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The Sixth World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education: An Inside LookDeborah Lee, Research and Information Services The World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (WIPCE) is a triennial event which started in 1985 in Vancouver, B.C. Since then, WIPCE has been hosted in New Zealand, Australia, New Mexico and Hawaii. This year marked its return to Canada via the Morley Reserve, west of Calgary. Running from August 4 to 10, 2002, the Conference was hosted by the First Nations Adult and Higher Education Consortium (FNAHEC) based in Calgary. For many years, the Conference has been an international success, demonstrating that Indigenous education is alive and well. Indigenous educators are a dynamic group that revels in these types of gatherings as they provide an opportunity to feel connected to a worldwide family. The unique nature of the wisdom shared and a feeling of connectedness combined to make the Conference a phenomenal event. For further insight into the success of the Conference I have included the main tenets of the Conference philosophy: The Conference Philosophy "Celebrating success in the enhancement and perpetuation of our Indigenous languages and cultures. Celebrating and acknowledging Indigenous ways through the application of ancestral wisdom. Recognizing effective ways to enhance the spiritual, mental, physical and emotional balance and harmony in our communities. Emphasizing the importance of our spiritual well-being and our spiritual relations with all the creations of the Great Spirit."1 This philosophy and other information about the Conference are available at www.fnahec.org/wipce2002. In fulfilling the Conference’s mandate of participants experiencing teachings "on the land," the organizers of this year’s conference "housed" the presentations in teepees. The sight of more than 60 teepees against a backdrop of the Rocky Mountains was awe-inspiring and instilled a feeling of being connected to the environment. I sensed that this low-tech environment would add to the authenticity of the traditional values found at the root of the teachings. As it turned out, I was not disappointed. The calibre of the teachings was first rate, with the highlights for me being presentations by Mi’kmaq educator Dr. Marie Battiste and Maori educator Dr. Graham H. (Hingangaroa) Smith. Dr. Marie Battiste Dr. Battiste has 15 years of experience with the communities of Eskasoni and Chapel Island Reserve (both in Nova Scotia), serving on the latter as principal and education director of Mi’kmawey School. She currently teaches in the College of Education in addition to being coordinator of the Indian and Northern Education Program within the Department of Educational Foundations at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Dr. Battiste has authored several books concerning Indigenous knowledge and First Nations education. Throughout her presentation, "Decolonizing Methodologies and Research: Engaging Indigenous Community," she made interesting comments, including several on the history of the hieroglyphic writing system of the Mi’kmaq, which was originally recorded on birch bark and in caves. Dr. Battiste also discussed her involvement in the Mi’kmaq Ethics Watch, a project in which Mi’kmaq communities are taking control of the research process to protect Mi’kmaq knowledge, people and heritage. The project was initiated due to the concern about the appropriation of collective knowledge by "outsiders" who then commercially profit from this knowledge, with no benefits, i.e., royalties, coming back to the communities. Dr. Graham H. (Hingangaroa) Smith Dr. Smith worked for several years within the Research Unit for Maori Education at the University of Auckland and is now professor of Education and Pro Vice-Chancellor at this same university in Aotearoa (New Zealand). His commitment to Maori educational reform dates back to the mid-1980s. In his presentation, "Transforming Education: Indigenous Reclaiming of Tertiary Education in Aotearoa/New Zealand," Dr. Smith discussed the key elements that form part of the transforming philosophy of the alternative education initiatives in Aotearoa. These key elements were determined by the parents of children in tertiary education programs and were identified as follows:
He also discussed many other interesting ideas, including the challenges involved in developing alternative education initiatives and the realization that increased gains are achieved when there is a sense of inclusiveness in the struggle. Connections Made On a personal note, it was a nice surprise to meet a fellow librarian at the Conference: a Native Hawaiian who is the librarian for the Hawaiian Pacific Collection of the Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu, Hawaii. We conversed on several topics of mutual interest, including intellectual property rights for Indigenous people. Access for Aboriginal People to Resources at the National Library of Canada
My presentation at WIPCE 2002, "Access for Aboriginal People to Resources at the National Library of Canada," was originally intended to be something of an AMICUS training session, complete with PC and Internet access. Less than a month prior to the conference, however, I learned that presenters would be presenting in teepees, with no electricity, let alone Internet access. Consequently, my presentation was revamped. I distributed several handouts, including a list of "NLC Web sites of Interest to Aboriginal Audiences" and a listing of services offered at the National Library, as well as a pathfinder to genealogical and other print resources. We engaged in a talking circle, sharing information about our use of libraries and what we thought the relevance of libraries were for Aboriginal peoples. For instance, we spoke of the increased numbers of Aboriginal students in post-secondary education, the increased amount of publications and products (i.e., video, audio and multi-media) generated by Aboriginal people and organizations and the increased need to preserve our oral histories and languages. I also discussed some NLC frequently asked reference questions that pertain to topics of interest to Aboriginal people (such as those concerning government documents, Native Studies, e.g., tribal languages, cultures and histories, and procedures involved with obtaining Treaty status). Those attending my presentation included students, educators, the Native Hawaiian librarian mentioned above, administrators (e.g., education directors from particular reserves), and individuals working within political organizations. Although attendees were not as numerous as I had hoped, both sessions were interesting in different ways and the information and knowledge exchanged were worthwhile. I am grateful for the honesty and participation of those in attendance who expressed their ideas on how library services could be improved for Aboriginal people. One idea was for our Web site to include links to other Canadian Heritage portfolio Web sites, such as for the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the National Gallery. I also met a secondary school teacher from the interior of B.C. who was not aware of the National Library of Canada before attending the Conference. In closing, I would like to add a few comments about the challenges of organizing a conference of this magnitude. There were between 50 and 70 simultaneous sessions three times per day for five days. This made it a challenge to decide which presentation to attend, and it was difficult to keep track of which presentations were located where and if there were cancellations. However, the quality of presentations and this unique opportunity for exchange of ideas on various aspects of Indigenous education far outweighed any inconveniences. I am certain that I am not alone in looking forward to the next WIPCE, to be held in New Zealand in 2005. __________ |
