원주민 연구: 캐나다의 메티스족

In this class we use a power point presentation but also a "show and tell" of actual Metis historically significant objects. This is a class to encourage reading, listening and to share open and and objective questions and comments. The purpose of the class is to celebrate and share the rich culture of a distinctive Indigenous Nation here in Canada, and to highlight their importance to the development of Canada as we know it today.  Although we do discuss briefly how the people were marginalized over the generations through the disposition of their lands, the focal point of the class is not specifically about racism, generational abuse, or the residential school system. That is beyond the scope of this class. Rather, it is to serve as in introduction to the rich culture of the Metis Nation in Canada, how they evolved to become a distinct people, and their contributions to this country of Canada. The topics discussed are specifically about:
history: time frame, who are the Metis, politics of the people (The beginning of the Metis governing structure), who was defined as a leader of the community and why (their role in the community).
culture: what is the definition of culture and how are the Metis classified as a distinct culture
language: what was the distinctive language of the Nation and how did that first evolve only later to almost disappear (i.e. what factors were involved in eroding the use of the language.)
food: what are the traditional foods of the Metis and how did that evolve
dress: how did Metis clothing evolve and how was it distinctive to the Metis people
traditions: what are some of the social customs and traditions of the people
politics and today: what is happening with the Metis today in Canada, how were they considered a "displaced" people and what factors contributed to systemic racism which drove the community underground.
Most material is courtesy of the Metis Nation of British Columbia with their offering of an official curricular educational program. I do, however, supplement the learning materials with other examples of culture, dance, language and clothing with what is readily available online to the general public.