Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Progress: 12/30 and 13/30 - #18. read 30 texts that will aid in my teaching

Someday, I want to teach in one of many schools that utilizes and celebrates indigenous studies - instead of dismissing course proposals with the systemic racism evident in the comment: "I mean, this is probably meant more for Northern schools; we don't have First Nations kids here." Little do they know - and, little should it matter. 

As Gord Downie writes in his rationale for "Secret Path", an album with an accompanying graphic text by Jeff Lemire, meant to increase Canada's awareness as to the enduring trauma of residential schooling through illustrating the death of Charlie (Chanie) Wenjack: "Chanie haunts me. His story is Canada’s story. This is about Canada. We are not the country we thought we were. History will be re-written. We are all accountable."


I agree with Downie, and I remain committed to reading texts that will continue to inform both myself and my teaching, with regard to indigenous issues.

I preordered a special edition of the above text and LP record. I grew up listening to Downie - my sister's choice, not my own - though I was always enamoured with his lyrics and subsequent poetry.

Jeff Lemire has been one of my favourite graphic novelists for a few years now.

I have been addressing residential schooling with grade 10s for the past three school years, anchoring the study to a cultural short story unit.

This purchase only made sense.

Opening it was a sort of a personal Christmas day. The text I read first - hardly any words, save for interspersions of Downie's lyrics. A visual narrative, really. "Harrowing," I called it. First impression.

The following week, I watched the hauntingly beautiful animated version on CBC: a fusion of Lemire's moving images, set to Downie's music. This, I want to show to classroom audiences. I would have done so a couple weeks ago, had my classroom computer not been down for repair for two weeks. The moment passed - and so it goes, but there will be another.

Watch it here:



The second text, Dreaming in Indian: Contemporary Native American Voices, arrived unannounced in my school mailbox one day this September.

I have only two guesses of where it could have come from - and, either way, well, it's noted and appreciated.

This entire short text is an arresting visual collage of stories, artwork, poetry, photographs, comics, articles, and anecdotes. It features the likes of author Joseph Boyden, visual artist Christi Belcourt, model/actress Ashley Callingbull, and throat singer Tanya Tagaq. These artist discuss topics of identity, re/appropriation, teenagerhood, bullying, suicide attempts, resistance and change. These are many stories I hadn't heard, from many names I had. Additionally, this text includes submissions from indigenous peoples, young and old, throughout the United States and Canada - identified by cultural and place associations of their own choosing.



This has been a busy month and - like many Novembers - not without its stresses. As such, these texts are short, but nonetheless important.

Thank you to everyone who contributes a voice to these causes: from the writers who write, the artists who draw, the educators who teach, the musicians who sing, and the publishers who say: "Yes, this is important."

Maybe someday, wherever I teach, a school where I belong will echo the same.



In the words of Louis Riel, whose importance we are to celebrate tomorrow: "My people will sleep for 100 years, and when they awake, it will be the artists who give them back their spirit."