History of the project
This site was born from the meeting of the Histoire au Canada. Perspectives des Premiers Peuples / History in Canada. First People Perspectives project and First Peoples Confluence.
History of the project Histoire au Canada. Perspectives des Premiers Peuples / History in Canada. First People Perspectives and First Peoples Confluence (since 2017)
A preliminary phase of the History in Canada. First Peoples Perspective project was undertaken in 2017-2018 to identify the needs of the various partners.
A survey was first launched in the education community - professors in the Humanities program in the college system and staff in indigenous school systems - in order to identify the needs for the integration of indigenous perspectives in courses. The exercise also provided an overview of teaching practices and confirmed the need for teacher training and the lack of teaching materials, particularly in French. The indigenous community expressed the need to preserve and control historical content and its transmission, as well as the need to know the history of other First Peoples around the world.
This preliminary stage also aimed to draw up an inventory of the various resources available (existing written and oral sources - identification of places of conservation, data banks, documentation, identification of "living memories" - Elders, bearers of knowledge - written or audiovisual archives to approach history from the perspectives of the First Peoples. The research was carried out by members of the communities in most of the nations located on the territory known today as the province of Quebec. Non-indigenous researchers focused on regional archives.
At the end of this first phase, in 2018, a reference tool compiling all the data collected was developed and made available on the web to the entire education network.
Thereafter, from 2019 to 2022, several phases of research and data collection were undertaken by members of the First Peoples to share their stories and perspectives. A symposium: Bâtir des liens : Mobiliser les histoires autochtones pour le changement social. Building Connections : Mobilizing Indigenous Histories for Social Change was developed in partnership with the University of Ottawa's Institute for Indigenous Research and Studies. Workshops on Indigenous pedagogy were presented, via video-conference, throughout the Fall and Winter 2021-2022 semesters.
During the year 2021, the partners of the Histoire au Canada. Perspectives des Premiers Peuples. History in Canada. First People Perspectives project had to adapt the initiative to new constraints related to, among other things, containment, and distancing. While keeping its vision and fundamental objectives, the project has been transformed in its governance and working methods to ensure its sustainability and usefulness.
Examples of other projects by Anishinabeg communities and Cégep de l'Outaouais teachers
The Histoire au Canada. Perspectives des Premiers Peuples. History in Canada. First People Perspectives is a continuation of many projects developed over the years by Anishinabeg communities and Cégep de l'Outaouais teachers to share their perspectives and stories. Here are a few examples.
Student internships: From 1993 to 1998, training courses set up with the communities of Kuujuaraapik-Wapmaguustui and Chisasibi allowed students to become aware of the realities and achievements of First Peoples and be open to other ways of doing things.
Niganenakwemin : Nous défendrons, We will defend : This evolutive exhibition on the culture and history of the First Peoples was set up in 2016-2017. In order to do so, a reflection was undertaken with Elders and members of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation in order to propose a new angle for a permanent exhibition site dedicated to the First Peoples. This exhibition room has since become both a training tool for professors in the various cégep programs and a meeting and gathering space for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. Kopiwadan.ca is the educational website attached to the exhibition space that ensures the dissemination of the elements developed jointly with members of the Anishinabeg communities, the participation of professors and students from various pre-university and technical programs, the production of didactic documents prepared with Elders and partners in Indigenous education, various educational resources, testimonies, and student work.
Thematic modules in Techniques policières and Techniques infirmières: These tools were developed in 2018 for student training with the help of members of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabe community - nurses, students, members of the police force, elders - and professors and students in the Techniques Multimedia program. Several themes were discussed, including intervention methods in Indigenous contexts, cultural awareness and the perceptions and testimonies of community members.
Training workshops and thematic days for professors and professionals: These training workshops given by members of the Indigenous communities (Blanket workshop, pedagogical days) allow for the development of intervention methods adapted to Indigenous cultures and thus better supervise, support, and accompany First Peoples students throughout their studies. The theme days - guest speakers / testimonies, cultural and artistic activities, etc. - are opportunities for students, staff members and members of the Indigenous communities to get to know and understand each other better in order to build bonds of respect, eliminate prejudice and “live well together.” An Indigenous edible and medicinal herb garden has also been set up and is involved in the training of biology students. Since 2018, an indigenous liaison officer has accompanied students from various nations in their college journey.
An innovative, participatory and respectful approach
First Peoples Confluence is the name of this new collection platform, thanks to the Omeka platform. Better adapted to remote work, it also allows for the participation of a greater number of partners while respecting the autonomy of each and every one and the ethics of knowledge use. Indeed, the participants can decide and control themselves the contents to be archived and the exhibitions to be put forward, according to the needs of families and communities as well as teachers and researchers. If the project has become more complex in its membership, it has become simpler in its working process. We can now include different indigenous people and communities to share their own stories and teachings.