During the summer, I had the opportunity to attend Indigenous Cultural Acumen Training which was warmly hosted in the Ceremonial Hall of the First Peoples’ House by Rob Hancock (Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology) and Robina Thomas (Associate Professor, School of Social Work). After participating in the ConnectU session on supporting the work of reconciliation, I felt motivated to continue to explore Indigenous cultural history in Canada and deepen my understanding of this important conversation.
This training provided participants with pre- and post-workshop content to support the exploration of Canada’s colonial history. Participants were encouraged to reflect on the impact of what they learned before, during, and after the session and consider what their next step would be on the important path of reconciliation.
Some key takeaways of the training for me were:
1. Focus on the next thing you can do. Often when we learn about something difficult and complex, like Canada’s history with its Indigenous populations, we want to stop learning or asking questions because there is so much to understand. It can seem daunting to absorb all of the information that is becoming available to us. Robina and Rob encouraged ICAT participants to focus on the “next thing” rather than the “whole thing” when it comes to this learning. Can you start a conversation about what you’ve learned with a friend or colleague? Can you try an acknowledgement at your next meeting? What is one thing you can do next to support the important work of Truth and Reconciliation?
2. The importance of territory acknowledgement. Whether you are at home, at work, or on the road, consider those who occupied the land before you. Ask folks you meet questions to learn if there are people in the room that once carried, or continue to carry, a connection with the land on which you’re working. Examining our past in this way promotes respect for the lands we use, the people that have come before us, and understanding about the complex connections that can persist.
3. Detect and fill in your learning gaps. It can be tough to admit we don’t know about a subject, especially when new information is emerging all the time as it is with Canada’s Indigenous history. We are lucky to live in an age of easily-accessible information and approaching this subject matter with curiosity can help. Ask yourself, how do you know what you know about Indigenous history? What more can you learn about Canada’s colonial policies and practices?
4. Explore how to work across differences. We all have our own personal stories and experiences and these can colour our current perception of the world around us. Take a moment to ponder any assumptions you carry. How might they be impacting your work? What can you do to work across differences? In addition, you can reflect on how you frame differences; do you frame differences as positive or negative? Do you see differences in access or agency, or do you see impairments?
5. Support indigenous student success. Learn about the resources we offer on campus to indigenous students and the community; there are many areas of campus committed to this work. If you would like to be more involved in this support, explore the work already being done and see how you can be a part of it.
Above all, be authentic! Whether in your acknowledgement or in your pursuit of deeper understanding of Indigenous Affairs: bring good feelings in to the work you do.