Skip to content
  • Mon 10 – 6
  • Tue 10 – 7
  • Wed 10 – 6
  • Thu 10 – 7
  • Fri 10 – 6
  • Sat 10 – 6
  • Sun Closed

Indigenous Peoples

 

Click on the category (here at top of page) to view that section!

Booklists on Indigenous topics | Local Nations & Métis | Services | Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) | History & Learning | For Kids | Parent & Teacher Resources | Issues in Canada:  Indian Act, TRC, UNDRIP | Mapping and Traditional Territories | Film & Videos | Podcasts | Travel Resources | Allyship | Respectful Language – Pronunciation, Writing & Research Guides, and Library News

Key terms to understand

  • Reconciliation – See the entry here in the Canadian Encyclopedia.
  • Indigenous Peoples in Canada include First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.
  • Residential School System – The recent discovery of the remains of 215 children at the former Kamloops Residential School brings new awareness to our shared histories of the impact of the Residential School System to the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation, and other First Nations across Canada.
  • National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – Background for this recommendation from Truth and Reconciliation: Commission of Canada, including Calls to Action.

Booklists on Indigenous topics

Local Nations & Métis

Services

  • Coinations (Circle of Indigenous Nations Society) – Aboriginal non-profit society that provides cultural support and counseling services to people in the West Kootenay and Boundary region.
  • First Nations Health Authority – Working to transform and reform the way health care is delivered to BC First Nations.
  • Kootenay Kids: Indigenous Family Support – This program provides support for families and children ages 0–6 who self-identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit. The program includes family gatherings, traditional parenting programs and one on one support for families in need.
  • Métis Nation British Columbia – check Services & Programs for information about business or education support
  • BC Rural Health Hub – health information to rural, remote and First Nations.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG)

History & Learning

  • Online Courses (MOOC – Massive Open Online Courses offered free)
    • Indigenous Canada (University of Alberta through Coursera open learning) – Can register anytime. Course Description: From an Indigenous perspective, this course explores key issues facing Indigenous peoples today from a historical and critical perspective highlighting national and local Indigenous-settler relations. Topics for the 12 lessons include the fur trade and other exchange relationships, land claims and environmental impacts, legal systems and rights, political conflicts and alliances, Indigenous political activism, and contemporary Indigenous life, art and its expressions.
    • Reconciliation through Indigenous Education (University of British Columbia) – Will help you envision how Indigenous histories, perspectives, worldviews, and approaches to learning can be made part of the work we do in classrooms, organizations, communities, and our everyday experiences in ways that are thoughtful and respectful. Reconciliation emphasizes changing institutional structures, practices, and policies, as well as personal and professional ideologies to create environments that are committed to strengthening our relationships with Indigenous peoples.
  • FirstVoices –  A collaborative platform where Indigenous communities manage, curate and share their languages.
  • Indigenous Heritage (Library and Archives Canada) – Library and Archives Canada (LAC) acquires, preserves, and provides access to published and archival heritage material that represents First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation experiences and contributions to Canada. This includes text, photographs, maps, and audio-visual material. Explore the collection through our online databases, digitized documents and thematic guides.
  • Indigenous History (Government of Canada) – Virtual exhibitions, timelines and Canadian history.
  • Indigenous Knowledge & Wisdom Centre (IKWC) – Embodies the credible & authentic voice and inherent knowledge of its people while respecting the diverse cultures of First Nations in Alberta.
  • Indigenous Material (BC Archives & Royal British Columbia Museum) – Research guide to these collections and current projects highlighting Indigenous voices.
  • Indigenous Peoples in Canada (Canadian Encyclopedia) – Provides background, includes an education guide, podcast information and links to further reading.
  • Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada (Canadian Geographic) – Provides images and article excerpts of the hardcover publications.
  • Inuit – History, traditional values and regional descriptions.
  • Inuit Cultural Online Resource – History and traditional life and culture of the Inuit.
  • Metis History and Culture – publications, exhibits and links.
  • Museum of Anthropology: University of British Columbia – Online exhibitions include: Squamish and Haida people, weavers in the First Nations community of Musqueam and the making of a Chilkat robe.
  • The Survivors’ Flag – The Survivors’ Flag is an expression of remembrance, meant to honour residential school Survivors and all the lives and communities impacted by the residential school system in Canada. Each element depicted on the flag was carefully selected by Survivors from across Canada, who were consulted in the flag’s creation.

For Kids

  • First Voices Kids Portal – An initiative of First Peoples Cultural Council.
  • ICC Kids (Inuit Circumpolar Council) – Hey, do you want to learn some cool things about Inuit?
  • Illiniarutit!TV  ᑐᖖᒐᓱᒋᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕈᑎᓄᑦ TV (Nunavut Bilingual Education Society) – This web-channel aims to educate preschool children through the use of phonics and vocabulary videos and songs, as well as animated storybooks and books available for download – intended to support first language immersion at home. Movies, animated stories, songs, and books to help your child in learning!
  • Indigenous (CBC Kids) – Facts, history, games and more.
  • Indigenous Games – The Indigenous Games takes all people into account with great consideration to recognize other’s beliefs and practices. “There isn’t a right way or wrong way to play the games, just different ways that reflect different societies”. Game guidelines in both video and print formats.
  • Indigenous Sport Heroes (Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame) – includes various educational activities, for students K-12.
  • Indigenous Storybooks – Indigenous Storybooks is a Canadian website for children, families, community members, and educators. Inspired by the open-licensed stories from Little Cree Books, this project aims to make the text, images, and audio of stories available in Indigenous languages as well as English, French, and the most widely spoken immigrant and refugee languages of Canada. A story that is read in English or French at school can be read in ancestral languages by parents and children at home. In this way, Indigenous Storybooks provides access to stories in ancestral languages as well as English and French. Similarly, the audio versions of the stories can help beginning readers and language learners make the important connection between speech and text. Here is a video introducing the Indigenous Storybooks project.
  • National Indigenous History Month: When did it start and what is it? (video) (CBC Kids News) – Since 2009, Canada has officially celebrated National Indigenous History Month the entire month of June. These celebrations are meant to honour Indigenous history, people, cultures and contributions. But with so many different cultures and people that make up Canada’s Indigenous population, is one month enough time?
  • Sinixt Frog Mountain Story: full version in sn-selxcin & english version (video)  – The ancient sinixt skilxw survival story of swarak’xn-Frog Mountain as told in sn-selxcin by Elder Eva Adolph Orr and in english by Marilyn James….Frog Mountain is also colonially known as Mt. Wilton….The Frog Mountain story is a very important part of Sinixt culture and gives a significant geographical marker.
  • Story of Claire and her Grandfather (Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada) – Designed to enhance young people’s awareness of some of the many contributions and inventions by Aboriginal people. A glossary of words used in the story is provided at the end of this publication. The story is in both print and audio formats.
  • Traditional Inuit Games – These were gathered during a project by Grade 6 students at Aqsarniit School in Iqaliut, Nunavut.
  • Warrior Kids (podcast) – Please join us every week as we talk about everything Indigenous and share each other’s stories about what warrior kids are doing to protect our peoples and the planet.

Kids Booklists

Parent / Teacher Resources for Children and Youth

More resources coming soon!

Issues in Canada:  Indian Act, TRC, UNDRIP

Mapping and Traditional Territories

We would like to acknowledge that the land on which we gather is the traditional territory of the Sinixt, the Ktunaxa, and the Syilx peoples, and is home to the Métis and many diverse Indigenous persons. We honour their connection to the land and rivers and respect the importance of the environment to our strength as a community.

  • First Nations in BC: Interactive Map – from the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations.
  • First People’s Map of BC – British Columbia is home to 204 First Nations communities and an amazing diversity of Indigenous languages; approximately 50% of the First Peoples’ languages of Canada are spoken in B.C.
  • Native Land – research on whose traditional territory your home or work is located.
  • Whose Land? – Uses GIS technology to assist users in identifying Indigenous Nations, territories, and Indigenous communities across Canada. Learn about the territory your home or business is situated on, find information for a land acknowledgement, and learn about the treaties and agreements signed across Canada. Includes educational videos.

Film & Videos

  • APTN National News – APTN launched in 1999 as the first national Indigenous broadcaster in the world. APTN News covers stories from an Indigenous perspective. Its reporters and stories have been recognized with various national journalism awards including the prestigious Michener Award.
  • Elder Library (Alberta Recreation and Parks Association) – Home to a number of oral teachings from various multi-nation Elders from across Alberta. Here you will find the Grandmother Circles webinar series recordings along with Two-spirited and Gender Issues, Reconciliation, Cultural Practices and more.
  • Indigenous Cinema (NFB) – Since 1968, the NFB has produced close to 300 films by First Nation, Inuit and Métis directors from across Canada. These have offered original and timely perspectives on our country, our history and possible futures from a range of Indigenous perspectives. The NFB has made many of these films freely available online. Also included are biographies of each director and the ability to search for work by nation/people of the director or those depicted in the film.
  • IsumaTV | ᐃᓱᒪ – IsumaTV is a collaborative multimedia platform for Indigenous filmmakers and media organizations. IsumaTV’s main menu options are provided in Inuktitut Roman, Inuktitut Syllabic, English, French and Spanish. Content is in more than 80 languages… with emphasis on oral Inuktitut uploads rather than syllabic texts.
  • Phyllis Webstad: On Orange Shirt Day – Phyllis Webstad explains the story of her experience at Residential School and the origination of Orange Shirt Day in Canada. She discusses the present situation and her hopes for the future.
  • Our First Voices – Celebrates thirteen BC First Nations languages and a drive to preserve them for future generations. Directed by Lisa Jackson, Zoe Leigh Hopkins, Helen Haig-Brown, Kelvin Redvers. Produced by Marilyn Thomas and Catrina Longmuir and executive producer Sharon Bliss, Bliss Pictures. Commissioned by BC’s Knowledge Network.
  • Sinixt Frog Mountain Story: full version in sn-selxcin & english version (video) – The ancient sinixt skilxw survival story of swarak’xn-Frog Mountain as told in sn-selxcin by elder Eva Adolph Orr and in english by Marilyn James….Frog Mountain is also colonially known as Mt. Wilton….The Frog Mountain story is a very important part of Sinixt culture and gives a significant geographical marker.
  • swarak’xn Frog Mountain Story: in sn-selxcin by Sinixt Eva Adolph Orr (video)  – Eva Adolph Orr of the Sinixt/Arrow Lakes Nation tells the ancient survival story of swarak’xn/Frog Mountain in the Lakes dialect of sn-selxcin/Colville-Okanagan. The video was taken in the 90’s at the Sinixt Nation land reclamation site in the Slocan Valley at Vallican BC, Canada. Vallican is from where you see Frog Mountain.
  • The REDress Project film – From the Jaime Black exhibition in 2021, Nelson Museum
  • The ‘REDress Project’ Jingle Dance video – This ceremony was held in response to the calls for justice for MMIWG and LGBTQ2S+ and their families.

Podcasts

  • Index of Indigenous Podcasts to get started.
  • All My Relations – Photographer Matika Wilbur, who is Swinomish and Tulalip, and academic Adrienne Keene, from the Cherokee Nation, discuss what it means to be Indigenous today from the POV of two American Indigenous feminists. Features a roster of relatable experts to join them on topics like native mascots, Indigenous food and feeding the spirit, sexuality, and whether DNA test results should be linked to identity.
  • Coffee with My Ma – A simple set-up — a daughter asks her mother questions over coffee. But in the hands of actress Kaniehtiio Horn (Letterkenny, The Man in the High Castle) and her mom, Kahentinetha Horn, the results are fascinating.
  • The Henceforward – Explores the relationship between Indigenous and Black people in Canada, on topics that range from Black Lives Matter to reconciliation, gentrification and more.
  • Indigenous Innovators – Profiles Indigenous leaders, activists, artists and entrepreneurs “to better understand the challenges and opportunities Indigenous People face in Canada today.”
  • Land Back (CBC) – Uncovers land theft in Canada and looks at how Indigenous people are reclaiming their territories, identities and lives.
  • Métis in Space – Reviews sci-fi movies and TV series from a decolonial perspective, featuring “Indigenous peoples, tropes and themes”. Co-produced by Molly Swain and Chelsea Vowel.
  • Missing and Murdered (CBC)- Multi-award-winning podcast featuring investigative journalist Connie Walker. Recounts stories of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
  • New Fire with Lisa Charleyboy (CBC)- Indigenous youth are at the forefront of Lisa Charleyboy’s podcast, where she gets frank on topics about music, identity and sex. Each episode, she moderates the conversation with a different group of millennials.
  • Secret Life of Canada (CBC) – “Highlights the people, places and stories that probably didn’t make it into your high school textbook”. Now offers teaching guides as well as classroom-ready adaptations of popular episodes for Canadian students.
  • Telling our Twisted Histories – Host Kaniehti:io Horn brings us together to decolonize our minds– one word, one concept, one story at a time.
  • This Land (Crooked Media) –  Investigates tribal land, broken promises and murder cases, hosted by Cherokee nation journalist Rebecca Nagle.
  • Unreserved (CBC) – Journalist Rosanna Deerchild journeys to Indigenous communities across Turtle Island, to get into the deeper stories, from cultural tours of Black and Indigenous communities on the East Coast, to attending the Indigenous Comic Con in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Travel Resources

Understanding and Becoming an Ally

Respectful Language – Pronunciation, Writing & Research Guides, and Library News