21 - Encourage Family and Friends to Commit to Helping you Change the World
This series of blog posts is inspired by the list 21 Things You Can Do to Change the World created by Bob Joseph in his book 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act. Focusing on actionable steps, these blog posts will take each step and provide links, contacts, and suggestion lists.
Scroll through our recent 21 Things posts here.
The final action we are highlighting is: Encourage Family and Friends to Commit to Helping you Change the World
Over the past months, Coquitlam Heritage has regularly posted blogs discussing actions you can do to help in the process of Reconciliation and Decolonization. We have provided plenty of opportunities for events to attends, and actions you can personally take in order to learn about Indigenous culture, and help work towards a brighter future.
This post serves as an end point, to summarize and reflect on this series of blogs. It also serves as a beginning, a starting point for all of our blogs for you to introduce someone else and help them to change the world!
The first action we chose to highlight was to learn the Indigenous names for the places you live and work.
indigenous-territory-guide.pdf (cnc.bc.ca) - This guide includes the names and pronunciations of many places across British Columbia, allowing for you to learn the Indigenous names of where you live and work.
The second action we chose to highlight was to attend or volunteer at a National Indigenous People’s Day event.
Full Circle Home Page 2022 - Full Circle: First Nations Performance - The Talking Stick Festival provided by Full Circle, offers many opportunities to attend and volunteer. You can contact them for more information.
The third action we chose to highlight was to read books by Indigenous authors to your children.
Massy Books – Buy Books From Massy Books
Iron Dog Books and Massy Books are two Indigenous owned and operated bookstores located in Vancouver, you can visit either one to find a wide selection of Indigenous literature for all ages of kids.
The fourth action we chose to highlight was to read books by Indigenous authors
Strong Nations - Indigenous & Native American Books, Aboriginal Kids Books, First Nations Kids Books, Inuit, Métis - Building Strong Nations Together! - Strong Nations offers an option for those who prefer to order their books online. They offer a huge selection of Indigenous works. Their site features a robust search system, allowing for everyone to find something that they are interested in.
The fifth action we chose to highlight was to donate sports equipment to remote Indigenous communities
HOW TO DONATE TO FIRST NATION COMMUNITIES IN CANADA (truenorthaid.ca) - True North Aid provides many options to donate to Indigenous communities in the remote areas of Northern Canada. Due to their distance from major shipping centers, it can be difficult for communities so far North to get the sports equipment, among other things, that they need, you can help by donating!
The sixth action we chose to highlight was to ask your children’s teachers if they include curriculum related to Residential Schools and the Indian Act
Learning our history, no matter how uncomfortable is a critically important aspect of the process of reconciliation. Part of this is understanding how your children’s teachers are discussing this history with them. You can attend parent meetings and ask questions, just remember to be kind, patient, and understanding, teachers too are in a process of learning and reconciling.
The seventh action we chose to highlight was to speak up when you observe cultural appropriation
Cultural Appropriation, A Perennial Issue On Halloween : NPR -This article provides lots of background on the issue of cultural appropriation, specifically in the context of Halloween costumes. It is never okay to dress up as, or use someone else’s cultural dress as your Halloween costume. Its important to hold those around you accountable to this as well, don’t be afraid to speak up! Make sure that you or your children don’t wear culturally insensitive costumes on Halloween.
The eighth action we chose to highlight was to support efforts to spot the inappropriate usage of Indigenous imagery for mascots
American Indian Mascots (apa.org) - This study explain the harm that appropriated imagery of Indigenous mascots can do to people. It is important that Indigenous imagery is not used inappropriately for racist sports mascots. You can help by researching your local school sports mascots, or the mascots of local teams. Perhaps you can help to change the mascot of a local team!
The ninth action we chose to highlight was to donate books by Indigenous authors to local school libraries
Our previous posts detailed many books and stores that you can buy from. After reading some yourself, perhaps you want to share the experience of a specific book with others. It’s a good idea to contact your local school libraries before donating, to ensure the process is smooth.
The tenth action we highlighted was to write a letter to your MP to support dismantling the Indian Act.
how-to-write-to-your-MP.pdf (resultscanada.ca) - This guide contains helpful information on how you can write to your local MP. They are the person in the Canadian Parliament who represents you and the people who live in your area. Writing to your MP is free, there’s no loss to you! If enough people show their support for the dismantling of the Indian Act, MPs are more likely to do something!
The 11th action we chose to highlight was to speak up when you hear someone making derogatory remarks about Indigenous people.
How to deal with racist people - Creative Spirits - This guide by Creative Spirits is a good starting point for ways that you can respond to racism that you witness. It’s not easy to be the one to stand up to someone else. But it’s an important step. It may not seem like the biggest deal in the moment, but by taking a stand, you can inspire others to do the same, creating a ripple effect.
The 12th action we chose to highlight was to attend an Indigenous film festival.
Essential Indigenous films from the territories known as Canada (seventh-row.com) - This film list is some of the essential viewing for those who want to learn more about Indigenous filmmaking. There are many film festivals in the Lower Mainland, and some quick searching can find you mean ongoing, but they are temporary events, so be sure to check frequently to find one that works for your schedule. Our old blog post is a good place to start.
The 13th action we chose to highlight was to donate time to coach and Indigenous sports team.
Aboriginal Coaching Program (ACP) | Aboriginal Sport Circle - Provided is the ACP’s guide for coaches looking to coach Indigenous sports teams. It’s important for coaches to understand how they should act and coach in order to give Indigenous kids the best possible experience playing sports.
The 14th action we chose to highlight was to attend an Indigenous music festival.
Home - Canned Salmon Music Festival - Provided is a livestream of the Canned Salmon Music Festival in 2021. It has been recorded and archived so feel free to watch it whenever it’s convenient for you. Music is a key part of Indigenous culture. There are plenty of local Indigenous music festivals, our old blog post is a good place to start.
The 15th action we chose to highlight was to attend a Powwow.
Do's and Dont's | Canadian Pow Wows - Destination Indigenous has an excellent guide on the do’s and don’ts of Powwows. It is important to keep in mind that these are very important cultural events for indigenous people, and you should do your utmost to respect that when in attendance.
The 16th action we chose to highlight is to buy food from an Indigenous food truck or eat at an Indigenous owned restaurant.
Indigenous Culinary Experiences - Destination Indigenous (indigenouscuisine.ca) - Destination Indigenous also has a guide on Indigenous culinary culture. However, you can find many ideas for places to go and eat on our blog post. Ask around, maybe a friend or family member has eaten at a local, indigenous owned restaurant.
The 17th action we chose to highlight was to ensure you buy authentic Indigenous art.
3 tips to make sure you’re buying authentic Indigenous art (wpengine.com) - This short guide is a good starting point. So is our blog, providing many examples of local Indigenous artists you may want to support. Buying authentic Indigenous art helps to support their communities, while buying fake art only serves to hurt the process of reconciliation.
The 18th action we chose to highlight was to attend an Indigenous community event
Events in BC | Indigenous Tourism BC (indigenousbc.com) - This catalogue is a good place to start if you are looking for community events to attend. There are a variety of filters you can use to find an event you are interested in. Community events are a great way to learn more about Indigenous culture in your area. They are also a lot of fun!
The 19th action we chose to highlight was to support Indigenous language revitalization
Native-Land.ca | Our home on native land - This interactive site gives you the ability to learn about the languages that were traditionally spoken on the land you live and work on. You can also learn the Indigenous place names and pronunciations. Language is a very important part of every culture. The residential system attempted to destroy it by punishing children for speaking their native language. It is vital then that Indigenous languages are preserved and promoted.
The 20th action we chose to highlight was to participate in or organize a walk for reconciliation
Truth and Reconciliation Day | Vancouver's Best Places (vancouversbestplaces.com) - Taking place every year is Truth and Reconciliation Day. Walks and events are often hosted locally, so be sure to research and see if one is taking place in your city. another notable walk for reconciliation is the annual March for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, taking place every February 14th in Vancouver.
We hope that you have enjoyed this series of blogs. Whether you have been following along since the start, of if you have discovered these blog posts more recently, we hope that you learned something. We hope that you can use what you’ve learned to help others on their paths, perhaps share this series of blogs with a friend.
These blog posts are designed to be a starting point to help people throughout our community of Coquitlam toward the path of reconciliation and allyship. We encourage everyone to do their own reading and research. Want to learn more? Check out the Indigenous Relations Academy, which has books, training, and resources. You can also purchase 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act here.