Weaving Knowledge Systems Resource Materials

The ACHH Initiative’s ultimate goal is to gather and combine traditional and Western knowledge to better understand how Indigenous children’s pain is experienced, expressed, interpreted, assessed and treated. What began in one Indigenous community (Eskasoni First Nation) expanded to three maritime communities and will now be expanding to additional communities across the country and internationally in the coming years.

Early research findings suggest that a complex mix of factors have led to a cultural divide for First Nations children in pain and non-Indigenous health care providers. We want to help bridge that gap.

Western-based health care professionals use pain measurements like facial expressions and numeric scales which may not be accurate tools for diagnosis and treatment of Indigenous children’s pain. Issues of discrimination and intergenerational trauma (including residential school experiences), as well as a lack of understanding of cultural traditions by health professionals, have added to the problem. [From Website]

In her film Angry Inuk , Inuk director Alethea Arnaquq-Baril joins a new tech-savvy generation of Inuit as they campaign to challenge long-established perceptions of seal hunting. Though most commercial sealing is conducted by Inuit in the Arctic, anti-sealing activism has created a perception of the industry that denies their central role in the sealskin market. To reinsert themselves into the international discussion, these Inuit activists must inconvenience the fundraising campaigns of animal groups by using all the tricks in the social media book, and invent some of their own along the way, like “sealfies.” Seal meat is a staple food for Inuit, and many of the pelts are sold to offset the extraordinary cost of hunting. Inuit are spread across extensive lands and waters, and their tiny population is faced with a disproportionate responsibility for protecting the environment. They are pushing for a sustainable way to take part in the global economy, but in opposition stands an army of well-funded activists and well-meaning celebrities. Arnaquq-Baril and her cameras travel through the Canadian Arctic, giving voice to the people the animal activists rarely bother to meet: the hunters, the craftspeople, the families for whom the seal hunt is a critical part of their livelihood and survival. She follows a group of students to Europe, where they plead the Inuit case before a European Union panel. The film interweaves the reality of Inuit life with the story of their challenge to both the anti-sealing industry and those nations that mine resources on Inuit lands while simultaneously destroying the main sustainable economy available to the people who live there. As one student said, “We need to stop the cultural prejudice that is imposed on us by not being allowed to benefit from our natural surroundings without having to drill into the ground. And that's really all we want as a people. [From NFB]

The Arctic Cycle consists of eight plays that examine the impact of climate change on the eight countries of the Arctic. Sila is the first play. [From Publisher]

Background: The use of storytelling in qualitative research involving Inuit compliments the oral tradition of Inuit culture. The objective of the research was to explore the use of qualitative methods to gain understanding of the experience of living with diabetes, with the ultimate goal of better formulating health care delivery and health promotion among Inuit. Methods : In-depth interviews were analyzed and interpreted using thematic analysis, open coding, and structured narrative analysis. Inuit community members acted as partners through all stages of the research. Results: ‘‘Because the more we understand, the more we’re gonna do a prevention on it … What I want is use my, use my diabetes, what I have … so that it can be used by other people for prevention because they’ll have understanding about it’’ — an Inuk storyteller speaks to the value of education in health promotion. Key methodological issues found relevant to improving qualitative research with Indigenous Peoples include: (i) participatory research methods, grounded in principals of equity, through all phases of research; (ii) the presentation of narratives rather than only interpretations of narratives; (iii) understanding of culture, language, and place to frame the interpretation of the stories in the context within which storytellers experience living with their diabetes, and (iv) the value of multiple methods of analyses. Interpretation: This article comments on the challenges of conducting rigorous research in a cross-cultural setting and outlines methodologies that can improve qualitative narrative analyses research. The research highlighted experiences of living with diabetes and the ways in which storytellers coped and negotiated social support. (Global Health Promotion, 2009; 16 (4): pp. 16—26) [From Author]

Inuit have lived in Canada’s north since time immemorial. The Canadian government’s administration of Inuit affairs, however, has been generally shorter and is less well understood than the federal government’s relations with First Nations and Métis. We hope to correct some of this knowledge imbalance by providing an overview of the federal government’s Inuit policy and program development from first contact to 2006. Topics that are covered by this book include the 1939 Re Eskimo decision that gave Canada constitutional responsibility for Inuit, post World War II acculturation and defence projects, law and justice, sovereignty and relocations, the E-number identification system, Inuit political organizations, comprehensive claim agreements, housing, healthcare, education, economic development, self-government, the environment and urban issues. [From Author]

First Nations, Inuit and Métis have long advocated learning that affirms their own ways of knowing, cultural traditions and values. However, they also desire Western education that can equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to participate in Canadian society. First Nations, Inuit and Métis recognize that “two ways of knowing” will foster the necessary conditions for nurturing healthy, sustainable communities. [From Author]

A variety of different language apps (iTunes and Google Play)

The Inuit Holistic Lifelong Learning Model depicts the linkage between Inuit lifelong learning and community well-being, and can be used as a framework for measuring success in lifelong learning. [From Author]

The Gabriel Dumont Institute is pleased to include the Paul Chartrand Papers on The Virtual Museum of Métis History and Culture. In 2004, Paul graciously donated his papers to the Institute. This collection is very important to the Métis Nation. Paul has spent his entire adult life fighting for Métis rights, as a lawyer, an educator and a community activist. This collection focuses on restoring the Métis’ Aboriginal rights through litigation and social activism. [From Website]

Describes Inuit art from Prehistory to Modern. Click on "view in Zotero" to find document.

7 different religious primers and translations from the early 1990s.

This article outlines the methodological process of a transdisciplinary team of indigenous and nonindigenous individuals, who came together in early 2009 to develop a digital narrative method to engage a remote community in northern Labrador in a research project examining the linkages between climate change and physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being. Desiring to find a method that was locally appropriate and resonant with the narrative wisdom of the community, yet cognizant of the limitations of interview-based narrative research, our team sought to discover an indigenous method that united the digital media with storytelling. Using a case study that illustrates the usage of digital storytelling within an indigenous community, this article will share how digital storytelling can stand as a community-driven methodological strategy that addresses, and moves beyond, the limitations of narrative research and the issues of colonization of research and the Western analytic project. In so doing, this emerging method can preserve and promote indigenous oral wisdom, while engaging community members, developing capacities, and celebrating myriad stories, lived experiences, and lifeworlds. [From Author]

The Grizzlies is an inspiring true story based on a group of Inuit students in the small Arctic town of Kugluktuk. Suffering from widespread drug use, alcohol abuse, domestic violence and one of the highest teen suicide rates in the world, this northern community is periled by the legacy of colonialism. The students are naturally skeptical when Russ Sheppard, yet another ignorant and unprepared white rookie teacher, arrives from the South on a one-year teaching contract. With much to learn, but deeply shaken by the death of one of his students, Russ introduces his class to the sport of lacrosse in an effort to help lift the dangerous fog of trauma existing in his students. While initially resistant, the students gradually come together to embrace the sport, form Team Grizzlies, and find inspiration to make shifts in their own lives. Together with Russ, the team gains the support of a deeply divided town and eventually negotiates its way to the National Lacrosse Championships in Toronto. Despite their ultimate defeat, The Grizzlies discover that success doesn't lie in the outcome of a lacrosse game; but instead, in the spirit of community. [From Publisher]

Études Inuit Studies, a semi-annual scholarly journal, has published since 1977. It is devoted to studying traditional and contemporary Inuit societies from Greenland to Russia from a broad social science and humanities perspective (ethnology, politics, law, archaeology, linguistics, history, etc.). Over the years, the journal has become a central meeting point of a vast scientific communications network open to all disciplines and scientific horizons. Each volume contains articles, book summaries, science information and yearly reviews of doctoral theses and articles that have appeared in other journals. [From Website]

Indigenous knowledge and approaches to health research have historically been marginalized by Western traditions. Efforts to overcome this marginalization by recognizing Indigenous methodologies as a distinctive form of inquiry are gathering momentum. Health research that seeks to establish levels of agreement about disputed or conceptually unclear subjects frequently relies on consensus methods. Aajiiqatigiingniq is a principle of cultural knowledge and a consensus decision-making approach among Inuit in the Canadian Arctic. We used group meetings and individual interviews involving Inuit elders and other senior community members in Arviat, Nunavut, to explore and describe aajiiqatigiingniq as an appropriate and ethical methodology in qualitative health research. Findings reveal a systematic but apparently informal approach focused on sustained individual and community well-being. Consensus is achieved through the successive addition of group members, respectful communication, mainly narrative discourse, subjective personal engagement, and an unhurried meeting style. While previous research has used Western consensus methods to embed Inuit knowledge in health research, this study provides a first descriptive account of a wholly Inuit consensus methodology. [From Author]

The past several years have seen significant progress in addressing the challenges of Aboriginal education, but it is clear that more must be done. It will take a multi-pronged approach, which includes targeted educational and social supports (within and beyond the school), to close current knowledge, resource and achievement gaps. It will also require sustained efforts to ensure that Aboriginal students learn, together with their classmates, about their shared histories and cultures. [From Publisher]

The Inuit Child First Initiative ensures Inuit children have access to the essential government funded health, social and educational products, services and supports they need, when they need them. [From Website]

The relationship between intellectual property (IP) and the protection of Indigenous knowledge and cultural expressions is complex and challenging. The following is intended to provide an overview to stimulate and inform broader policy discussions in Canada. [From Website]

‘Indigenous peoples' is a collective name for the original peoples of North America and their descendants. Often, ‘Aboriginal peoples' is also used.

The Canadian Constitution recognizes three groups of Aboriginal peoples: Indians (more commonly referred to as First Nations), Inuit and Métis. These are three distinct peoples with unique histories, languages, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs.

More than 1.67 million people in Canada identify themselves as an Aboriginal person, according to the 2016 Census. Aboriginal peoples are:
--the fastest growing population in Canada – grew by 42.5% between 2006 and 2016
--the youngest population in Canada – about 44% were under the age of 25 in 2016 [From Website]

Community led planning is necessary for Inuit to self-determine on their lands and to ensure the preservation of cultural landscapes and the sustainability of social-ecological systems that they are a part of. The sustainability efforts of three Inuit communities in Labrador during a Community Governance and Sustainability Initiative were guided by a decolonized and strength-based planning framework, including the values of Inuit in this study. This paper demonstrates that Inuit led planning efforts can strengthen community sustainability planning interests and potential. We situate the experiences of NunatuKavut Inuit within, and contribute to, the existing body of scholarly decolonization and sustainability literature. For many Indigenous people, including Inuit, decolonization is connected to inherent rights to self-determination. The findings suggest that decolonizing efforts must be understood and actualized within an Indigenous led research and sustainability planning paradigm that facilitates autonomous decision making and that is place based. Further, this study illustrates five predominant results regarding Inuit in planning for community sustainability that support sustainable self-determination. These include: inter and cross community sharing; identification of community strengths; strengthened community capacity; re-connection to community and culture; and the possibility for identification of sustainability goals to begin implementation through community led governance and planning processes. [From Author]

In 2005, the Council of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) set the following goal (3.4) for the Strategic Directions:

“To work toward improving the health status of Aboriginal Canadians”.

In pursuit of that objective, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada entered into a contribution agreement with Health Canada–First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) which supported the establishment of the Advisory Committee on Improving the Health of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples Through Enhancements to Postgraduate and Continuing Medical Educational Programming. [From Author]

Provides an overview of trends in Inuit communities between 1981 and 2016. [From Website]

This fact sheet provides a brief overview of existing
guidelines for research involving Inuit, and lists several relevant documents for further information. [From Author]

Inuit are an original people of the land now known as Canada, and our history represents an important and fascinating story. It is not just a story about an early chapter of Canadian history. Indeed it is an epic tale in the history of human settlement and the endurance of culture. [From Author]

The term research invokes strong reactions among Inuit because researchers have historically been and continue to be the primary beneficiaries of research involving our people, wildlife, and environment. While we recognize the important role research can play in informing actions that create safer, healthier, and more resilient communities, Inuit from across Inuit Nunangat have long insisted that researchers and research institutions respect Inuit self determination in research through partnerships that enhance the efficacy, impact, and usefulness of research. [From Author]

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami works to improve the health and wellbeing of Inuit in Canada through research, advocacy, public outreach and education. [From Website]

This guide is about research relationships. It looks at ways you and your community can decide how research is done in your area, and how you can be involved. This guide will explain your legal rights when it comes to research, and suggest ways you can work with researchers to make sure your individual rights are protected and that you and your community’s concerns are respected by researchers. The guide will help you to:

Understand what research is.
Understand what your rights are when someone wants to involve you in research.
Learn the rules and ethics researchers should follow.
Get ideas on how you can participate in and influence research.
Work with your community to set up research contracts outlining how research should be done. [From Website]

In recent years a new lexicon has emerged in the world of research, as terms such as “translating research,” knowledge translation,” “knowledge exchange,” and “knowledge sharing” have become increasingly
part of the language of health research planning and execution. The incorporation of these concepts into research activities represents a major step forward in the development of community/researcher partnerships and in the integration of research evidence into health policy and practice (Bowen & Martens, 2005). This is particularly true for research conducted with Aboriginal communities. [From Author]

Tells the stories of eight Inuit Residential School Survivors presented in their own words and illustrated with personal and historical photographs, including their memories of childhood and their experiences of school, the struggles they have already overcome and the challenges they still face today. [From Website]

Offered between 2006 and 2009 and graduating 21 Inuit candidates, the Nunavut Master of Education program was a collaborative effort made to address the erosion of Inuit leadership in the K-12 school system after the creation of Nunavut, Canada’s newest territory, in 1999. Delivered to a large extent in short, intensive, face-to-face courses, the program also made extensive use of online supports. This paper outlines the design challenges – geographical, technological, pedagogical, and cultural – that faced the development and delivery of the online portion of the program. It highlights the intersection of the design decisions with the decolonizing principles that framed the program as a whole, the various and varying roles played by the online environment over the course of the program, and the program’s contribution to student success. [From Website]

Education is stated as the number one priority of the Government of Nunavut’s Sivumiut Abluqta mandate. The Nunavut education system is seen by many as failing to provide Inuit with the promise of supporting Inuit economic and social well-being. Today in Nunavut, there is a growing awareness of the effects of past colonialist polices and the need for individual and group healing. However, within the current education reforms, there is little discourse that reflects this colonialist history and how it continues to shape education in Nunavut. [From Author]

This article narrates the history of state-organized adult education in the Central Arctic (Kitikmeot region) from the 1950s through the early 1990s. Prior to 1960, little formal adult education was delivered in the region, as relationships between Inuit and Euro-Canadians centred on the exchange of fox furs for external products. In the 1960s and 1970s, adult programs focused on housing, education, literacy, and home management, teaching groups of Inuit how to live in the permanent settlements that had recently been constructed by the federal government. In the 1980s, adult programs focused on employment preparation and life skills, moulding individual Inuit into employable citizens. This article addresses an important silence in existing scholarship regarding Canadian educational history, and sheds light upon the evolving priorities of Euro-Canadian colonizers in the Arctic; whether for purposes of territorial sovereignty or human resource development, adult education served as an important medium for the communication of colonial messages. [From Author]

The Inuit Bachelor of Education (IBED) and the associated Inuktitut language training, developed by the Nunatsiavut Government, has been an opportunity to explore the relationships between cultural identity and learning an Indigenous heritage language as a second language. Language holds the collective knowledge of a group and cultural identity is one’s own perception of connection to the group. A group of preservice teachers are being interviewed twice a year for three years. This study uses narrative methods to give voice to the pre-service teachers’ experiences through their personal stories of learning Inuktitut. The narratives thus far reflect how language learning may contribute to an increased awareness of, and connection to, one’s Indigenous group. The strengthening of cultural identity can enhance wellbeing, which has implications for the learning of these pre-service teachers and the impact on their future students. This is a preliminary report from the on-going research. [From Author]

First Nations, Inuit and Métis populations in Canada suffer from a variety of health disparities, including higher rates of infant mortality, higher rates of diabetes and other chronic diseases, greater prevalence of tuberculosis and other communicable diseases, as well as a short life expectancy compared to non-Aboriginal Canadians. Public health experts, community health workers and health care providers are trying to reduce Aboriginal health disparities through research, programs and services. As part of this effort, a group of researchers from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States have proposed the development of a set of core competencies for Aboriginal public health. Together, they have established a collaboration called CIPHER: Competencies for Indigenous Public Health, Evaluation and Research. [From Author]

This project is the culmination of work done over the past two and a half years by 13 members of OSSTF/FEESO, most of whom are First Nation or Métis, or work extensively with Aboriginal students.

The lessons are designed to be implemented in a range of courses, such as civics, history, social sciences, English, geography, business, careers, physical education and science. The resource has been produced as a PDF file on CD with an accompanying video on DVD. Although the lessons are intended for use with high school curricula, the video and activity sheet may be of use to all Federation members who work with students. [From Website]

This booklet is an introduction to the linguistic study of the Indigenous languages spoken in Canada. The following topics are covered:
approaching the study of Indigenous languages from an informed and respectful perspective.
the geographical distribution of Indigenous languages in Canada. some notable structural properties of Indigenous languages.
the writing systems used for Indigenous languages. the effects of contact between Indigenous and non-Indigenous languages.
the current vitality of Indigenous languages in Canada. [From Website]

Funny? What's so funny about white people, otherwise known as Qallunaat to the Inuit? Well, among other curious behaviours, Qallunaat ritualistically greet each other with inane salutations, repress natural bodily functions, complain a lot about being cold, and seem to want to dominate the world. This docucomedy is collaboration between filmmaker Mark Sandiford and Inuit writer and satirist, Zebedee Nungak. Zebedee is CEO and head researcher of the mythical Qallunaat Studies Institute (QSI). According to Nungak, "Qallunaat ought to be the object of some kind of study by other cultures. The more I thought about the way they have studied us over the years it occured to me, why don't we study them?" In its use of archival clips, Why White People Are Funny pokes as much fun at the illustrious history of NFB documentaries as it does at society in the south. Of course, well before the NFB came into existence, and at least as early as the classic 1922 feature "Nanook of the North," white society has been fascinated with native subjects, studying them as exotic specimens, documenting their cultural and social behaviours. That tendency to frame a world of Eskimo "others" dominated both film Why White People Are Funny brings the documentary form to an unexpected place. Those who were holding the mirror up to Inuit culture finally have it turned back on themselves. The result is not always pretty, but it sure is amusing. From the Inuit point of view, visitors from the south are nothing less than "accidents waiting to happen." Filmmaker Mark Sandiford's extended time in the Arctic has resulted in a fresh and long overdue "study" of Qallunaat from the Inuit point of view. Not surprisingly, these "Qallunologists" find the ways of white culture a bit peculiar. Consider their odd dating habits, lame attempts at arctic exploration, their overbearing bureaucrats, need for Police, and curious obsession with owning property. Why White People Are Funny is a humbling portrait of what it must feel like to be the object of the white man's gaze. Fresh and orginal, this documentary has that rare ability to educate with wit. [From NFB]

To acquire an understanding of the pathways of health information dissemination and use by Indigenous community members, the researchers applied an Indigenous participatory action research approach in partnership with one urban Inuit, one urban Métis, and one semirural First Nations community in Ontario, Canada. A descriptive community case study was conducted in each community through the use of focus groups, key informant interviews, and document inquiry. Results were corroborated by the communities. Each of the three community consultations generated distinct and striking data about health information sources and dissemination strategies; decision-making processes; locally relevant concepts of health, local health services, and programs; community structures; and mechanisms of interface with noncommunity systems. In addition, several crosscutting themes were identified. The participatory research approach successfully engaged community partners. These findings support the hypothesis that understanding local Indigenous processes of knowledge creation, dissemination, and utilization is a necessary prerequisite to effective knowledge translation in Indigenous contexts. [From Author]

This infographic series is a partnership project between Statistics Canada and Indigenous Services Canada. The infographics are available for various geographic areas including: Canada, provinces (on-reserve), territories, First Nation/Indian band or Tribal Council areas, Inuit regions, Métis settlements and select census subdivisions.

Select a geography of interest to access the infographic for that geography. [From Website]

A large collection profiles, key indicators of various topics including education, health, language, income and more.

There are still no major assessment and diagnostic tools that educators can use to properly assess our Inuit students’ learning. Cultural safety as it is currently defined in New Zealand educational research is necessary in creating a classroom community that encourages the appreciation of culture and worldview, and ultimately enables success as defined by the culture and community of the students. Modern day assessment tools used with Inuit students must also conform to this standard of cultural safety in order to ensure the equity and authenticity of the assessment results. There is a need for ongoing research and development of culturally safe assessment tools. To date, recommendations that include collaboration with local populations, evaluation of the tools presently being used, and the due diligence of ensuring these tools are culturally unbiased are a few guidelines that have the potential of creating culturally safe assessments that portray students’ true learning abilities and assist both teacher and community in the support of their students’ learning and success. [From Author]

The Introduction of the Residential School System in the Canadian Arctic and Subarctic. The Aboriginal Healing Foundation defines residential schools as, “the Residential School System in Canada, attended by Aboriginal students. It may include industrial schools, boarding schools, homes for students, hostels, billets, residential schools, residential schools with a majority of day students, or a combination of any of the above.” For Inuit peoples, residential schools also included tent camps. The purpose of residential schools was to assimilate Aboriginal peoples into the dominant colonial culture by removing children from the care of their parents and community, placing them in institutions far from their homes, teaching them Christian and European ideologies, and prohibiting them from speaking their Indigenous languages or practicing their culture. [From Author]

Between 1867 and 2000, the Canadian government sent over 150,000 Aboriginal children to residential schools across the country. Government officials and missionaries agreed that in order to “civilize and Christianize” Aboriginal children, it was necessary to separate them from their parents and their home communities.

For children, life in these schools was lonely and alien. Discipline was harsh, and daily life was highly regimented. Aboriginal languages and cultures were denigrated and suppressed. Education and technical training too often gave way to the drudgery of doing the chores necessary to make the schools self-sustaining. Child neglect was institutionalized, and the lack of supervision created situations where students were prey to sexual and physical abusers. [From Publisher]

Page numbers in italics refer to graphs, illustrations, or tables. Residential schools are indexed under their geographic location, as listed in the Truth and Reconciliation Report, volume 4, Canada’s Residential Schools: Missing Children and Unmarked Burials, Appendix 1.1 and 1.2, 141–151. Variations on similar names of people have in some cases been grouped together under one heading. When this has been done, all variations are represented in the heading [From Author]

Online resources for K - 7 social studies curriculum including local Sto:lo resources.

Delgamuukw. Sixties Scoop. Bill C-31. Blood quantum. Appropriation. Two-Spirit. Tsilhqot'in. Status. TRC. RCAP. FNPOA. Pass and permit. Numbered Treaties. Terra nullius. The Great Peace... Are you familiar with the terms listed above? In Indigenous Writes, Chelsea Vowel, legal scholar, teacher, and intellectual, opens an important dialogue about these (and more) concepts and the wider social beliefs associated with the relationship between Indigenous peoples and Canada. In 31 essays, Chelsea explores the Indigenous experience from the time of contact to the present, through five categories--Terminology of Relationships; Culture and Identity; Myth-Busting; State Violence; and Land, Learning, Law, and Treaties. She answers the questions that many people have on these topics to spark further conversations at home, in the classroom, and in the larger community. Indigenous Writes is one title in The Debwe Series. [From Publisher]

If your understanding of the Inuit and Inuit culture came from films like Nanook of the North, it’s time to update your references. You might want to start with Becky Qilavvaq’s 2012 short film starring Anguti Johnson called Feel the Inukness. The video features Anguti flipping through various songs on his iPod before settling on a rousing jig, which has him dancing all around Iqaluit in a whole-body jigging style very specific to the North. The video went viral and, among my Inuit students in particular, it got heavy play for many months. While the video is sure to have you giggling, Qilavvaq pointed out in an interview that the video is more than just something to make you laugh. “It’s about being ourselves and embracing who we are,” she said. [From Author]

The U.K.-based fashion label KTZ's fall 2015 men's collection includes a number of garments based on traditional Inuit designs and a sweater that appears to be a replica of a shaman's jacket, which a Nunavut woman says was used without her family's consent. [From Author]