RESOURCES
No one has a perfect knowledge of anything, and we at QCIR believe that one of the most powerful tools of Reconciliation is unlearning and relearning in a decolonialized manner. Scroll through some of the resources below to learn more about Reconciliation and Indigenous history across what is now known as Canada, and suggest some of your own resources in the comment box at the end of the page.
General Resources
Native-land.ca is an excellent resource for those who are looking to learn more about the land that they currently occupy or call home. Search for the colonial name of where you are, and the map will find the location, show the territory map overlays, and list whose territory you are on. More information about the land is available through direct links on the site itself.
The #Next150Challenge is a call to action for everyone living in so-called Canada to learn more about the land and history that they are currently living on. Join the challenge and receive daily learning prompts and challenges, or peruse the website to find out more about Reconciliation efforts.
If you have not already done so, we highly encourage everyone who visits this page to read through the TRC's 94 calls to action, if not the whole report itself. We urge you to read up on where it is we as a colonizer nation need to improve.
In the same vein as the TRC calls to action and final report, we also encourage our audience to read through the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples - and to make your own assessments on where Canada may be falling short.
Learn the history and importance of Onondaga and Haudenosaunee wampum, and then head over to the Law Building to check out
Watch this short video on Indigenous Economic Reconciliation to gain an overview of insights into the how, why, and what of economic Reconciliation and building Indigenous economic resilience.
This slightly longer video talks broadly about Indigenous economic history, the TRC call to action #92 (business), and where we go next.
In March 2018, CBC News launched Beyond 94, a website that monitors progress on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action. Explore this interactive site to learn about the tangible progress on TRC initiatives in Canada.
Indigenous Canada is a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) from the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Native Studies that explores Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada. This course – which anyone can take free or can choose to pay a fee to receive a certificate – explores key issues facing Indigenous peoples today from a historical and critical perspective.
This 45-60 minute course is designed for students who will be engaging in cross-cultural environments and relations, whether that be global opportunities, or visiting a conference outside of their home area.
Explore a set of courses mainly geared towards university faculty and staff which focus on power dynamics and conversation tactics. Each course requires a minimum of 30 minutes.
Books
Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer
Submission by Meghan Norris
Braiding Sweetgrass is a truly amazing book that integrates Indigenous Knowledge with Western science, making explicit the critical impact of Indigenous Knowledge in terms of biology and nature. Elder Albert Marshall has also done amazing work in the context of Two-Eyed Seeing in science. Both have fundamentally changed how I view science, and I believe are great resources for anyone, not just those interested in science. Thanks for gathering these! Meghan :)
21 Things You May Not Have Known About the Indian Act, Bob Joseph
Look to this book to lean about the Indian Act and its implications on generations of Indigenous people in what is currently known as Canada, and how communities can and are returning to self-government and self-determination
A National Crime, John S Milloy
Read about the Canadian Government and their role in the Indigenous Residential "School" system using previously unreleased government documents.
A Clan Mother's Call, Jeanetter Rodriguez
Jeanetter Rodriguez's A Clan Mother's Call articulates the way that Haudenosaunee cultural memory is being reconstituted and reinvigorated, pulling on lessons from Indigenous communitied from around the world.
There's Something in the Water, Inbrid RG Waldron
Using Political Ecology and Environmental Justice theories, Inbrid RG Waldron examines in this book the history and present cases of environmental racism in what is currently Canada and the implications of that racism on Indigenous and Black communities.
Racialized Policing, Elizabeth Comack
Recognizing the limitations of examining racism in individual encounters with police, Comack broadens her lens to examine how institutional and systemic practices and prejudices continue racist policing and profiling in our justice system.
Resources
for Allies
First Contact takes six Canadians, all with stereotypical opinions about Indigenous People, on a unique 28-day exploration of Indigenous Canada. It is a journey that will turn their lives upside down, challenging their perceptions and confronting their prejudices about a world they never imagined.
Resources for Indigenous People
The Office of Indigenous Initiatives is the central resource on Queen's Campus for Indigenous students, faculty, and allies. Find events, support, and Indigenous spaces through these portals.
A two minute and 55 second video by Senator Murray Sinclair, Chief Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission outlines the basics of Reconciliation to start you on your journey of learning and unlearning.
Scroll this resource of Indigenous initiatives from Canada Helps, and find the next organization you'll donate to.
Find all the spaces on campus dedicated for Indigenous students and faculty.
The Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre (4D) is open and committed to being of service to Indigenous Students here at Queen's University. Hang out, participate in events, or do a little laundry!
Use the online chat function or call the wellness line for immediate mental health support for Indigenous people across Canada.
Films and Podcasts
We are currently working on our media library. Have a podcast, book, artist, or song to suggest, scroll to the next section, and let us know about it!
An Indigenous podcast about warrior life – a lifestyle that focuses on decolonizing Indigenous peoples’ minds, bodies and spirits while at the same time revitalizing their cultures, traditions, laws and governing practices.
Indigenous 150+ is dedicated to celebrating the voice of Indigenous Peoples across so-called Canada with both a podcast and film series.
This drama is a book to film adaptation and depicts life at a Residential "School", from the moment a child was taken from their community or family.
This award-winning documentary examines Inuit seal hunting, and how a new generation of Inuit youth are challenging prejedices against the practice.