environment seminar of the semester, the Environmental Studies and Science Profiles welcome Chief Ross Montour and Lynn Konwaia’tanón:we’s Jacobs to discuss environmental stewardship and action. Chief Ross Montour will speak about the work of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawá:ke Consultation Committee and Kahnawà:ke’s role in the review of environmental permits and authorizations…

Read more about: Certificate of Decolonization and Indigenization Studies

Certificate of Decolonization and Indigenization Studies

January 21st, 2020

The Certificate of Decolonization and Indigenization Studies offers students the possibility of exploring Canada’s settler-colonial relationship to the wide diversity of Indigenous peoples who have been on these lands for millennia, while also learning about the many ways that Indigenous peoples have continued to strengthen their cultures amidst the challenges of settler-colonialism. The Decolonization and Indigenization Studies certificate will…

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Last Modified: March 23, 2021

 

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