TORONTO, ON — We believe that an integral part of teacher education needs to be the inclusion of Indigenous history and culture. To that end, Rubicon Publishing author, and Turtle Island Voices series editor, Robert Cutting has had many virtual sessions talking to groups of Teacher Candidates from Niagara University and Ontario Tech University, of the many aspects of Indigenous life. Over January and February, he gave virtual sessions around the topic of storytelling as a means to share Indigenous culture and history, as well as showing ways that the Candidates can integrate Indigenous practices into their classrooms.
In addition, he gave three virtual sessions to Primary, Junior and Intermediate students through story and music to give an awareness of who the Onkwehon’we (Original People) are and their history on Turtle Island. A key component of Robert’s presentation was the importance of language, and how using words from the various First Nations helps give their voice a life and a connection to the Ancestors. Robert told the young audience, “A Haudensaunee (Six Nations Confederacy) saying tells us ‘In all that we do we must keep in mind the Seventh Generation’. Our Ancestors did what they did, seven generations ago, so that we could be here today on Mother Earth, living a good life. You, the students and Teachers listening to my voice, are the Ancestors to the Seventh generation.” We have a responsibility as educators to see the inclusion of the Indigenous Voice into our curriculum, and further into the lives of our students.
For more information about Turtle Island Voices series, please click here.