Residential School History and Education Through an Indigenous Lens
Spelexilh, Anjeanette Dawson is an Indigenous educator, historian, counselor, traditional wool weaver, knowledge keeper, and cultural worker. She has been involved in Indigenous Education for 35 years and has worked in band operated, catholic, private, public and independent schools.
On March 17, 2023, she conducted a workshop on the impact of the Residential School system on the life, culture, and language of the Squamish people. The workshop helped the students to understand education through an Indigenous lens. Limitless, 2023.
Plants and Walking Tours
Lori Snyder is a Métis herbalist and plant and herbal medicine specialist who conducted a walking tour in 2023. She expresses her gratitude to Mother Earth through nature walks, plants, dreams, moon teachings, creating skin and herbal remedies, and making earth art. On the walking tour, she shared her knowledge of plants and herbs in the neighborhood.
Indigenous Poetry Workshop
Dwan Nass is a Nisga’a educator and poet who conducted a poetry workshop and orientation program for students in 2023. She shared her poetry in the context of Residential Schools and the intergenerational trauma of the Indigenous peoples.
Squamish Weaving
Anjeanette Dawson, a Squamish educator, and a traditional weaver, conducted weaving workshops in 2023 for the students and staff. In those sessions, the students, instructors, and staff learned to weave a small bag and about the history and revival of wool weaving in the Squamish community.
Lecture on the colonial history of Canada and its impact on the present
Brandon Redford is an Indigenous educator and mentor who delivered a talk to introduce the past and presence of Indigenous peoples in Canada. He graduated from UBC Okanagan, with a Bachelor in Human Kinetics- Clinical Exercise Physiology. His talk was titled “Indigenous Canada- An introduction to the Social and historical context of the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit People” and explored several themes including the historical colonial violence, legal settings such as the Indian Act, and their importance in the current society.
Listening Room
Listening to the Indigenous stories and voices is one of the most important aspects of Reconciliation. We organized a Listening Room experience for the students to listen to the Residential School survivor testimonies and reflect on our shared responsibility for healing these wounds in 2022. This was combined with a handout for students on the history of Residential Schools, the importance of Reconciliation, and the importance of Listening. In the end, the students were given a chance to reflect on their experience with a guided questionnaire.
Bannock Lunch
A Bannock Lunch for Students was introduced where around 200 students received a free vegetable-filled Bannock from the Mr. Bannock food truck as a part of the Truth and Reconciliation week in 2022 and 2023. Paul Natrall, otherwise known as Mr. Bannock is from the Squamish Nation and started Vancouver’s 1st Indigenous food truck. This created an opportunity for the students to learn more about the Indigenous culinary systems.
