Aboriginal Environmental Perspectives

Program Area

This activity is designed for the Grade 9 Self and Society program, and best fits into the unit of study on the Multicultural nature of Canada. This lesson should be done after an introduction to the indigenous peoples of Canada.

Learning Outcomes

Teaching, learning and evaluation will focus on the student's ability to:

• Articulate an understanding of an aboriginal perspective on our environment;
• Compare aboriginal philosophy to one's own philosophical backgrounds;
• Create symbols that would represent concepts in aboriginal philosophy.

Classroom Development

1. Have students read the interview with Danny Beaton.
2. Assign a partner for each student to draw and label a chart that would visually represent Danny Beaton's perspective on our environment. The chart should have symbols, drawings and colour done with an aboriginal artistic style. (S=10 marks A=10 marks)
3. Have the partners write ten questions to ask Danny Beaton. You could pick an assortment of questions from the class and:
   a) invite Danny Beaton to speak to your class;
   b) interview him over the telephone;
   c) invite another native leader to speak to your class.

Bibliography

Black, Scot ed. Earthkeeper Magazine. Jan/Feb 1992. Vol 11, Issue 111. An issue on aboriginal Canadians and our environment.

Berry, Thomas. The Dream of the Earth. San Francisco: Sierra, 1988.

Van Matre, Steve. The Earth Speaks. Warrenville Illinois: Institute For Earth Education, 1983.

Henley, Thom. Rediscovery. Western Canada Wilderness Committee. Vancouver 1989.

Verrall, Catherine, Patricia McDowell, and Lenore Keeshig-Tobias. Resource Reading List 1990: Annotated Bibliography of Resources By and About Native People. Update coming in 1995. Canadian Alliance in Solidarity with Native Peoples, 1991. P.O. Box 574 Stn. P, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2T1. Available from Longhouse Bookshop (416) 921-9995, or NASNP (416) 972-1753.

Timing

• 10 min to read the interview
• 40 min to design and draw the chart
• 25 min to write the ten questions

Additional Suggestions

As a teacher you can present a native perspective on our environment for many of your disciplines. Here are a few suggestions:

1. assign a research project;
2. invite a native person to be a guest speaker;
3. have a class debate that would illustrate a native perspective;
4. study native poetry;
5. study native art and print making;
6. research the biography of Grey Owl (a European who lived an aboriginal lifestyle) or an aboriginal character.

Contacts

• Danny Beaton, Executive Director Artists Environment Forum 296 Brunswick Avenue (Poor Alex Theater) Toronto, Ontario M5S 2M7 voice: (416) 921-0014 fax: (416) 921-7925.
• Danny Beaton is available to speak to your students on a number of topics including: native perspective on our environment; native spirituality; drug and alcohol abuse; his visits to speak with indigenous people of the Amazon, Labrador, James Bay, Hudson Bay and many other areas; his personal photographic library of indigenous people
• Fred Plain Chiefs of Ontario 22 College Street 2nd Floor Toronto, Ontario M5G 1K2 (416) 972-0212 Ĩ Ontario Native Affairs Secretariat (416) 326-4740
• Canadian Alliance in Solidarity with Native Peoples (416) 972-1573

An Interview with Danny Beaton

Danny Beaton is a Six Nations Mohawk Indian from the Turtle Clan who has been raising the awareness of newer Canadians about indigenous people and Mother Earth. His presentations and speaking engagements are supported by the World Council of Indigenous People, the Mohawk Nation, the University of Toronto, and O.I.S.E.

I feel that it is very important for students to understand the connection between the indigenous people of Canada and our environment. We have a very spiritual, psychic, and mystical connection. Our ancestors lived in harmony with their environment for thousands of years. They gave great reverence to the animals, plants, rivers, lakes, forests and soil. They became very knowledgeable about their environment and their responsibility to take care of it.

We Have Two Mothers

You see we have two mothers. The second mother is our Mother Earth who takes care of us forever. When we get older and begin to explore, we eventually discover a living Mother Earth all around us. She feeds us potatoes, apples, and oranges. She gives us air to breath and her blood; the rivers, lakes and oceans. She watches out for us, protects us and looks after our needs. She is a gracious mother, and we would surely die without her. Since she is small within our universe and very fragile, we must look out for her, protect her from harm, and take care of her.

Many people have become divorced from Mother Earth. Urban social problems exhibit evidence of this. Mental institutions, penitentiaries, and hospitals are full of people who could benefit from refocusing their lives around Mother Earth. People spend too much time trying to escape from their problems. Just look at all the beer stores, liquor stores and drug stores in your community.

Spirituality has become bankrupt. Many people have not yet discovered their spiritual roots; we all have them. Spirituality is the highest form of politics among indigenous people. We listen to and take counsel from our spiritual leaders.

Turtle Island Has Problems

You and I both share Turtle Island, the vast continent of North and South America. Immense problems are affecting Turtle Island and the future that we share. The Inuit, Innu, DenŽ, northern Cree, Lubicon and other indigenous nations are still trying to live off the land. Their ancestral fishing and hunting areas are threatened by urban expansion, industrial pollution and power development projects. Peace loving nations have been forced to struggle and fight to hold on to their land. Chiefs, elders and their children are being attacked and invaded by exploration and exploitation.

By doing little about this invasion our Federal and Provincial Governments are actually showing their support for this attack. There seems to be no justice for us. Look at how strong Indian nations used to be. They had high quality water and large food supplies. Indigenous people want to maintain the land and resources that they need to sustain their culture and way of life. The injustices that are now happening to indigenous people will soon happen to our white brothers and sisters.

Please Show Respect

You must show your students how to respect the air and not pollute it with automobiles and chemicals. Show them how to respect the water that they must drink tomorrow. They must be made conscious of the pollution that is affecting their own bodies. Show them how to respect their own bodies by staying clean from drugs and alcohol. This type of pollution is destroying young people.

Birth control should be taught in schools. Every child that is born is an additional burden to Mother Earth. Students need to realize that they just can't have as many children as their parents had.

Students should be provided with opportunities to look at what is going on around them. What is their relationship to the natural world? What is going on with Mother Earth? If they ask these questions they will start to see all the negative processes that are happening.

Native Mentors

Students need to know about Elijah Harper, Graeme Green, Chief Owen Lyons, Grey Owl, and Chief Dan George. Native people are continuing to change the course of history and politics. Your students would be greatly impacted by the indigenous people that you invite to your classroom. Invite us to share our philosophy and perspective with you.

I see the whole process of education undergoing change. I see teachers taking initiative and becoming more knowledgeable about indigenous people and their concerns. I see teachers teaching important life skills. I see a consciousness about our environment being instilled. I see hope for Mother Earth.

(Danny Beaton from an interview conducted by a member of the O.S.E.E. curriculum team, 1991, 07, 07)