Quick access:

Go directly to content (Alt 1) Go directly to first-level navigation (Alt 2)
Logo Goethe-Institut

Canada

Indigenes Storytelling© Shutterstock

Indigenous perspectives
in the classroom

For knowledge of the Indigenous peoples of Canada to become rooted even in the German language classroom, the Goethe-Institut Toronto has since 2021 made efforts to make Indigenous perspectives more accessible to German language teachers and their students by connecting them to indigenous elders through a series of storytelling sessions.
 

00:01
00:00
Progressive stream type not supported or the stream has an error (SOURCE_PROGRESSIVE_STREAM_ERROR)
© Goethe-Institut

A contribution for a better understanding

"Education for Reconciliation" has not only become a mandatory part of Canadian School Curricula since the 94 Calls to Action were first released by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada in 2015, it also touches on many subjects which the Goethe-Institut is engaged in, such as sustainability, diversity and social justice.

To document this effort and keep teachers connected to teaching resources on the topic, a short video of one of these story-telling days with Elder Cat Criger, Cayugan, was produced last year in Vancouver, and is presented here on this web page, together with various modern resources for the German language classroom.

Storytelling sessions with Elder Cat Criger can be booked through: cherylcress@outlook.com
 

Links & material for the German language classroom:

Best practice in Canada

4 Trees Teaching (Vancouver Westside German School)(PDF, 7 MB)

Land Acknowledgements (Vancouver Westside German School)(PDF, 8 MB)

Indigenous Storytelling – Literatur© Goethe-Institut Toronto, Sophia Baunach

Now in our library
 Books from indigenous authors

Indigenous storytelling is also a very interesting topic in literature. The Goethe-Institut Toronto's media lounge now offers a small selection of relevant literature for viewing and borrowing:


 

  • Caitlin Dale Nicholson: nipehon -Warten. Susanne Rieder Verlag, München 2018, Ages 2-4 years
  • David A. Robertson: Als wir allein waren. Little Tiger Verlag, Gifkendorf, 2020, from about 5 years
  • David A. Robertson. Strangers. Merlin Verlag, 2020., about 15-18 years
  • Judith Silverthrone: Die Würdigung des Bisons. Eine Legende der Plains Cree. Mons Verlag 2019, from about 3 years

Top