Kiwētotētan: ininiw kiskinomākēwin a framework for decolonial education

Abstract

Pre-contact Indigenous Nations were vibrant with their own legal, government, and education systems. Indigenous education was community-led and grounded in the spiritual, emotional, physical and mental development of the child. Teachings were tied to the land following the natural cycles, and language was passed down through ceremony and time on the land. Following the creation of the Canadian state, Indigenous education systems were eroded, leaving detrimental impacts on communities and youth that are ongoing today. In recent decades, many communities have taken the initiative to restore community-led Indigenous education systems. The work presented here, Ininiw kiskinomākēwin, was collectively built with both Ininiwak and Anishinabe Elders and educators from Northern Manitoba and can be adapted to fit other First Nations groups across Canada. Ininiw kiskinomākēwin conveys the pre-contact methods for ensuring children and youth grow and become healthy, contributing members of society, and includes teachings involving family, community, language, land, and spirit. The implementation of this work is ongoing; critical components related to building a local teacher workforce, engaging Elders, supporting parents and having access to the land will shape how we choose to educate current and future generations.