Class 7 Reflection

February 17th, 2026

We had to reflect on one of Jo Chrona’s chapters in the book Wayi Wah! We read If Not Here, Then Where?

Reflection:

I really enjoyed reading this part of the book because some people truly don’t understand the importance of teaching Indigenous knowledge, and their ways of knowing. I almost feel like people forget about colonizers/colonization and how it truly impacted the people, plants, and animals that live here in Canada. Canada is a diverse country made up of many different cultures that should be all celebrated and learned, but especially as educators we need to make Indigenous knowledge a priority because the Indigenous people are the ones who took/take care of our land with care and consideration. In the 10th paragraph, there is this quote, “If the languages cease to spoken here, if the knowledges and perspectives are not taught and learned here, they do not exist elsewhere in the world.” This quote reminds me of what is going on for Indigenous peoples in Canada right now. Basically, Indigenous peoples are trying to get the government to change who gets a status card because right now because people who have a parent(s) that is Indigenous can get their status and then their kids will have it but the second generation will be cut off. Therefore, the Indigenous population of Canada will slowly die. How can that be “Reconciliation” on the governments part when they are still creating ways to “get rid of the Indian problem…” like John A. MacDonald said. I agree with Jo Chrona when she talks about how we need to celebrate our Indigenous peoples because no where else in the world celebrates them. That is not saying celebrating other cultures is wrong, it is saying keeping Indigenous cultures in the spotlight so they can be seen and celebrated where they belong, on their traditional territories. Including other cultures in your classroom is wonderful and great but their cultures have a homeland where I am sure they get celebrated more than Indigenous cultures in Canada. Therefore, we should be teaching Indigenous knowledge and culture to our students and make it a priority so the culture and knowledge stay alive.

How does this connect to the BC Curriculum?

In the BC Curriculum, there should always be a way to meaningfully Indigenize your lessons. There are many good resources like the Ktunaxa Core Competencies that you can access if you are an educator in SD5 (school district 5), and if your district does not have their Indigenous Core Competencies related to traditional animals, you should go and inquire about that. This makes it an easy way for students to relate to how they are doing. An example would be: I feel like a frog because….

UVIC Teacher Competency:

This reflection relates to the UVIC Teacher Competency number 6, practice respect for all learners from all cultures, including, specifically, Indigenous learners. I argue that Indigenous knowledge, rights, and ways of knowing must be centred and meaningfully embedded in my curriculum, lesson plans, unit plans, and overall my classroom practice.