Roots of Reconciliation
Foundations
Treaties
Renewal and Reconciliation

RR1: Raising a Voice

Overview

Significant change does not happen out of nowhere. It usually comes about when people speak up and take action. Treaty Renewal in Mi’kma’kik started because Mi’kmaw people raised their voices; but Mi’kmaq are not the only ones who advocate for change. Everyone has a voice that can make a difference. This LE challenges learners to find their own voices by introducing them to historical and contemporary examples of Mi’kmaw and non-Mi’kmaw people making lasting change during Treaty Renewal. Using these examples as inspiration, learners will identify a circumstance they think requires change, creating strategies to achieve that change, together.

Learners will...

  • Understand that working for change is inherent to most Mi’kmaw experience during the Treaty Denial period and extends to the present-day.
  • Witness Mi’kmaw leaders and others advocating for their communities.
  • See that oral histories drive the actions taken by leaders and others who are seeking change across Mi’kma’kik.
  • Connect the agreements of the Peace and Friendship Treaties to the changes leaders advocated for during later periods.
  • Understand that advocating for change is not specific to Mi’kmaq.
  • Strengthen their belief in their ability to use their voices to make change.

Focus

Working in small groups of 2-3, learners will work with provided examples of Mi’kmaw and non-Mi’kmaw people’s efforts to create change during the Treaty Renewal period. The examples include, among others, the Sante’ Mawio’mi’s re-establishment of Treaty Day in 1986 and the Nova Scotia-wide movement to save Owl’s Head from becoming a golf course in 2021. Brief and age-appropriate summaries of each example are included in the supplementary materials, along with suggestions for further research.

On the provided worksheet, each group will answer a series of questions about their example. Their responses can be shared with the class. Using the examples as inspiration, learners are then asked to think about a situation or circumstance they would like to change in their classroom, school or community, and develop strategies for making that change. Some changes learners might seek include: ensuring clean water, preventing bullying, or creating healthy environments.

Note: this activity does not require all students to agree on answers or action plans.

Educators can expand on this LE by asking the class to implement their strategies for change, keeping track of what they learn over time.

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.
  • Understand the concepts of netukulimk and msɨt no’kmaq. (See LE F4)
  • Mi’kmaw core cultural values. (See LE F8)
  • The oral traditions inherent in Mi’kmaw culture and practice. (See LE F10)
  • The origins of Treaty Renewal. (See Treaty Renewal introduction)

LE Materials

COMING SOON!