It’s in the blood: theory and praxis of lifelong Indigenous education

ABSTRACT

Through the voice of a Metis educator, this work addresses the foundations of an Indigenous lifelong education. Lived experiences connect with unfolding personal narrative to demonstrate the ancient flow of Indigenous knowledge, and the continuity and expression of Indigenous being. The narratives implicitly references connections and relationships between people and land as vitally necessary for Indigenous learning and the survival of Indigenous peoples as distinct and whole human individuals and collectives. The concept of ‘blood memory’ is presented as foundational to the narrative and repositions a content that might otherwise align closely with readily accessible and acknowledged renewal within   Indigenous education. This work does not speak from within the theoretical canons of education and schooling as these are upheld, adhered to, and promoted by Western intellectual traditions of knowledge. It offers analytical, critical thinking derived from the lived experiences and acquired learning of an Indigenous educator. The narratives demonstrate that lifelong learning is gifted and accepted through intentional individual and collective participation within a flow of knowledge transmission and transformation grounded upon generations of ancestral research in the development, validation, sharing, practice, and renewal of praxes that support everyday living and dying.

KEYWORDS:

• Indigenous education
• indigenous knowledge
• indigenous lifelong education
• indigenous blood memory

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Although not the focus of this work, increasing numbers of technologically-astute Indigenous young people are adopting these or similar terminology and incorporating them into their technology-assisted communications; the meanings attached to the terms call out for the involvement of compassionate and wise Indigenous researchers.

2 The Indigenous Languages Act received Royal Assent in July 2019, and Metis people(s) in Canada have now begun to formalize their relationships and connections to their various linguistic heritages, including those associated with mother tongue identification, and the more pressing demands of future language programming.

3 Admittedly, and significantly from several points in my view, decolonization is happening all the time with or without recognition or acknowledgement by the institution. Indigenous graduate students and classes for example are always actively engaged in decolonization as a living dynamic, yet they are hardly recognized and rarely directly supported by the institution as a powerful means of ensuring Indigenous community sustainability and meeting EDI objectives.

4 The significant opportunity for Indigenous faculty and community participation and leadership in development of institutional responses to policy directions set within the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions Calls to Action (2015) is obvious. The United Nations Declaration of Rights for Indigenous Peoples (2007), now followed up with Canada’s supporting Bill C-15 which cleared the Senate June 2019, would seem to be another opportunity along with the standing Association of Canadian Deans of Education: Accord on Indigenous Educat (2010), to present provincial regulations and policies on teaching and leadership standards impacting teacher education, as well as legislation respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis children, youth and families (2019).

5 In recent years, the TRC has prompted universities and colleges to move towards “Indigenization” of curricula, program, faculty and staff. Although my comments were based on my own observations and projected outcomes, I noted a UWN report citing evident agreement amongst Indigenous faculty nationally regarding the bases and outcomes of these initiatives. See CANADA “Inside the ‘Indigenisation’ of Canadian universities” https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20210306111155272

6 This is not apocalyptic, merely critical and logical projections based on processing of facts, acute perceptions, and accurate observations within contemporary institutions of higher learning. Figures to consider in this regard will include the large increase in numbers of persons claiming Metis status following the Daniel’s decision in the Supreme Court/Canada, and the increases in numbers of persons reclaiming their rights to Indian status and lifestyle following the Sixties Scoop settlement, the IRS settlements, and Indigenous children in care reaching adulthood. These persons are being hired to fill higher education, government, and senior leadership positions based on their Indigenous identities. Many of them have no lived experience as Indigenous persons, and limited means of acquiring that.

7 (2010) Chartrand, L.D. & Weber-Pillwax, C.K. “Pimatsowin Weyasowewina: Our Lives, Others’ Laws” in Mosher, J. and Brockman, J. (Eds.). Constructing Crime: Contemporary Processes of Criminalization. Vancouver: UBC Press.

8 Graham, K. & Peters, E. (2002). Indigenous Communities and Urban Sustainability. Discussion Paper F/27, Family Network. Canadian Policy and Research Networks.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Cora Weber-Pillwax

Dr. Weber-Pillwax is Professor in the Indigenous Peoples Education graduate specialization in the Department of Educational Studies, University of Alberta.  As a Metis educator and academic, she lives and works within the circle of her family on traditional territories of Indigenous ancestors in Northern Alberta, Canada.