Indigenous Studies Resources Guide

An Cree skateboarder overcomes addiction and trauma stemming from his years in Canada's Church-run school system.

Ghislaine, "G", from Cambrian College, shares her Medicine Wheel teaching for the Living of a Good Life. Mino means good. The implication and the meaning of bimaadiziwin is that it is a good and sacred thing; it's not just life; there's a holiness to it.

Indigenous themed radio, TV, and documentary from CBC Curio

This Green Interview covers an enormous range of subjects, providing alternative views of work, the economy, the nature of community, land ownership, and a community's long-term values and its sense of time. Metatawabin also gives a candid and horrifying account of his time in residential school, where he and so many others experienced cruelty and life-altering abuse. Recommended by Jessica O'Reilly

If you're an indigenous person living in a country that was forcefully colonized, it's all too common to find yourself underrepresented and misrepresented if not blatantly and systematically devalued and attacked. Positive role models and a positive self-identity are hard to come by, yet the Canadian DJ collective A Tribe Called Red, is a modern gateway into urban and contemporary indigenous culture and experience, celebrating all its layers and complexity. Jessica O'Reilly recommended.

This documentary brings to light the profound and overlooked influence of Indigenous people on popular music in North America. Focusing on music icons such as Link Wray, Jimi Hendrix, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Taboo (The Black Eyed Peas), Charley Patton, Mildred Bailey, Jesse Ed Davis, Robbie Robertson, and Randy Castillo.

Canadian residential school system, and its treatment of children who experience life with disabilities. Recommended by Jessica O'Reilly

Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (The People of the Lake) is a remote Native community on the shores of Northern Ontario's Big Trout Lake who are bound and impoverished by reserve laws that were signed by their non-English speaking ancestors.

Charts a challenging journey for a precocious Métis baby girl as she contemplates her path to Hell.

Metro Morning columnist Jesse Wente asks individual Canadians to show real solidarity, as politicians revert to police-enforced "solutions" for Indigenous protests.

This feature film is a documentary portrait of Joseph Idlout, a man who was once the world's most famous Inuit. Unknown to most Canadians today, Idlout was the subject of many films and books, and one the Inuit hunters pictured for many years on the back of Canada's $2 bill. In this film Idlout's son, Peter Paniloo, takes us on a journey through his father's life - that of a man caught "between two worlds."

Long time CBC News host Gloria Macarenko speaks with Bob Joseph, author of a new book on the Indian Act, about how the act still affects Indigenous peoples today.

Indigenous speakers share knowledge about treaties, treaty relationships and rights in Ontario.

On August 9, 2016, a young Cree man named Colten Boushie died from a gunshot to the back of his head after entering Gerald Stanley’s rural property with his friends. The jury’s subsequent acquittal of Stanley captured international attention, raised questions about racism embedded within Canada’s legal system

Eddy Robinson is an educator on Indigenous issues. In this web series called "First Things First," Robinson explains why asking "How Can I Help?" is not the right question. He says, “Before you ask, "how can I help", when it comes to the Indigenous narrative, you first need to understand what has happened. You just need to listen.” TVO Docs

In the mid-1950s, lured by false promises of a better life, Inuit families were displaced by the Canadian government and left to their own devices in the Far North. In this icy desert realm, Martha Flaherty and her family lived through one of Canadian history’s most sombre and little-known episodes.

Includes titles: Lighting the 8th Fire, Wab Kinew's Walk through History, Indigenous in the City, It's Time!

The dramatic story of America’s national mammal, which sustained the lives of Native people for untold generations, being driven to the brink of extinction, before an unlikely collection of people rescues it from disappearing forever. Ken Burns recounts the tragic collision of two opposing views of the natural world––and the unforgettable characters who pointed the nation in a different direction.

Based on true events. This is Tracey Deer's debut feature that chronicles the 78-day standoff between two Mohawk communities and government forces in 1990 in Quebec.

Blood quantum refers to a colonial blood measurement system that is used to determine an individual's Indigenous status, and is criticized as a tool of control and erasure of Indigenous peoples. In this tale, we have an apocalyptic scenario where in an isolated Mi'gmaq community discover they are the only humans immune to a zombie plague.

A psychological drama told through the eyes of Cree Matriarch Aline Spears, as she survives Canada's residential school system to continue her family's generational fight in the face of systemic starvation, racism, and sexual abuse. Bones of Crows unfolds over one hundred years with a cumulative force that propels us into the future.

A world-famous Anishinaabe musician returns to the reserve to rest and recharge — only to discover that fame (and the outside world) are not easily left behind.

A true story about Inuit students in Kugluktuk living with drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence and one of the highest teen suicide rates in the world. An unprepared white rookie teacher, arrives from the South on a 1-year contract and introduces his class to lacrosse in an effort to help lift the dangerous fog of trauma. The eventually find themselves at the National Lacrosse Championships in Toronto.

Follows the life of Canadian First Nations boy, Saul Indian Horse, as he survives residential school and racism of the 1970s. A talented hockey player, Saul must find his own path as he battles stereotypes and alcoholism.

In July 1990, a dispute over a proposed golf course to be built on Kanien’kéhaka (Mohawk) lands in Oka, Quebec, set the stage for a historic confrontation that would grab international headlines and sear itself into the Canadian consciousness. Director Obomsawin spent 78 days behind Kanien’kéhaka lines filming the armed standoff between protestors, the Quebec police and the Canadian army.

The people of the Attawapiskat First Nation, a Cree community in northern Ontario, were thrust into the national spotlight in 2012 when the impoverished living conditions on their reserve became an issue of national debate. Abenaki director Obomsawin quietly listens as community members tell their own story, shedding light on a history of dispossession and official indifference.

Six months following the events of her documentary, Obomsawin returns to the Cree community of Attawapiskat in northern Ontario. While the public outcry resulted in some short-term relief for the most in need, Obomsawin reveals that the crisis persists in the isolated First Nation. Relief homes sent to the community are not equipped to deal with the harsh winter, as overcrowding and homelessness remain daily realities. Despite their ordeals, the residents of Attawapiskat remain strong, united in love and a belief that a better future must be achieved.

Set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago, this is the story of Naru, a fierce and highly skilled warrior, raised in the shadow of legendary hunters who roam the Great Plains. When danger threatens her camp, she sets out to protect her people. The prey she stalks: a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal.

This is an entertaining and insightful look at the portrayal of North American Indigenous people throughout a century of cinema. Featuring hundreds of clips from old classics as well as recent releases, the film traces the evolution of the “Hollywood Indian.”

Tells the story of the relationship between a father and his son. Victor and Thomas set off to collect Arnold Josephs pick-up truck and ashes from Arizona after Arnold has died. They remember the man very differently. Victor learns many things about his father during his journey and, in the end, begins to understand, forgive, and grieve his loss.

Discover the NFB’s rich online collection of Indigenous-made films.

A look at Indigenous filmmaking in Canada and a selection of Indigenous films available on Curio.

This new collaboration provides access to a variety of short films produced and directed by Indigenous youth across Canada. This collection is about culture, music, creation, governance, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, language, the two spirited community, and more. Filmed in various First Nation communities across the country including Cree, Métis, Anishnaabe, Coast Salish, Splatsin, Mi’gmaq, Dene and Inuit. Includes: A Stolen Sister (4:43) (Wikwemikong, ON)

Collection Includes: A Stolen Sister (4:43) (Wikwemikong, ON); Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk, Métis, Coast Salish Nation, Cree Nation, Splatsin, Anishnabe, Na-Dene, Inuit, Innu, Anishnabe, Mi'gmaq, Eskasoni, Sencoten, and Eeyou

Follow Mi'kmaw poet, published author, educator and activist Rebecca Thomas on a journey to reclaim her language. Despite using words for a living, she can't speak the language stolen from her father at a residential school.

This CBC Curio playlist focuses on cultural awareness, traditional knowledge and the contemporary challenges facing Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples across Canada as we begin to explore reconciliation together.

"I feel stronger, more powerful, wiser..." This is how one language speaker describes the personal impact of learning his mother tongue. This theme explores the efforts underway to reclaim Indigenous languages in Inuit, Métis and First Nations communities throughout Canada.

A series of fun, educational short video segments geared toward young children and parents. Learn how to say different Kanien’kéha words & phrases, cook healthy recipes, sing songs, engage in stories & play all while having fun in the comfort of your home. Featuring a new segment each week with parents, children, and guests of the Iakwahwatsiratátie Language Nest.

A film project partnership between the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres and the National Film Board of Canada. Taking a community-driven approach, the OFIFC and the NFB produced short documentaries by Indigenous filmmakers who set out to explore urban Indigenous culture and lived experiences

A continuing audio series about the Wake the Giant music festival. The festival is part of the Wake the Giant movement, which is a cultural awareness project developed in Thunder Bay, Ont by Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School (DFC). Its aim is to support students who come from remote First Nation communities, as they get to know Thunder Bay, and for the city to become a more welcoming and inclusive city.

Inuk residential school survivor Jack Anawak once fired back at a fellow MP who criticized his speaking Inuktitut in the House of Commons.

Marie Casimel from Stellat'en First Nation has been making bannock ever since her grandmother showed her how as a young girl. Now, Marie is ready to pass on her family's recipe and teach everyone how to make bannock.

Does art — films, books and music — offer the best path to heal historical wrongs? Guests include Susan Aglukark, Inuk singer and songwriter; Ry Moran, Director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba

The spectacular annual powwow at Manawan. Gilles Moar once saw a bear dancing, and this inspired him to pass his culture on to his daughter and the young in his community.

A young girl discovers the meaning of community and cultural pride after her mother insists she wave a red flag on her way to school. Vistas is a series of 13 short films on nationhood from 13 Indigenous filmmakers from Halifax to Vancouver. It was a collaborative project between the NFB and APTN to bring Indigenous perspectives and stories to an international audience.

From roots and rock to hip hop and hand drums – Canadian Indigenous music is an invite to a cultural experience across all genres. Hear: Don Amero, Ruby Waters, A Tribe Called Red, Terry Uyarak, Wolf Saga and more!

Music, news and views from Turtle Island.

NativeRadio.com was born out of our love for the music, the artists, and most of all... the people. Native American music crosses many styles including; pow wow, traditional, new age, blues, pop/rock, folk/country, rap/hip-hop, and more.

Decolonization is a word that is often met with resistance. Too often discussions about decolonization lead to unnecessary fear or hostility. There is another possibility. Decolonization can be an invitation for all Canadians to be a part of something good and to leave behind a better version of Canada for generations to come.

In 1963, Lena Wandering Spirit became one of the more than 150,000 Indigenous children who were removed from their families and sent to residential school. Jay Cardinal Villeneuve’s short documentary Holy Angels powerfully recaptures Canada’s colonialist history through impressionistic images and the fragmented language of a child. Villeneuve met Lena through his work as a videographer with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

This film follows the aftermath of the Oka crisis, which brought Indigenous rights into sharp focus. After the barricades came down, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples was created, and travelled to more than 100 communities and heard from more than 1,000 representatives. For two-and-a-half years, teams of Indigenous filmmakers followed the Commission on its journey.

This musical documentary by Marie Clements, connects a pivotal moment in Canada’s civil rights history—the beginnings of Indian Nationalism in the 1930s—with the powerful momentum of First Nations activism today. The Road Forward’s stunningly shot musical sequences, performed by an ensemble of some of Canada’s finest vocalists and musicians, seamlessly connect past and present with soaring vocals, blues, rock, and traditional beats.

In a pounding critique of Canada's colonial history, this short film draws parallels between the annihilation of the bison in the 1890s and the devastation inflicted on the Indigenous population by the residential school system.

"G"s residential school reflection. A psychological drama told through the eyes of Cree Matriarch Aline Spears, as she survives Canada's residential school system to continue her family's generational fight in the face of systemic starvation, racism, and sexual abuse. Bones of Crows unfolds over one hundred years with a cumulative force that propels us into the future.

the untold story of 36 Aboriginal women from Canada and Native women from tribes in Washington and Alaska who migrated in the 1940s to Bainbridge Island, the traditional territory of the Suquamish people. As survivors of Indian residential schools, they came, some still in their teens, to pick berries for Japanese American farmers, fell in love and married Filipino immigrants. They settled on the Island to raise their mixed-heritage, (Indigenous mother and Filipino father) Indipino children. The voices of the Indipino children, now elders, are integral in the storytelling of their mother’s courage and resilience marrying Asian men and risking disenfranchisement from their 19 different tribes. Many Indipino children grew up in homes burdened with their father and mother’s traumatic, collective memory of the Island’s Japanese Americans forced removal after President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 in 1942.

This is the spoken truth of seven courageous Survivors of Mohawk Institute, Canada’s first and longest running Indian residential school. From victim to survivor, to activist, this is a story of resistance, resilience and a healing path.
WARNING: This documentary includes distressing details and could be triggering for some viewers.

Phyllis Webstad explains the story of her experience at Residential School and the origination of Orange Shirt Day in Canada. She discusses the present situation and her hopes for the future.

Métis children are part of the dark history of the Isle a la Cross Residential School in northern Saskatchewan. Survivors of the school bravely step forward to share their harrowing stories of physical and sexual abuse, cultural suppression, and the profound loss of their language and identity.

Includes the films: We Were Children; Sisters and Brothers; Holy Angels; Second Stories - It Had to Be Done; Christmas at Moose Factory; The Road Forward; Etlinisigu'niet (Bleed Down); and Round Up

This powerful animated film tells the story of Chanie, a 12-year-old Ojibwa boy who died of exposure in 1966 while running away from Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School near Kenora, Ontario. His story and death sparked the first inquest into the treatment of Indigenous children in Canadian residential schools.

Tells the story of Peter Bryce, an early whistleblower on health conditions inside Residential Schools. Peter Bryce was appointed Chief Medical Officer of the department Indian Affairs in 1904. His 1907 report on the Residential Schools in the Canadian prairies drew national attention to the overcrowding, poor sanitation, and inadequate ventilation that turned the schools into breeding grounds for tuberculosis.

Richard Cardinal died at his own hand at the age of 17, having spent most of his life in a string of foster homes and shelters across Alberta. In this short documentary, Abenaki director Alanis Obomsawin weaves excerpts from Richard’s diary into a powerful tribute to his short life. Released in 1984 — decades before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission — the film exposed the systemic neglect and mistreatment of Indigenous children in Canada’s child welfare system.

Dr. Peter Henderson Bryce was the Chief Medical Health officer for the Department of Indian Affairs. In 1907 he reported on appalling health conditions in residential schools. His report was discredited by chief bureaucrat Duncan Campbell Scott, and Bryce was later relieved of his duties at Indian Affairs. Peter continued to lobby for better conditions for Indigenous people. He went on to write 'Story of a National Crime – An Appeal for Justice to the Indians of Canada'.

How well do Canadians know Indigenous history? What role did treaties play in forming our country? Are the stories told through truth and reconciliation changing our understanding of Canadian history? Moderated by award-winning journalist Duncan McCue, host of Cross Country Checkup on CBC Radio, the panel includes Ry Moran, National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation; Cynthia Wesley-Eskuimaux, Lakehead University; and Eldon Yellowhorn, Simon Fraser University.

The history of residential schools in Canada can be traced as far back as the 17th century to learn about the significant dates in its history — from the landing of Jesuits in what is now known as Quebec, to the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s final report in 2015.

Since the late 19th century, about 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children were removed from their families and forcibly sent to residential schools. The last residential school, near Regina, closed its doors in 1996. Residential schools were a key tool of cultural genocide against Canada's First Nations. This theme provides a concise overview of this dark page in Canadian history.

The Sixties Scoop is the catch-all name for a series of policies enacted by provincial child welfare authorities starting in the mid-1950s, which saw thousands of Indigenous children taken from their homes and families, placed in foster homes, and eventually adopted out to white families from across Canada and the United States. These children lost their names, their languages, and a connection to their heritage. Sadly, many were also abused and made to feel ashamed of who they were.

Hayden King, professor of Indigenous Governance at Ryerson University, weighs in on Prime Minister Trudeau's decision to split Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada into two separate ministries, some 20 years after the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) recommended such a division

Len invites his audience on a learning journey of Indigenous cultural safety education and training. He touches on the history of Canadian and Indigenous relations, its power imbalances in society, and how Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike can move together towards reconciliation. Len Pierre is a Coast Salish consultant and cultural knowledge keeper specialized in decolonization, reconciliation, development of educational programs, and Indigenization. To him, Bloom means re-birth and a fresh outlook!

This is the story of Shannen’s Dream, a national campaign to provide equitable access to education in safe and suitable schools for First Nations children. Strong participation in this initiative eventually brings Shannen's Dream all the way to the United Nations in Geneva.

More than two years ago the Canadian government promised to bring justice and equality to Indigenous people following the Truth and Reconciliation commission. There were 94 calls to action in the report — this CBC News exclusive progress report digs into whether the government is delivering on its promises.

Why do Indigenous topics cause such emotional discomfort? In her university-level classes, Pam Palmater often sees students cry, get angry, or surprised at the realities of racism in Canada. In this web series called "First Things First," Palmater explains how to handle emotions in difficult conversations.

The story of how the life of Jordan River Anderson - Jordan's Law - initiated a battle for the right of First Nations and Inuit children to receive the same standard of social, health and educational services as the rest of the Canadian population.

CBC's Land Back podcast uncovers land theft in Canada and looks at how Indigenous people are reclaiming their territories, identities and lives.

a poignant feature-length documentary from two-spirit Métis filmmaker Jamie Bourque-Blyan, where Jamie unearths painful truths about his family’s past, and connects with fellow survivors of conquest and colonization to explore how other countries including South Africa, Croatia, and New Zealand - have engaged in the process of truth and reconciliation post-atrocity, and how alternative approaches to healing through collective memory might be applied in Canada.

This is the true story about how Spirit Bear and his friends stood up for First Nations children and helped make Jordan’s Principle a reality. Jordan’s Principle is a legal rule in Canada. It helps ensure First Nations children and youth can access the public services (health, education, early childhood services) they need, when they need them, and without prejudice.

Lamoureux is committed to reconciliation and contributing to an even better Canada for all children to grow up in. Kevin is the Associate Vice-President Of Indigenous Affairs at the University of Winnipeg.

Following a historic court case filed by the Assembly of First Nations and the Child and Family Caring Society of Canada against the federal government, Alanis Obomsawin exposes generations of injustices endured by First Nations children living on reserves and their families. Through passionate testimony and unwavering conviction, frontline childcare workers and experts including Cindy Blackstock take part in a decade-long court battle to ensure these children receive the same level of care as other Canadian children.

On the inaugural National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, September 30, 2021, we're introducing Canadians to Indigenous people who are flipping the conversation on reconciliation.

The TRC spoke to thousands of survivors and found that what took place in residential schools in Canada amounted to the cultural genocide of Indigenous Peoples. So what changes have been made since then?

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was formed as a means of reckoning with the devastating legacy of the residential school system. From 2008 to 2014, the commission heard stories from thousands of residential school survivors. In 2015, it released a report that included its Calls to Action – instructions to guide governments, communities and faith groups down the road to reconciliation.

Introducing British Columbia First Nations Principles of Learning and the application of these concepts to Canadian education. Information from BC First Nations Knowledge Keeper's Principles of Learning and Dr. Martin Brokenleg's presentation of the Circle of Courage at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings held May 17 2013 in Williams Lake. Produced for School District 27 Cariboo-Chilcotin.

Darrell looks at religion and native people, exploring some of their different traditional beliefs.

This short documentary journeys into the spiritual world of traditional Indigenous medicine, a world inhabited by Mary and Ed Louie. With a lifetime of experience in the ways of spirituality, they are committed to practices that keep them accountable to the spirit world, their people, and Mother Earth. When one of the crew members get sick while shooting, his subsequent care is recorded for the purposes of this film.

In this short documentary, award-winning filmmaker Annie Frazier Henry follows an elite handful of Indigenous athletes from British Columbia for two years as they make their way to the 2002 North American Indigenous Games in Winnipeg. Over 6,000 young sportsmen and women from across Canada and the US compete in the games, and this film serves as a tribute to their hard work, dedication, and achievements.

This documentary looks at various Indigenous spirituality programs that run in western Canadian federal penitentiaries, as well as in some provincial institutions. These programs are led by elders, with assistance from liaison officers. They include workshops, ceremonies, and other traditional methods that help put the incarcerated back in touch with themselves, their culture, and their spirituality. A unique glimpse of the lives of Indigenous inmates.

Walking is Medicine is the story of the Nishiyuu walkers, six young Cree men who decided to trek 1600km from Whapmagoostui, Quebec, to Ottawa, in the spirit of their ancestors, whose traditions were to travel long distances in the winter because the rivers and lakes are frozen. This was an effort to meet with so many different nations from across the country and to be part of a new beginning.

In this documentary short, two men paddle a canoe across a remote part of northern Lake Superior. Each stroke brings them closer to the culmination of an artistic and spiritual journey, one that begins with ancient rock paintings from their Anishinaabe ancestors.

Teachings on the Four Sacred Medicines of the Ojibwe, Cedar Tea, and more.