ExploreSesqui.ca

2. HEARING AND EXPLORING INDIGENOUS VOICES

Indigenous cultures and practices are represented throughout Horizon . Some examples include dancing, carving, singing, dogsledding, and canoeing. At various points in Canadian history, some of these practices were eagerly adopted by non-Indigenous peoples while others were denigrated and/or officially banned by governments. • Working in small groups, identify key scenes in the film where Indigenous culture is featured. • Choose one of these scenes and do research on its history and any efforts to preserve the traditional practice depicted by using The Canadian Encyclopedia . • Share your findings with the class. NOTE TO TEACHERS: REFER TO THE “ HORIZON SHOT LIST” AT EXPLORESESQUI.CA IF YOUR CLASS STRUGGLES TO IDENTIFY PARTICULAR SCENES. The 150th anniversary of confederation has prompted widespread celebration. However, many Canadians have a complicated relationship with the sesquicentenary celebration. Many Indigenous peoples, who are still living under the legacy of colonialism, view the sesquicentenary more as an opportunity for reflection than celebration. Through meaningful discussion, the sesquicentenary has the potential to serve as a pathway toward reconciliation. • Begin by researching some Indigenous responses to Canada 150 using online news websites. • As a class or in small groups, discuss how various Indigenous groups are responding to the sesquicentennial year. What specific historical issues have been raised? • How does Horizon contribute to this discussion, if at all? Why do you think the filmmakers chose to represent Indigenous peoples and cultures in the way they did? Extension Activity 1:

For additional classroom resources on Indigenous history in Canada, download the Treaties in Canada and Residential Schools in Canada Education Guides and watch their accompanying Heritage Minutes at: TEACHINDIGENOUSHISTORY.CA

Extension Activity 2:

Explore the Indigenous Arts & Stories Collection at: WWW.OUR-STORY.CA/EXPLORE View winning photographs, paintings, and poems and read the Author’s Statements to learn about what young Indigenous artists and writers are exploring.

For more senior classes, teachers may wish to ask their students to address some of the concerns and calls to action of the ground-breaking 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Report. Among this document’s many recommendations was a call for an effort to “[build] student capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect.” Do you think the film supports this TRC goal? What can you do in your community or in your personal life to support the calls to action? How can you be an advocate for reconciliation?

Haida Carver Christian White’s Carving Shed (courtesy SESQUI, Inc.)

Caribana parade (Dreamstime.com/Andrei Tselichtchev/ 15388583)

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