NAST 209   Indigenous Education

Examines contemporary Indigenous issues through the lens of education. Why were colonial schools established? What was the legacy of colonial schooling? How has reconciliation been sought? How have Indigenous communities responded? Students examine current issues and how they relate to historical processes such as Indigenous epistemologies; the origins, development, decline, and legacy of the federal residential, boarding, and day school system; the meaning of apologies; and the importance of language revitalization. Additionally, students study how Indigenous activists, storytellers, and artists have used colonial mediums to combat colonialism and resist epistemicide: the eradication of Indigenous knowledge. Students use discussion periods to analyze and reflect on their own lives and how their gender, ethnicity, and privilege relates to, contributes to, or challenges, Indigenous issues. Topics/themes include colonization, treaties, justice, truth and reconciliation, Indigenous leadership, and Indigenous resistance.