Reading with Mrs. D: We are all Treaty People

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

We are all Treaty People

I grew up in Nova Scotia, and I don't really remember learning much about the native culture there growing up, other than a basic study of traditional Micmac in grade school. I never learned about modern repercussions to them due to European exposure, etc.

However, now that I'm living and working in Saskatchewan, the long-lasting effects of the treaty are becoming more clear to me.

Saskatchewan is the ONLY province in Canada to mandate that students in all grades K-12 have treaty knowledge, and native education included.

The focus of First-grade treaty inclusion is that "WE ARE ALL TREATY PEOPLE".

To me, at first, I didn't get it. I had always thought that treaties had nothing to do with me because they happened LONG before I was born and I am not native Canadian.

However, I've since learned that I AM a treaty person because the treaty is a promise between the people of Canada (Me), and the first nations people (my students- Cree, Dene, Metis).

Below is a poster we made with treaty promise at the bottom and a poem at the top about how long a treaty is for. We'll be referring to this throughout the year.