Tyra Hallberg

Throughout my public education I have been taught about Indigenous culture and history. Although, I never realized before that the way I learnt about Indigenous culture didn't properly represent it. Thomas King expresses a similar idea in his novel "The Truth About Stories" (2003). In his novel he mentions the lack of Indigenous voice in the teachings of Indigenous history (King 69-70). I've experienced this first hand by how I was taught about the history of those who "found" our land. I learnt Indigenous history through a white-dominated lense by reading a textbook written by white people teaching me about First Nations. This never felt wrong to me as a child because I was never taught anything different. I was expected to know the history of Indigenous people by what was in the textbook and the history books. I realize now the lack of Indigenous input in my education. In this class I am finally learning about Indigenous cultures through writing that is by Indigenous peoples. I am now being taught about Indigenous culture through the way they intended to teach it; through stories.