Excellent, encompassing and eye opening course! It is a very good primer! I had previously done a minor in aboriginal studies from the University of Ottawa and graduated in 2007 but I must confess that I either forgot the information or did not understand it as well at the time than the information I learnt in this Indigenous Canada course for the University of Alberta. The reason might be because I am older and more aware of the indigenous social movements and activism from social media exposure or simply from having lived a little and worked full time instead of just being immersed in the academic world. I learnt a lot and have a much better understanding of history, land claims, the social issues brought about from colonialism assimilations practices and the racism against indigenous people in Canada. I also learnt a lot more from the resilience and strength of indigenous women and the sacred work and artwork made by artists or with a collaboration from a community. I truly appreciated the satirist video from 1491s. Great discovery! Thanks

Thought provoking and informative, this Indigenous Canada course is an excellent entryway into understanding how settlers of what we now call Canada can learn from the original inhabitants of this land. Thank you for putting this course together; it has helped me open my views into how Indigenous issues are framed in Canada. As an immigrant, this course made me think about my own place in Canadian society. From one side, I am thankful for all the opportunities I've gotten moving here. However, I must also acknowledge that all the benefits I enjoy have been stripped from Indigenous peoples. For immigrants moving to Canada and going through the Canadian citizenship application process, I highly urge you to take this course in addition to the citizenship booklet provided prior to the exam. Then, open your eyes to all the content made by Indigenous peoples. Pay respect to the people who were the traditional and original inhabitants of your land. Most importantly, keep on learning. The learning doesn't stop after Week 12 is done.

Thank you!

I am glad I took this course. It gives me a better understanding of the origins of the history of Canada and the the original and rightful owners of the lands ("the First Nations" - which includes all the different clans, Metis, Inuits, etc) and it enhances my love, respect, compassion and empathy for them. It saddens me to learn the way they have been treated and the trauma they have endured and are enduring. We cannot turn back the clock but we can certainly pray and support them in their quest for their rights and humanity should be first and foremost. To the whole team at the University of Alberta for Faculty of Native Studies, I thank you for an excellent job in putting together this very important significant historical studies as a curriculum for anyone who wish to learn about Canadian history and its people as it developed. All narrations, explanations, analysis and paintings illustrations in this course studies were exemplary and crystal clear. Thank you very much once again. It was worth it in all aspects! - Gurdt S.Nagi

I really enjoyed this course. I appreciated that it was free (for me to take) and that it covered the Canadian context, not just the West Coast where I live now or the East Coast where I grew up. I have been trying to learn all I can about First Nations, Metis and Inuit culture and history for the last few years - and there was so much more in this course than I knew or had heard about before. Thank you Thank you for the every well rounded content and also the encouragement to keep trying. It took me over the summer to complete it - and I got poor marks on the first few quizzes, went away from it for sometimes weeks, but every time I came back it let me reset my deadline and today I completed it. I did not participate in any discussion groups - I did not notice them until the end - and that would have been good I am sure but I was really fitting it in to my work context so the time I gave it was probably all I had just covering the lessons. The humour at the end of the course in the 1491 video was a great pandemic antidote!

As online courses go this one is way better than most. I like the combination of taped lectures, visual cues, guest speakers, and readings. So often online courses are about reading a bunch of material and, as a result, there's little engagement. This course connects us to the professors because we can see and hear them. I especially loved the animated sections and guest speakers.

In terms of content, I can't help but scratch my head over why almost none of this was taught in school. I couldn't help but think, shouldn't I know this already? I especially appreciate the creation story and the pre-contact materials. So often indigenous history starts with settlers and the pieces they want to tell. It's critical to remember there were thriving legal, political, spiritual, and education systems firmly in place for generations upon generations before contact. The piece that will stay with me and that I think about a lot is the concept of a communal culture and what that could mean for Canada. There's lots to think about there.

I cannot begin to explain how much I learned. I was both inspired and intrigued by indigenous perspectives new to me, and I was challenged to change the misconceptions and misunderstandings I have held on to for most of my life. As a middle school teacher, I have shared some of my new understanding with my students when teaching canadian history, as well as the ongoing discussions we have had in class about the systemic racism, stereotypes, and bias still often found in our modern society. I am encouraged by the amount of work that has already been done to address the damage caused by colonization beyond the simple apology. I am commited to keep these conversations going! On a final note, I would like to say I really appreciated the positive tone of the entire course. It was not built on bitterness or resentment and was not communicated through frustration and anger. Rather, you spoke the truth in a way that is respectful and encouraging, hopeful and instructive. It opens the door to collaborative dialogue. Thank you.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to complete this very informative and transformative course. I have learned so much and my deep wish is that I knew about all of this material earlier in my family life and career as an educator. I will be 68 years old this year and have recently retired, but I do plan to remain active in my learning in this area. The dedication and commitment to Indigenous ways of knowing of my last cohort of wise, wild and wonderful student teachers at VIU was my inspiration for 'un learning and re learning' about Indigenous Canada. I hope I can be an inspiration for my friends and relations to also experience your wonderful course materials. I am confident my ancestors and my student teachers are carrying a new mindset and new ideas for the a more authentic and respectful understanding of our ongoing work together.

Thank you very much

Bobbi Coleman

daughter, mother, grandmother, and educator

currently residing on the unceded territory of the Qualicum First Nations on Vancouver Island

I thoroughly emjoyed this course and learned so much. I love history, particularly Canadian history, and this course opened a whole new understanding of the Indigenous people and their roles in Canada,s history and development. The course material was laid out in a clear and logical pattern, and I looked forward to each new module. The instructors were clear and interesting to listen to, the guest speaker videos added to the content, and the course notes were helpful in reinforcing the videos and studying for the quizes. I looked forward to viewing and listening to Leah Dorion speak about her art pieces, it was like my reward for completing each module. I fell in love with her art and hope to purchase a print from this collection.

I did not sign up for the certificate, and am now wishing I had as I worked very hard on this. I have been trying to navigate my way through to sign up for this, have not succeeded yet, but will continue to figure it out.

Thank you to all who created and taught Indigenous Canada.

This was a brilliant, thought provoking and very enlightening expose on the revisionist history as recorded by white explorers. I am embarrassed to admit my lack of knowledge concerning historical facts. I was well aware of the cultural genocide perpetrated against the wise, generous and noble race of First Nations people but this course identified the insidious manner in which Aboriginal people lost their territorial rights and their capacity to thrive independent of government "intervention". My spirit is strengthened recognizing how past injustices can be reconciled through acknowledging egregious acts of oppression. illegal misrepresentation of the "law", and military/political malice. My prayer is for a thorough and swift restoration of indigenous spiritual, cultural and societal status for my beloved brothers and sisters and for their vibrant, powerful moral, cultural integrity and innate wisdom to prevail. May the Great Creator continue to bless and prosper you in supernatural and tangible ways.

I am 74 years Aboriginal and enjoyed the history of Canada. I am a residential school survivor and did not know much of Canadian history and my Canadian heritage. I left my home shortly after and went to work and later got an education and upgraded myself to improve my livelihood. My friends were mostly non aboriginal and I married a white woman with aboriginal ancestry. I almost lost my Cree but gradually learned to speak it again but my children don't speak Cree and always asked why I didn't teach them. My only excuse was we had to speak the one language we can all understand. This is one example of assimilation and the attempt made by the government to strip us of our cultures. We are resilient people and we strongly regained our cultures of different tribes. Things haven't changed much, we still have a long ways to go with regards to respecting our treaties. Just look around you. we are all children of the most high God, our Creator of the Universe, Mother Earth and our grandparents. God Bless

I am white and my ancestors are colonizers. I took this course because I realized how ignorant I was to Indigenous history in Canada. I read stories in the media that I did not understand and wished to seek out a better education. Anything that I learned in the public school system, which was limited to begin with, was post-colonialization and from the perspective of Europeans. Since taking this course and having many conversations about it with my mom, who is currently in grad school, she decided to take an Indigenous Studies class herself. I have also been able to apply to newfound knowledge to conversations with other non-Indigenous folks and have really productive dialogue. I hope to continue the conversation, respect the land I inhabit and be an ally for this community. Many thanks for creating this fantastic course.

I found this course to be very informative, eye-opening and thought provoking. It has certainly helped me to have a much better understanding of the many challenges faced by Indigenous people today and why such challenges continue to exit (intergenerational trauma, government policies and an un-informed public etc.). I personally feel a course such as this should be taught in all schools, starting in junior high and expanded upon my understanding of ondigenous people was based on the colonial interpretation, which would be the case for many. I applaud the work that would have gone into creating such a course and am thankful for the opportunity to learn about Indigenous people from their own lens. Time well spent and I will be sharing this course and how to access within my own group of freinds and family. Thank you

The lectures were clear, accessible, varied and allowed me the time I needed to review and think about the material they contained. I loved looking at Leah Dorion's art works and seeing the visual images that accompanied the lectures. I enjoyed listening to all the speakers and being able to follow along with the transcripts if I felt I wanted to do so. I also enjoyed the invitation to view Indigenous artworks outside the frame of this course, which I was able to do because the course provided some key names. This was a disturbing and stimulating course, a perfect introduction to important current affairs. The past cannot be changed, but we are able to make responsible and accountable choices in the present in the hope we contribute to a better future for everyone. Thank you for offering this course.

What a fabulous way to educate Canadians in a collaborative, empathetic and compassion way. Thank you to all of the contributors, academics and visionaries who saw this course through to its completion. As a non-Indigenous elementary school educator, this course gave me that very important ´next step' that I have been looking for the past 3 years. I work alongside the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund and with several community groups in The Dish With One Spoon, so becoming better educated in our shared (and tumultuous!) history is of utmost importance back in the classroom and at home with my own young children. I highly recommend the resources available in this course to all Canadians, and hope to rely on this experience moving forward in my own journey to Reconciliation. Miigwech. Andrea Eby

I am so grateful for this course. I feel appalled and ashamed about the education that the Canadian catholic school system of the 80's saw fit to NOT provide me. Like many others have commented, I feel like I was vaguely aware of various parts of this history, but certainly not with a true understanding. I relish the opportunity to better inform my own children and, though deeply saddened by so much of what I've learned here, I remain hopeful for real, meaningful, lasting change for Canada's future. Every Canadian should have this information so our history can be accurately told.

Thank you for providing me with such an eye-opening foundation to understanding indigenous worldviews, history, communities and how they interacted with Canadian settlers from first contact to modern times. This course from an indigenous perspective should be essential learning in our school curriculum. I highly recommend this course to anyone sincerely interested in learning about the richness of indigenous cultures and experience, from the fur trade and land treaties, to residential school trauma and environmental activism to art.

I have learned so very much. I've learned about colonialism, indigenous worldviews and their connection and respect for mother earth, the importance of storytelling and artwork, how important the past is to the future, respect for others, cultures and land to name a few. By offering this course to everyone for free will hopefully change what is taught for Canadian History because it's been taught incorrectly for much too long. Thank you to everyone :)

Was so unaware and shocked as to how badly and poorly Indigenous people have been and still are treated in Canada. Really bothered me that I never heard, knew or was taught any of this when I was in school in the 60's as I did not even know that residential schools existed. I have learned so much from this course and gained a whole new respect and understanding for First Nations Peoples. Thank you

I felt the content of this course was a great introduction to learning about the Indigenous people of Canada, the material was delivered in an easy to follow manner and made it easy to absorb. I enjoyed this course quite a bit and being able to do it on my own time was really beneficial to me being able to retain the information I was learning.

The history course Canada needs to incorporate into our mandatory P-12 education. Truly amazed at how ignorant I was to Indigenous History and how this ignorance influcenced misconceptions about Indigenous Rights and Culture. Thankful for the privledge to have learned from the expertise of course contributors.

Covers many important topics very well. Represents the true seriousness of Indigenous history in Canada. As First Nations myself, I learned so much more from this course that I have never learned before. This was enlightening, informative, and a great source of valuable information.

Excellent course. Loved the freedom to explore the lectures at times where it fit in my schedule. Learned a lot of information that was never included in our previous schooling about Indigenous People. Thank you for the opportunity to learn more and understand.

Congratulations! You have created an essential course for Canadians. I am angry I did not have this information earlier in my life but I will certainly strongly recommend this to my friends and acquaintences. Special thanks for the reading list and course notes.

Very informative for a starter to learn and understand more about indigenous peoples of Canada. I thank you very much for making it available, I spent 12 fantastic hours! Special thanks to the narrators and the artist whose art was very moving and beautiful.

Really enjoyed the format, the pace, the structure, the presenters/presentations/support materials provided in this program. The content topics built upon one another really well. Thank you for creating and providing an invitation to learn !