Canada History Week 2021: Indigenous History Learning Tool

IN THIS ISSUE

WHAT IS CANADA HISTORY WEEK?

PG. 3

INDIGENOUS LEADERS

PG. 4

LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION

PG. 6

CULTURAL CONTINUITY

PG. 8

RECONCILIATION

PG. 10

THE GOVERNOR GENERAL OF CANADA

PG. 12

GOVERNOR GENERAL’S HISTORY AWARDS

PG. 13

Content provided by:

ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᓪᓚᒍᓯᖏᑦ

LITTÉRATURES INUITES INUIT LITERATURES

Imaginaire | Nord

B D C Dictionnaire biographique du Canada www.biographi.ca

Dictionary of Canadian Biography

www.biographi.ca

Photo courtesy Bernard Breton/749253/Dreamstime.com.

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Canada History Week provides all Canadians with the opportunity to learn more about people and events that have shaped the country we know today. WHAT IS CANADA HISTORY WEEK?

• In 2015, the theme was Sport through History, which connected with the Year of Sport in Canada. • In 2016, the theme commemorated the 100th anniversary of some women’s first right to vote in Canada, and great women in Canadian history.

• In 2018, the theme was Science, Creativity and Innovation: Our Canadian Story. • In 2019, the theme was Working for the Future: A Century of Change in How Canadians Work. • In 2020, the theme was Exploring the History of Canada’s Environment and Climate.

Take a look at past themes to learn even more.

• In 2014, Canada History Week had a different theme each day, including Discovering our National Museums, Discovering our Historic Sites, and more.

• In 2017, the theme was Human Rights in Canada:

Challenges and Achievements on the Path to a More Inclusive and Compassionate Society.

CANADA HISTORY WEEK 2021 INDIGENOUS HISTORY: LEARNING ABOUT INDIGENOUS LEADERS, LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION, AND CULTURES

This year, Canada History Week highlights stories of Indigenous leadership, languages, and cultures. The topics covered in this magazine, the videos, and the accompanying learning tool barely begin to scratch the

surface of Indigenous history, but we hope they can be used as a starting point for learning more about diverse histories of Indigenous peoples in Canada. The week will encourage Canadians to reflect upon and

engage with Canada’s past. In doing so, we hope to help Canadians better understand the need for reconciliation in the present, and to encourage us all to work together for a better shared future.

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Post photos, videos, and messages and take part in the discussion using the hashtag #HistoryWeek2021 .

#HISTORYWEEK2021

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INDIGENOUS LEADERS CHIEF JOE CAPILANO (S7ápelek) was a Squamish Nation member and became one of the most influential Indigenous leaders in British Columbia in the late 19th and early 20th century. He is best known as a dedicated campaigner for Indigenous rights and title and an advocate for the retention of Indigenous cultures. Video Scriptwriter & Director: Stefany Mathias is an actor/filmmaker with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of British Columbia in Theatre. Stefany attended the Vancouver Film School for filmmaking. Originally, she began directing to cast herself in her films. However, once she took on the role of director, she began to do it for the passion of storytelling and sharing information.

Video Illustrator: SJ Okemow is a multidisciplinary artist of Nehiyaw and Eastern European descent. Her work and practice have focused on the unseen, using her background in physiology as a gateway into animation and image making. She has a BSc and an MSc, and is currently pursuing her PhD looking at visual aesthetics in medicine.

ELDERS are respected individuals who play key roles in Indigenous communities. They are important knowledge keepers, and they also help to ensure cultural continuity. As living connections to the past, Elders serve as teachers, healers, advisors, and counsellors. Learn more about Indigenous Elders in Canada.

Isadore Charters, an Indigenous artist, Elder, and residential school survivor shared his story with students at Simon Fraser University in 2013. Courtesy Simon Fraser University/Flickr.

Chief Joe Capilano. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

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INDIGENOUS LEADERS

Leadership takes on many forms. Explore the stories of Indigenous leaders in Canadian history.

THELMA CHALIFOUX

RECONSIDERING THE GOLD RUSH

FREDERICK OGILVIE LOFT (ONONDEYOH)

Courtesy NAIT TCI Photo Dept.

When prospectors stampeded into the Klondike, Chief Isaac guided the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in people through a time of turmoil. Chief Isaac ca. 1920. Courtesy Dawson Museum 1984.106.1.

Thelma Chalifoux was the first Métis woman appointed to the Senate of Canada and an ardent advocate for women’s and Indigenous rights.

Courtesy Library and Archives Canada.

The First Nations of Canada owe a great deal to Onondeyoh

(Fred Loft), an early 20th century political visionary.

MARY TWO-AXE EARLEY

LOST GENERATIONS

THE ANISHINAABE WOMAN WHO WALKED FOR WATER RIGHTS

Inuk artist Mary Carpenter reflects on the legacy of residential schools in the Far North. Mary Carpenter, far left, at All Saints Anglican School in Aklavik, Northwest Territories, 1953. Courtesy George Hunter/National Film Board of Canada/Library and Archives Canada.

Mary Two-Axe Earley’s political activism helped to forge a coalition of allies to challenge Canadian laws that discriminated against Indigenous women.

In 2003, Josephine Mandamin began walking around the Great Lakes to raise awareness about water pollution.

Northern Lights over Lake Laberge, Yukon Territory (Stephan Pietzko/17149387/Dreamstime).

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LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION

Video Illustrator: Erin Hill is an artist based in Oakville, Ontario. They are a recent graduate from the illustration program at Sheridan college. They are inspired by the notion of making art that’s fun, and they have a passion for storytelling. They enjoy making motion graphics, animations, and illustrations. tradition, hunting and fishing practices, the Inuktitut language, and northern landscapes. This canon of writing is considered to be an Inuit-specific set of encyclopedias and is still in schools across Nunavik. Her greatest legacy, her highest achievement, lies in her love for all Inuit. MITIARJUK NAPPAALUK was an Inuit author, teacher, and historian. Nappaaluk was best known for writing the first novel in Inuktitut, Sanaaq . She wrote twenty-two books on Inuit

Video Scriptwriter & Co-Director: Dr. Norma Dunning is an Edmonton-based Inuk writer. Her published works are Annie Muktuk and Other Stories , Eskimo Pie: A Poetics of Inuit Identity , and Tainna: The Unseen Ones . Forthcoming is a work of non-fiction releasing in 2022 and a poetry collection titled Akia: The Other Side, releasing in 2023.

INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES As a means of assimilating Indigenous peoples, policies like the Indian Act and Indian Residential Schools forbade the speaking of Indigenous languages (see Genocide and Indigenous Peoples in Canada). These restrictions have led to the ongoing endangerment of Indigenous languages in Canada. In 2016, Statistics Canada reported that for about 40 Indigenous languages in Canada, there are 500 speakers or less. Read more about Indigenous Language Revitalization in Canada.

THE INUIT LITERATURES PROJECT , developed by the International Laboratory for Research on Images of the North, Winter and the Arctic, at the Université du Québec à Montréal, aims to promote knowledge of the Inuit who have written on their culture, their territory, and their vision of the world, to discover their works, and to grasp their perception of history. The trilingual inuit.uqam.ca/en website contains biographies of writers, a presentation of their works, and a cultural chronology taken from these works.

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LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION

THE FUTURE OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES Efforts are underway to revive the endangered languages of Canada’s Indigenous peoples.

A student at Kawenni:io Private School. Courtesy Wendall Simon Hill.

SHAWNADITHIT was one of the prime witnesses to the Beothuk language, the customs of her people, and the events and general condition of the Beothuk in the final years when their numbers had fallen significantly. She was gifted with a pencil and sketch-book, and her drawings (frequently reproduced) are especially valuable.

Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Did you know? Michif is a language spoken by Métis peoples in parts of Canada and the US. Michif is mainly a combination of Cree and French, but the language also borrows from English and other Indigenous languages. It is considered an endangered language.

LEARN MORE about Indigenous languages as well as the tools and programs in place to help support the reclamation, revitalization, maintenance, and strengthening of Indigenous languages in Canada.

Learn more about Indigenous language preservation and revitalization with these videos from Historica Canada.

Jacey Firth-Hagen talks about her complex relationship with her language, Dinjii Zhuh Ginjik, and her language advocacy work through #SpeakGwichintoMe.

This is the story of how Lillian Elias helped many Inuvialuit grow up with a better understanding of their language, who they are, and where they come from.

Jessie Kangok and Janet Evic talk about working on the first radio program in Ottawa by and for Inuit in Inuktitut, as well as urban migration and the importance of language promotion.

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CULTURAL CONTINUITY

PIERRE FALCON worked as a fur trader, farmer, and magistrate, but is best remembered as the author of many poems and ballads that recount the events and experiences of early Métis settlers. Falcon’s ballads were sung on the Prairies by the Métis to the accompaniment of the violin ( crincrin ), and were carried throughout Canada by voyageurs, from the St. Lawrence to the Mackenzie River. Songs would be sung around campfires and in communities as a way to celebrate their victories and remember their leaders. Video Illustrator: Born and raised on the Fishing Lake Métis Settlement, Stephen Gladue specializes in animation and visual effects for film, television, and games. Classically and technically trained, Stephen has made it his career’s mission to contribute to the advancement of Indigenous production, not only as part of it but as a driving force behind it.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MÉTIS HISTORY Manitoba and Canada’s Northwest: Founders and Builders, a special edition of Canadian Issues , recounts the imperial machinations that led to the creation of the province of Manitoba, honours the courage of the founders and builders who defended the rights of the Métis in the Red River Resistance, and highlights the urgent and ongoing need to work towards Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. Video Scriptwriter & Director: Katherena Vermette is a Red River Métis (Michif) writer from Treaty 1 territory, the heart of the Métis Nation. She has worked on poetry, novels, children’s literature, and film. Vermette received the Governor General’s Literary Award for Poetry for her first book, North End Love Songs , and her documentary, This River , won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Short.

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Métis and Canadian flags. Courtesy Dreamstime.com/Jeff Whyte/155370139.

CULTURAL CONTINUITY

HEADWATERS OF THEIR OWN STREAM Michelle LaVallee, Anishinaabe (Ojibway) – Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, chronicles how seven artists formed the Professional Native Indian Artists Inc. to fight for professional respect and political self-determination, battling racism, discrimination, and exclusion.

Courtesy National Gallery of Canada, Mackenzie Art Gallery, Indigenous Art Centre, and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.

THE DANCERS OF DAMELAHAMID are a First Nations dance collective from the Northwest coast of British Columbia, traditional territories of the Gitksan (Gitxsan) nation. They perform dances and songs, many thousands of years old, to ensure that their adwaak or history is remembered, to maintain First Nations identity, and to express their spiritual connection with ancestral knowledge.

Courtesy Raul Pacheco-Vega/Flickr CC.

QANAJUQ was an Inuinnait (Copper Inuit) hunter, seamstress,and singer who helped record the songs of the Inuinnait. Some were apprehensive when asked to sing into the trumpet of the phonograph, but Qanajuq willingly recorded numerous songs.

LIFE ON THE LAND For decades, The Beaver depicted Indigenous societies as primitive peoples in need of “civilization.” In actuality, says Karine Duhamel, Ph.D., who is Anishinaabe-Métis, the magazine’s images reveal vibrant cultures, resilient communities, and crucial new perspectives on the North. Courtesy Canadian Museum of History.

Members of an unidentified Inuit community participate in a tug-of-war competition in a 1934 photo by H. Bassett.

In this condensed life history, WES FINEDAY , Nehiyaw Knowledge Keeper, discusses his resistance to colonial violence and his lifelong work and extensive knowledge of medicines, oral history, and ceremony.

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RECONCILIATION

As the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) says, “there has to be awareness of the past, an acknowledgement of the harm that has been inflicted, atonement for the causes, and action to change behaviour.” The term ‘reconciliation’ has come to describe attempts made by individuals and institutions to raise awareness about colonization and its ongoing effects on Indigenous peoples. In Canada, the process of reconciliation is tied to the federal and provincial governments’

What do Canadians think should be prioritized when it comes to improving relations with Indigenous peoples?

The Association for Canadian Studies asked Leger Marketing to put out an open question to Canadians around reconciliation to determine what we see as priorities. While one in five Canadians say that they don’t know what the priority should be, the responses that came up most frequently are acknowledging past errors, providing clean water, and fighting discrimination. Read the results of the survey here.

relationships with Indigenous peoples. Reconciliation also refers to efforts made to address the damages caused by various policies and programs of colonization, such as residential schools. Read more about Reconciliation in Canada.

• Read the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action, which offer specific ways that Canadian society can help make amends for the injustices experienced by Indigenous peoples.

• Visit the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation website to learn more about the TRC and access resources.

AGOWIGIIWINAN BEZHIG MINAWAA NIIZHIN

Wabi Benais Mistatim Equay (Cynthia Bird) from Peguis First Nation reminds us that commemorating the 150th anniversary of Treaties 1 and 2 gives us all an opportunity to honour our ancestors’ sacred promises to live in peace and share the bounty of the land.

The Winnipeg public art sculpture Mediating the Treaties by Rolande Souliere. Courtesy Winnipeg Arts Council.

Teepee erected on Parliament Hill by members of the Blinding Light Walk - Tiger Lily movement, August 2021 (Dreamstime.com/Paul Mckinnon/227888097).

How can settlers, including newcomers, contribute to reconciliation?

For inspiration, read Dr. Crystal Gail Fraser and Dr. Sara Komarnisky’s “150 Acts of Reconciliation.” 10

Squamish Nation wood carving. (Dreamstime.com/Petrarichli/229630461)

RECONCILIATION RESOURCES

Learn more about Indigenous history in Canada with Historica Canada’s resources.

Indigenous Perspectives Education Guide and Timeline Poster

Voices From Here Video Series and Education Guide

Indigenous Peoples collection on The Canadian Encyclopedia

Residential Schools Education Guide, Podcast Series, and Videos

Some 150,000 Indigenous children were institutionalized at residential schools. An estimated 6,000 children died there. Reflect on the importance of knowing our history with this video from Canada History Week 2017: A New Way Forward.

Learn more with these reconciliation resources from Canada’s History.

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THE GOVERNOR GENERAL OF CANADA HER EXCELLENCY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE MARY MAY SIMON

she was directly involved with the implementation of the agreement, along with the protection and promotion of Inuit rights. Along with fellow Indigenous leaders, Ms. Simon was also actively involved in the negotiations leading to the 1982 patriation of the Canadian Constitution, which formally entrenched Aboriginal and treaty rights in the supreme law of Canada. She later joined the executive council of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference (now the Inuit Circumpolar Council), for which she served two terms as president. In addition, she was commissioner of the Nunavut Implementation Commission and policy co-director of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. From 1994 to 2003, Ms. Simon served as ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs, becoming the first Inuk to hold an ambassadorial position. During this time, she negotiated the creation of the Arctic Council. Concurrently, she served as ambassador of Canada to Denmark from 1999 to 2001. Beginning in 2006, Ms. Simon served two terms as president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. In 2008, in the House of Commons, she delivered a response on behalf of Inuit to the formal apology on residential schools. She is the founder of the Arctic Children and Youth Foundation and, until 2014, she was the chairperson of the National Committee on Inuit Education. In 2017, as the Minister’s Special Representative, Ms. Simon delivered a report to the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs on A new Shared Arctic Leadership Model , setting the stage for important policy and

program development in support of the Arctic and its residents.

Among other distinctions, Ms. Simon is an Officer of the Ordre national du Québec. She is also a recipient of the Governor General’s Northern Medal, the Gold Order of Greenland, the National Aboriginal Achievement Award, the Gold Medal of the Canadian Geographical Society and the Symons Medal. Upon becoming governor general, Ms. Simon was promoted by Her Majesty The Queen as Companion of the Order of Canada (C.C.), and invested as Commander of the Order of Military Merit (C.M.M.) and Commander of the Order of Merit for Police Forces (C.O.M.). Her Majesty The Queen is the Sovereign of these Orders.

Courtesy Sgt Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall © OSGG-BSGG, 2021.

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary May Simon was sworn in on July 26, 2021, as Canada’s first Indigenous governor general. She is the 30th governor general since Confederation. Mary Simon was born on August 21, 1947, in Kangiqsualujjuaq, Nunavik (Quebec), to Nancy May (Angnatuk Askew), her Inuk mother, and Bob Mardon May, her father, who moved to the Arctic to work for the Hudson’s Bay Company. Ms. Simon gained national and international recognition for her work on Arctic and Indigenous issues and for her efforts in advocating for Inuit rights, youth, education and culture. Ms. Simon began her career as a radio broadcaster with the CBC Northern Service (now CBC North) in the 1970s. Following this, she held a series of executive positions with the Northern Quebec Inuit Association (now Makivik Corporation) and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, which centred on negotiating the first land claims agreement in Canada, the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement . As president of Makivik Corporation,

Governor General’s History Awards medals. Courtesy Rideau Hall.

Ms. Simon plays the accordion and loves nature and berry picking. She is anaana (mother) to a daughter and two sons, anaanatsiaq (grandmother) to 12 children and amauq (great grandmother) to four children. She also has three stepchildren from her marriage in 1994 to Mr. Whit Grant Fraser, former head of the Canadian Polar Commission, former executive director of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and a long-time former CBC journalist.

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GOVERNOR GENERAL’S HISTORY AWARDS

Is there someone in your community who is working hard to research, share, and showcase Canadian history? The Governor General’s History Awards celebrate individuals and organizations who champion a deeper understanding of our past. Nominations and applications are accepted year-round in five categories: • Community Programming • Museums • Popular Media • Scholarly Research • Teaching Canada’s National History Society is pleased to administer the Governor General’s History Awards with the support of the Government of Canada and in partnership with the Canadian Historical Association and the Canadian Museums Association.

Maureen Matthews and David Swanson represent Spirit Lines: Manitoba Museum Northern Outreach Project, winner of the 2017 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive! Courtesy MCpl Vincent Carbonneau, Rideau Hall © OSGG, 2017.

Rob Imrie, Sarah Pashagumskum, and Chantal Mianscum represent the Aanischaaukamikw Cree Cultural Institute, winner of the 2018 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive! Courtesy Matea Tuhtar.

Visit CanadasHistory.ca/ApplyGG for more information.

The Promise of the Future: Canada’s first Indigenous Governor General sees history education as the key to unlocking a better future.

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