First Nations history was, until recently, virtually absent from curricula in Canada. The historic and ongoing regulations of the 1876 Indian Act — which attempted to assimilate a vast, varied population of First Nations people into non–First Nations society — and the impact of residential schools that had suppressed 150, 000 children from expressing their culture for generations, were often overlooked. The last Canadian residential school closed in 1997, further fueling the movement toward teaching more First Nations culture and history today.
In 2015 the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) gathered First Nations education leaders across Canada from coast to coast to coast. The AFN showcased a collection of artifacts, residential school maps, and other materials to help educators teach Canadian history through a First Nations lens. Demand for this collection was overwhelming.
Apple was inspired to kindle a partnership with the AFN to increase educational access for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. AFN’s Director of Languages and Learning and a member of Rama First Nations, Renee St. Germain says, “Teachers and students struggle for reliable resources around culture and history.” She’s part of the ongoing project with Apple to make available digital resources related to First Nations history. The result is a downloadable resource providing hands-on educational tools on First Nations’ rights, culture, and history. The free It’s Our Time: The AFN Educational Toolkit includes a growing collection of interactive Apple Books that support Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators in embedding new perspectives into their classrooms and fostering a spirit of cooperation, understanding, and action.
St. Germain says, “Education is fundamental in addressing large issues, eliminating systemic racism and discrimination. We all go through education and the system needs to be changed to properly support today’s society and cultures.”
Apple has helped the AFN develop 15 Apple Books in English and in French. Today the combined efforts of Apple Distinguished Educators, Apple’s Community Education Initiative, pedagogical experts, Indigenous education leaders, and advocacy organizations continue to empower educators in teaching First Nations history. St. Germain believes, “There’s no bad time to start the conversation for all people, regardless of age.” Teachers are finally able to integrate First Nations into curricula effectively and spark more dialogue around this sensitive history. She says, “Equity is at the forefront of everything the AFN does, and the toolkit is First Nations–led.” She emphasizes the importance for First Nations students to see themselves accurately represented. “There are First Nations students in almost every classroom.” Systemic change is growing across Canada and the toolkit is building more momentum to make education more equitable for First Nations students and future generations.
St. Germain now works on partnerships with school boards to expand the toolkit’s reach. Because First Nations people are diverse, Apple and the AFN continue to work with First Nations education leaders to develop region-specific editions of the toolkit to better reflect respective traditions, languages, and cultures.
According to St. Germain, there’s more work to be done for First Nations people — from housing to equal rights to cultural safety for students and teachers. Education is part of the process. As she says, “If we can’t find equity in education, where else can we find it?”