Throughout this experiment there is examples of reinhabitation and decolonization but I think what is most important about this article is that there was a connection between a community, there was learning and teaching from community members and elders to Indigenous youth. There was a rekindling of connection to the river which is being slowly lost through decolonization. The elders and youth were able to go out onto the river and the land and build a relationship with each other and with mother earth, they learned their ways of knowing and their traditions.
One of the biggest examples of decolonization is the loss of Cree language or lack of Cree language spoken by Indigenous youth in the Mushkegowuk area. “The elders and other community members were concerned that the word paquataskamik was falling into disuse among the younger generations, who tend to use noscheemik instead, which pointed to a loss of important linguistic distinctions related to concepts of territoriality.” (Restoule, 2013, p. 81). This is a direct result of decolonization where Indigenous children were put into residential school then were only allowed to speak English so there was some intergenerational language loss, which cause a drastic decrease of fluent Cree speakers. One major example of rehabitation was the excursion on the river that the Indigenous elders and children were a part of in 2009. “Elders would share knowledge with youth about ways to live off the river and lands and note key sites long the way. As part of the project, youth and Elders traveled together on the traditional waters and lands, exploring history, language, issues of governance, and land management.” (Restoule, 2013, p. 75). This is how Indigenous people used to teach their ways of knowing to their children but due to residential schools and assimilation of Western society this way of teaching is very rare. Adapting these ideas into the classroom can help children learn is different ways, as we already know all children learn differently. In lecture we discussed who we are is directly related to where we are, then we discussed the map of Canada and the knowledge we have of Saskatchewan but we do not learn about the Indigenous map, peace and love, or the treaty signing. I think using Indigenous teachings is a different perspective of Canada, who we are, and learning that we are all treaty people can change the education system for many students because that is part of our identity, our history and present, and to start the journey to reconciliation.
