The Jewish Federation of Ottawa has put together this list of resources, intended to be used on Sept. 30, the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
We encourage you to take time this day to reflect, educate yourself and honour the work of the Indigenous Peoples, on whose land we live.
Informative links to read
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/DRIPS_en.pdf
The final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls: https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/final-report/
With children, read Spirit Bear: Honoring Memories, Planting Dreams. You can download a free e-book: https://fncaringsociety.com/spirit-bear/books-and-learning-guides
Another family-oriented book to read is Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox, which is a children’s introduction to totem animals: https://houseofanansi.com/products/sometimes-i-feel-like-a-fox
Understanding the land where we live
Land is something sacred to everyone — it is the space upon which we play, live, eat, find love, and experience life. For many of us, we call the land where we live by colonial names, adapted over time. There are Indigenous names for the land. Head to native-land.ca and put in your location to see where you live.
Paths to Reconciliation
There are residential schools you’ve likely never heard of, as they were not formally recognized in the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement — because they were opened either before or after the timelines of the agreement or were run by provinces or organizations not included. Paths to Reconciliation, from Canadian Geographic, covers the history of those schools and shares testimonials from survivors.
Pathstoreconciliation.canadiangeographic.ca
Apps to try
Search for all or any of these in your phone or tablet app store.
Whose Land: Similar to Native-Land, but in app form.
APTN lumi: The streaming service of APTN, the national Indigenous broadcaster
Indigenous Reconciliation: Designed for public servants, but useful to learn the distinctions between First Nations, Inuit and Metis.
Sprig Library: For children/early readers, this is a series of interactive books that follow animal characters as they learn about Indigenous ways.
Listen, learn and enjoy
Unreserved is the radio space for Indigenous community, culture, and conversation. Host Rosanna Deerchild takes you straight into Indigenous Canada, from Halifax to Haida Gwaii, from Shamattawa to Ottawa, introducing listeners to the storytellers, culture makers and community shakers from across the country.
https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-105-unreserved
Videos to watch
Growing up in Cities (Canada) - Beneath the Surface: Native Roots in the City (Redwire)
This video was created by Redwire Native Youth Media as part of the Growing Up in Cities (Canada). The video was focused on the challenges faced by urban aboriginal youth, and the solutions youth themselves are finding to those challenges.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYw1_d7LEDc
I’m Not the Indian You Had in Mind
A video exploration offering insight as to how First Nations people today are changing old ideas and empowering themselves in the greater community.https://nsi-canada.ca/2012/03/im-not-the-indian-you-had-in-mind/Want to go further?
Indigenous Canada is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) from the Faculty of Native Studies that explores Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada.
From an Indigenous perspective, this course explores key issues facing Indigenous peoples today from a historical and critical perspective highlighting national and local Indigenous-settler relations.
You can take this course for free online through the University of Alberta: https://www.ualberta.ca/admissions-programs/online-courses/indigenous-canada/index.html