What I Have Learned (So Far)

When I started this class, I felt like it would be middle school Social Studies all over again. For most of the semester I could not see the connection between an Aboriginal person's culture and how it directly affected their education. But there are lots of connections, as I have recently found. Treaties and legislation determine where, how and by whom FNMI students will learn. This is why it is so important that land laws are properly settled and adequate funding is provided for those who wish to attend reserve schools. On another hand, some families do not have the choice to send their children to public schools, whether due to money, housing, etc. FNMI students in public schools face their own challenges, as we have explored. They must try to balance their Aboriginal identity with their new Western identity. If they do not have strong roots in either one, they will have problems fitting in, finding a sense of belonging and purpose. I learned the true importance of family in the everyday life of an FNMI youth, and the importance of the roles that each family member plays in each individual within their families and communities.

I am now taking a break from learning about FNMI people, but not for long. The issues between FNMI and colonial societies are still prevalent, due to the major lifestyle differences. The dominant culture has its own way of running things, a way which is very much in disagreement with the close-knit functions of FNMI ways. These differences make it very difficult to find a balance which will bring peace to the province. Our society has spent hundreds of years trying to make "them" more like "us," but I now see that there is much that we can learn from them, to help us not only find a way to coexist, but also maybe to help our own culture live a more peaceful and balanced lifestyle.