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    [Time stamp focus - 13:50-17:00] 

    In this video, Papachase Cree Dr. Dwayne Donald and Jas Uppal,  share some considerations regarding decolonization.  You are welcome to watch the full video but I would like you to focus on the time stamp: 13:50-17:00 where both scholars share their views. 

    If captions are not appearing, please watch the video from YouTube where you can turn on CC. You can click on the YouTube arrow on the bottom right when in full screen mode to go directly to YouTube.

    When talking about Decolonization, one might think that it is necessary to change what one has learned in terms of frameworks and pedagogies.    

    However, in some instances it might not be necessary to change what we know. What needs to change is the way in which we approach what we know. We need to reframe our understanding of the world, our place in it, and be willing to embody authenticity, humility, and openness. 

    AUTHENTICITY- When we engage in practice, we do it wholeheartedly not because we have to 'check the box' but rather because it is the right thing to do. 

    HUMILITY- To accept what we don't know about the history, the culture, the language, the belief systems, the values, and the identities of the Inuit, Métis, and First Nations people. To accept our mistakes without feeling 'offended' or 'attacked'.

    OPENNESS- To be willing to learn,  to listen, to dialogue, learn to respond instead of react. Ask yourself: How do I approach Indigenous Education (i.e., as factual, as relational, as information, as knowledge, etc.)?

          A useful approach to reframing our worldview  is the principle of Etuaptmumk, also known as "Two-eyed seeing" which was originally developed from the teachings of Chief Charles Labrador of Acadia First Nation, but it was Mi’kmaw Elders Murdena and Albert Marshall of the Eskasoni First Nation who first applied this notion in a Western setting. 

    The foundation of Etuaptmumk is to learn to see from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous knowledges and ways of knowing, and from the other eye with the strengths of Western knowledges and ways of knowing, ..."and to use both of these eyes together for the benefit of all.” 

    The Principles of ETUAPTMUMK can serve us as a starting point towards Decolonizing our worldview and our practices by using our unique strengths. Review the Principles and reflect on which ones resonate with you the most. 


    For today's activity,  I invite you to reflect on these questions based on your unique strengths and your aspirations to decolonize your practice:

    * What do I already know?
    * What has worked? Why?
    * What has not worked? Why not?
    * How can I reframe my knowledge to decolonize my practice?
    * Who am I vis-a vis Indigenous colleagues/students? Am I an ally, an advocate, a supporter, an enabler, an accomplice...?

    To do:

    Create a visual representation in answer to these questions - and post in the Day 3 Forum: Visual Representations.  You could use a Venn diagram, a circle with quadrants, a tree, a plant or flower local to your context, arrows pointing inwards and outwards, a container, a garden, and so forth. The idea behind this exercise is for us to think in non-linear ways. 

    Challenge yourself to think creatively, and represent your responses through an image.