Indigenous Resistance, Resilience and Resurgence: The Role of Activism

Beginning with its founding, Canada has sought to eliminate Indigenous forms of governance, rights, and Treaties. Scholarship on the Indian Act, statements made in parliament and the architecture of Canada’s residential school system outlined in Facing History & Ourselves’ Stolen Lives: the Indigenous Peoples of Canada and the Indian Residential Schools all document Canada’s acts to eliminate Indigenous peoples as distinct legal, social, cultural, linguistic, and religious entities in Canada through this process of assimilation. Throughout this time, Indigenous People resisted these injustices and incursions to inherent rights. Where the Stolen Lives resource book introduces forms of resistance during residential schooling, this workshop seeks to extend the learning and timeline of resistance into the present day.

Learning about Indigenous activism, resistance, resilience, and resurgence is critical for understanding what matters to Indigenous Peoples and how Canadians can participate in promoting truth, justice, and reconciliation. This “choosing to participate” is a vital step to Facing History & Ourselves’ sequence of learning. Through this workshop, participants will be introduced to contemporary voices, actions, and opportunities that can guide and inspire students to engage as active participants in a just democracy.  

In this full-day in-person workshop, we will explore:

• How Indigenous peoples can be / are seen and heard and ultimately, understood through art, storytelling, food, and more
• Stories as guides for Indigenous cultural-linguistic resurgence and activism
• Indigenous peoples’ participation in activism and non-Indigenous peoples’ participation as allies
• Works by artists featured at the Art Gallery of Hamilton
• Ways to weave experiential learning, the arts, and history into teaching and learning

We will look at some of the efforts Indigenous people have made to raise awareness through art and voice, expressing acts of resistance, resilience, and telling a story of who they are, where they’ve come from, but most importantly, where they are going!

Lunch will be provided and catered by chef David Jacobs, from Six Nations of the Grand.

This workshop is co-sponsored and offered in partnership with the Art Gallery of Hamilton

Accessibility: The Art Gallery of Hamilton is an accessible building.  We will be taking a gallery tour that will invite moving around the gallery. To request ASL interpretation please email kristen_kim [at] facinghistory.org (kristen_kim[at]facinghistory[dot]org) by March 20th.

What to Bring:

• Tablet, phone, clipboard or notebook, and writing instrument for note-taking
• A reusable water bottle and coffee/tea mug - coffee, tea, and light refreshments will be provided during the break

Location: Art Gallery of Hamilton, 123 King Street West
Hamilton, ON, L8P 4S8