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F12: Family Based Mi’kmawey

Overview

In this LE, learners will explore Mi’kmaw decision-making processes. Using a role-play strategy, learners will progress through a decision-making process to resolve dilemmas with the values of consensus and tpi’tnewey. Fictionalized families grounded in historic fact will be used.

Learners will...

Become familiar with Mi’kmaw governance practices at the family, community and Sante’ Mawio’mi levels.
Strive to employ Mi’kmaw values within a decision- making process.
Encounter real historical dilemmas faced by Mi’kmaq during the Treaty-Making, Treaty Denial and Treaty Renewal periods.
Compare and contrast their own decision-making with other groups of learners and actual historical outcomes.

Focus

Divide the class into 5 groups, with learners each being assigned to a particular role (Elder, adult community member, child, Saqmaw, Keptin, etc.) as identified in the group information provided. Each group is given a real historical scenario that needs resolution (provided in the group information).

Learners are asked to work through their scenario using a Mi’kmaw governance process, incorporating tpi’tnewey, consensus, and other core Mi’kmaw values (see LE F8). Scenarios will draw on the nature of Mi’kma’kik, the role of knowledge carriers, family resiliency, reciprocity, and community identity. The actual historical outcomes can be revealed after learners have worked together to create their own resolution.

Class discussion after the group work will allow each group to share their 1) scenario, 2) group resolution, and 3) actual historical outcome.

A fun way to do this activity while honouring Mi’kmaw oral culture is to make the deliberation process and the decision about the solution completely verbal with no written notes or other aids. Each person will need to remember their group’s solution—no writing at all!

Printable Learning
Experience (pdf)

PE!

It is important that learners have a clear understanding of the following content:

The Mi’kmaq as the indigenous people of Nova Scotia and the Atlantic region.
Mi’kma’kik as the ancestral homeland of the Mi’kmaq.
Mi’kmaw governance practices. (See Leadership introduction)
The concepts of netukulimk and msɨt no’kmaq. (See LE F4)
Primary Mi’kmaw values such as tpi’tnewey, consensus, asa ki’l, humour, etc. (See LE F8, Family, Culture, Community introduction)