Decolonization & Reconciliation
Decolonization refers to the criticism and undoing of colonialism and can be discussed in terms of the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. Reconciliation is a crucial part of decolonization.
21 Things You May Not Know about the Indian Act (Book by Bob Joseph)
This book offers Canadians readable overviews of the Indian Act. Understanding the act will help Canadians make reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a reality.
CRE is a registered charity that provides Indigenous-based leadership, learning, and reconciliation experiences to every youth that participates in our programs. CRE organizes three main types of activities: leadership training programs, workshops, and gatherings. Central to CRE programming is the need to bring together Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth. Regardless of the activity, we believe that having dialogue is necessary to foster understanding and reconciliation.
Community Media Advocacy Centre
CMAC is a non-profit organization that offers advocacy and support to Indigenous and community organizations that wish to explore licensing, funding, and launching their own non-profit broadcasting organizations.
Their mission is to catalyze social change to transform colonial narratives and impacts with workshop facilitation, transformative organizational development, decolonizing workbooks and communication design grounded in Squamish Matriarchy.
Degrowth is an idea that critiques the global capitalist system which pursues growth at all costs, causing human exploitation and environmental destruction.
Digital Pedagogy in the Humanities: Concepts, Models, and Experiments
This peer-reviewed collection of pedagogical resources can be used in teaching or research settings. These resources are put into categories and are linguistically deconstructed using various articles within the categories.
This article talks about the genocide of Indigenous people after colonization.
Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations
The Federation of Sovereign Indian Nations represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan. The Federation is committed to honouring the spirit and intent of the Treaties, as well as the promotion, protection and implementation of the Treaty promises that were made more than a century ago.
Indigenous Crisis Support Line
In the interactive map, you will be able to hover on each province, where hotline phone numbers will appear. All details on the lines and more resources, divided by provinces are listed below the map.
This guide provides access to resources on Indigenous history, communities, and culture in Canada and NS, as well as government documents.
Land Back Movement - First Nation Goods
This site sells First Nations Goods. They also discuss the Land Back Movement. Land Back refers to the Indigenous-led movement to reclaim stewardship over traditional lands and ecosystems, protecting them for generations to come.
This site talks about the importance of the relationship of Indigenous people and the land and how colonization has harmed that relationship.
LEARN: Education for Reconciliation
LEARN works with schools, communities, and organizations in Quebec to put useful resources in the hands of educators. Their goal is to be more inclusive of Indigenous histories and to foster bonds between communities. Their website has many resources for educators use to supplement their education material.
This guide is an excellent resource for educators and anyone who wants an introduction to the Indigenous peoples in the Manitoba area. It highlights the history and effects of colonialism and steps that are being taken to decolonize. The guide was made by elders, knowledge keepers, community members, and Indigenous organizations across Manitoba.
The Moose Hide Campaign is committed to ending violence against women and children.
Racial Equity Tools is designed to support individuals and groups working to achieve racial equity. It offers tools, research, tips, curricula, and ideas for people who want to increase their understanding and to help those working for racial justice at every level – in systems, organizations, communities, and the culture at large.
Reconciliation Canada is leading the way in engaging Canadians in dialogue and transformative experiences that revitalize the relationships among Indigenous peoples and all Canadians.
A detailed list of resources for former Residential School survivors in new Brunswick following the discovery of unmarked graves.
This site included steps to take as settlers to support Indigenous people and unlearn and protest colonial structures.
The Creation of Turtle Island - the Ojibwa version.
The creation of Turtle Island is the birth of North America. This site explains the history of the name Turtle Island.
The Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund
Inspired by Chanie’s story and Gord’s call to build a better Canada, the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund aims to build cultural understanding and create a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Their goal is to improve the lives of Indigenous people by building awareness, education, and connections between all peoples in Canada. "Secret Path" is the last album by Gordon Downie, which brought a lot of attention to the issue.
The Legacy of Hope Foundation are a national Indigenous charitable organization with the mandate to educate and create awareness and understanding about the Residential School System, including the intergenerational impacts such as the removal of generations of Indigenous children from their families, the post-traumatic stress disorders that many First Nations, Inuit, and Metis continue to experience, all while trying to address racism, foster empathy and understanding and inspire action to improve the situation of Indigenous Peoples today. The LHF supports the ongoing healing process of Residential School Survivors, and their families and seeks their input on projects that honour them.
The Philosophy of Colonialism: Civilization, Christianity, and Commerce
Article: The harmful effect of white colonization throughout the globe is discussed in this article. “In the 19th century European powers sought to colonize Africa as it had a wealth of natural resources and purportedly undeveloped economies ripe for exploitation. In reality, European colonization devastated traditional African societies and economies.”
The Creation of Turtle Island - The Ojibwa Version.
The creation of Turtle Island is the birth of North America. This site explains the history of the name Turtle Island.
Reconciliation Canada is leading the way in engaging Canadians in dialogue and transformative experiences that revitalize the relationships among Indigenous peoples and all Canadians.
Truth and Reconciliation Resources
ACIC provides a page with a list of truth and reconciliation resources. There are resources for Indigenous Peoples, such as information about generational trauma, and resources for allies , such as petition links and ways to take action.
Turtle Island is a cultural awareness and anti-racism project in Edmonton, Alberta. Its volunteers guide and support businesses/organizations in their efforts to disrupt racism in their establishments.
VIDEA is committed to ending global poverty and creating a more just and equitable world.
What Does Reconciliation Mean to Indigenous People? | CBC News
This article discusses what the word 'reconciliation' means to indigenous people and how conciliation may be more appropriate given Canadian colonization.
What Is Land Back? - David Suzuki Foundation
The Land Back Movement refers to Indigenous People's relationship to the land and their right to self-determination. It has information on how allies can play a role.
Read, Watch, & Learn
A MInd Spread Out on the Ground (Novel by Alicia Elliot)
A Mind Spread Out On The Ground is a series of related essays that form a story of pain, depression, trauma, racism and colonialism retold from Alicia Elliott's (Tuscarora) experiences.
Decolonization is for Everyone (Nikki Sanchez, Video)
In this TEDx Talks video, Nikki Sanchez, an Indigenous activist, explores how the history of colonization affects society to this day, and why it is so important for everyone to get involved in decolonization. It is key that everyone makes an effort to create a more equitable and just future.
Five Little Indians (Novel by Michelle Good)
With compassion and insight, Five Little Indians chronicles the desperate quest of these residential school survivors to come to terms with their past and, ultimately, find a way forward.
From the Ashes (Book by Jesse Thistle)
In this extraordinary and inspiring debut memoir, Jesse Thistle, once a high school dropout and now a rising Indigenous scholar, chronicles his life on the streets and how he overcame trauma and addiction to discover the truth about who he is.
Home Fire: Ending the Cycle of Violence
Documentary: You Tube Video: Home Fire explores family violence and restorative justice from an Aboriginal perspective. Featuring commentary from Elders, community leaders, and members of the western justice system, Home Fire examines the colonization of Canada, historic trauma, the western justice system and grassroots healing programs in Aboriginal communities.
In My Own Moccasins (Book by Helen Knott)
In My Own Moccasins is a memoir of addiction, intergenerational trauma, and the wounds of sexual assault from a resilient, emerging Indigenous voice.
Joe Buffalo: Surviving the Horror of Residential Schools by Skateboarding
Documentary: You Tube: In “Joe Buffalo,” an Indigenous skateboarding legend overcomes addiction and trauma stemming from his years in Canada's Church-run residential school system.
Seven Fallen Feathers (Book by Tanya Talaga)
Using a sweeping narrative focusing on the lives of the students, award-winning investigative journalist Tanya Talaga delves into the history of this small northern city that has come to manifest Canada’s long struggle with human rights violations against Indigenous communities.
The Inconvenient Indian (Book by Thomas King)
The Inconvenient Indian is at once a “history” and the complete subversion of a history—in short, a critical and personal meditation that the remarkable Thomas King has conducted over the past 50 years about what it means to be “Indian” in North America.
This Place: 150 Years Retold (Novel by Akiwenzie-Damm, Vowl, Vermette, more)
Explore the last 150 years through the eyes of Indigenous creators in the graphic novel anthology, This Place: 150 Years Retold. Beautifully illustrated, these stories are an emotional and enlightening journey through magic realism, serial killings, psychic battles, and time travel. See how Indigenous peoples have survived a post-apocalyptic world since Contact.
Turtle Island — Where’s That? | Articles | CBC Kids
CBC Kids teaches people about Turtle Island, the origin story of indigenous peoples.
What Is Reconciliation? Indigenous Educators Have Their Say(Video)
Indigenous educators explain what needs to happen for reconciliation to take place in Canada.
Power in Numbers
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