Onkwehón:we Spirituality and the Reconciliatory Journey in Canadian Education

Authors

  • Frank Deer University of Manitoba

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53967/cje-rce.6855

Keywords:

Indigenous, spirituality, religion, education, schools

Abstract

In recent decades, Onkwehón:we (Indigenous) education has been a burgeoning area of study and practice in primary, secondary, and post-secondary schools in Canada. One of the more significant contributions to this growth in recent years has been the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and its 94 Calls to Action. Central to the journey of reconciliation is understanding of the experiences of Onkwehón:we people and their perspectives on various things. Given that spirituality and associated ceremonial observances are important to many Onkwehón:we communities and have been explored in a number of schools and universities, their inclusion in academic and non-academic school programming merits exploration. This essay explores the importance of Onkwehón:we spirituality, its role in the reconciliatory journey, and the value of enabling schools to partner with Indigenous peoples to aid in its dissemination.

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Author Biography

Frank Deer, University of Manitoba

Frank Deer is a professor in the Faculty of Education of the University of Manitoba and serves as College President of the Royal Society of Canada. Frank is Kanienkeha’ka from Kahnawake, a community that lies just south of Tiotia’ke in the eastern region of the Rotinonshonni  Confederacy. Frank studies Indigenous language education and Indigenous religious and spiritual orientations in schools. Frank has previously served as a classroom teacher in Northern Manitoba and in the Inner City of Winnipeg.

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Published

2024-10-08

How to Cite

Deer, F. (2024). Onkwehón:we Spirituality and the Reconciliatory Journey in Canadian Education. Canadian Journal of Education Revue Canadienne De l’éducation, 47(3), 591–606. https://doi.org/10.53967/cje-rce.6855