Anishinabek Nation kicked off the sixth annual Treaties Recognition Week in Ontario by calling attention to its recently-launched online treaty education resources for elementary school students.
Released this past summer, Ezhi-nawending: How We Are Related is an interactive, online resource aimed at elementary students and new learners to help them better understand First Nations history, treaties and Indigenous rights through the use of animation, videos and virtual reality.
“Treaties are the foundational documents of Canada,” said Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Reg Niganobe via news release. “Treaties are equal to the Constitution and are enshrined within. To move forward as a Nation, both must be upheld and honoured to their full spirit and intent. Anishinabek Nation is proud to provide accessible teaching tools to facilitate the process. Learn more about the Treaties today to build a better future.”
In a news release issued Monday, Anishinabek Nation Children’s Commissioner Duke Peltier underlined the importance of teaching young people about treaties in the classroom.
“Treaties are the fabric and the foundation of this territory - of the Great Lakes region. And as a treaty partner, the Crown must commit to implementing the full spirit and intent of what our ancestors had agreed upon,” said Peltier. “Treaties are real, they’re living, and they need to be implemented. A good place to start teaching this is in the classroom with our youngest learners. The ministries of education have an opportunity to include the true histories of this country as part of their curriculum.”
A new teacher’s kit geared toward secondary students, Gdoo-Sastamoo Kii Mi: Understanding our Nation to Nation Relationship, is currently being developed by Anishinabek Nation and is expected to be released in the spring of next year.