A book review of Braided Learning: Illuminating Indigenous Presence through Art and Story by Susan D. Dion
Stars: ****
Purich Publishing (2022)
Indigenous Studies
260 pages
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Summary: A guide to learning and teaching about Indigenous histories and perspectives in Canada.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Indigenous activism have made many Canadians uncomfortably aware of how little they know about First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples. In Braided Learning, Susan Dion shares her approach to learning and teaching about Indigenous histories and perspectives. Using the power of stories and artwork, Dion offers respectful ways to address challenging topics including settler-colonialism, treaties, the Indian Act, residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, and the drive for self-determination. Braided Learning draws on Indigenous knowledge to make sense of a difficult past, decode unjust conditions in the present, and work toward a more equitable future.
Braided Learning
I picked up this book from the library in preparation for our new homeschool year. In our first month we will be learning about Indigenous Canadians and I wanted to be better equipped to teach it. What I learned about Indigenous people (then called Native Americans) as a kid is not all there is to know and a lot has been revealed since then.
The book was more interesting and way more informative than I would have thought given the cover. This is another example of don’t judge a book by it’s cover. I hope the cover doesn’t deter others because I learned a lot.
I loved that this book is about Canadian Indigenous people specifically and that it was recently written. This means it includes information about residential schools and Truth and Reconciliation.
This book is a little bit about learning yourself and a little bit about teaching others. It’s not written for homeschoolers or even necessarily school teachers but more about self education. That said if you feel, like me, that you are behind in your knowledge, it’s a good way to bring yourself up to speed.
As a matter of fact, I plan to have my highschooler read this book herself. It’s the best way for her to catch herself up to speed as well and she will learn more from it than I could in trying to learn and then reteach it.
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