Nine

Educators respect and value the history of First Nations, Inuit and Métis in Canada and the impact of the past on the present and the future. Educators contribute towards truth, reconciliation and healing. Educators foster a deeper understanding of ways of knowing, being, histories, and cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

It is readily apparent that FPPL five is connected to standard 9, as is FPPL nine.

Principle five is an interesting one because it necessitates an understanding, if even just a rough one, of what is meant by Indigenous knowledge, and this is not as straightforward as it might seem. In my discussion of standard seven, I offered one point of view on what is meant by Indigenous knowledge. Here is another posited by Jo Chrona.

“IK can be broadly defined as the complex knowledge systems that have developed over time by a particular people in a particular area and that have been transmitted from generation to generation. It includes ecological, scientific, and agricultural knowledge in addition to processes of teaching and learning.”

Jo Chrona, First People’s Learning Principles Blog

According to this definition, Indigenous knowledge is still particular to a land and place, but it is also particular to a people, since it is transmitted from generation to generation. This has some interesting implications since the succession of knowledge is intentional, and so, it is woven into the histories, stories, memory, and culture of a people, to ensure its survival. Principle six turns its head again here, proclaiming again all the learning that happens in history, memory and story.

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Learning Principle 6: Learning is embedded in memory, history and story.

This weaving of knowledge into history, story, and memory, I think this is one of the reasons why we also need to recognize the role of Indigenous knowledge in learning: it is a historically considered non-academic source, that is of great educational value, regardless of whether we recognize it. So, let’s get with it.

Learning Principle 5: Learning recognizes the role of Indigenous knowledge.

When considering the role of Indigenous knowledge in learning, standard 9 just wouldn’t be respected if principle nine didn’t inform it.

Learning Principle 9: Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred and only shared with permission and in certain situations.

Over this course, I have pondered over whether mainstream Northwestern culture has any sacred taboos. At points throughout history, some things were certainly less talked about, but these weren’t part of meaningful traditions so much as they were part of the violence inherent in systems of power.

So does an adult in everyday life have access to any knowledge they choose? No. There are barriers to knowledge for many, but these are not out of respect for traditions. These barriers are to do with those same systems of power and privilege. Yet, there is still a social recognition that some knowledge is only shared with permission and or in certain situations. This does not have to do with any kind of ritual, but it is part of our culture: you shouldn’t divulge things shared with you in confidence, and you should respect the privacy of others, especially regarding personal matters or experiences of trauma. This, is part of learning, because it is part of understanding the power of knowledge to harm and to heal. It is part of understanding “the impact of the past on the present and the future”, and making moves to know and be in more holistic and sustainable ways.

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