First recognized in 2009 and celebrated every June since, National Indigenous History Month is a time to honour the cultures, histories, and diversity of Indigenous Nations across Turtle Island (referring to the North American continent). Leading up to National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21st, we invite you to learn and reflect on the many contributions, cultures, languages, and heritage of Indigenous Peoples. Here are the five ways you can get started:
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Learn Indigenous Histories - Not Colonial History
For many years, Canadians have not been taught Indigenous histories and remained largely unaware of them. This became more apparent during the Canada 150 celebrations in 2017 which excluded pre-confederation Indigenous histories from the conversation. In response to this, several universities created free online courses that the public can now take to educate themselves. Here are several self-paced options that you can take to learn more about Indigenous histories and cultures:
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- University of Alberta’s Indigenous Canada Course - this 12-lesson course takes about 21 hours to complete and can be taken at your own pace.
- University of Toronto’s Aboriginal Worldviews and Education Course - this 6-week course takes about 14 hours to complete and has flexible deadlines.
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Learn About Indigenous Cultures and Languages
Did you know that there are over 630 Indigenous Nations with over 70 spoken languages in what is today's Canada? Checkout the below videos to learn introductory phrases in Indigenous languages and listen to different creation stories:
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Learn Whose Land You Are On
Another great way to celebrate is by learning whose Land you are currently residing on. The history of this Land did not start with Canada or its settlers, it started with its original caretakers and you have a responsibility to learn this history. Simply enter your city into the websites below to learn more:
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Become an Ally
Allyship starts with education and reflection. To become an ally, one must first recognize the privilege that comes with being a settler and then work to dismantle it. Whether you are reflecting on how you can be an ally in your personal or professional life, checkout the below toolkit to get started:
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- Indigenous Ally Toolkit created by the Montreal Indigenous Community Network
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Stay in the Know
Social media is great for staying in the know and there are many Indigenous content creators working to educate the public about Indigenous cultures and histories. Here are just a few content creators you should follow:
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- Shina Novalinga - IG: @shinanova
- Sarain Fox - IG: @sarainfox TW: @sarainfox
- Nikita Kahpeaysewat - IG: @nikitaelyse
- Michelle Chubb - IG: @indigenous_baddie
- Scott Wabano - IG: @scottwabano
- Marika Sila - IG: @thatwarriorprincess
- Brett Mosswa - IG: @brettstoise
- James Jones - IG: @notoriouscree
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Want some great reading suggestions to celebrate Indigenous History Month? Checkout the list below:
Checkout the below books by Indigenous authors of Turtle Island! Filled with non-fiction and fiction picks across various genres, this list has something for everyone!
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