It was very interesting and educating. I enjoyed the intro music to each session and having the printed notes. It took pressure off pausing the video and taking notes. I live in the PNW of the US and while this is based for Canada, I have noticed quite a bit of relevance to this course. In reading the signs and notes at various spots in our area. The information was there all along, but I never understood the information and the relevance so it's been awesome to see it in my everyday life. The information and relevance has been there all along, but it was never presented to us this way in our education system so I'm grateful for the information in this course and would be interested in other courses like it.

I really enjoyed this course and while I realize that this is the tip of the iceberg, it was a great introduction and has given me a few things to investigate further. I did want to point out too (sorry) that in the final lesson, there were a couple of inconsistencies - Enspanola, Sask in the reading material is Espanola, Ontario in the video, Calgary Winter Olympics of 1986 in reading and 1988 on video, and Rebecca's Belmore's "Fringe" in reading materials and "Trace" on video. Thank you so much for providing this course free of charge. It really was a privilidge. My first baby-sitter (also my best friend's mom) is a Residential School Survivor so I found that topic especially interesting. Thanks again.

I was really sorry when the course ended. It was completely enjoyable and wonderful to get history presented by Indigenous people. Nothing like the way it was presented during public and high school .

I grew up in Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay) and can recall perhaps one Metis student in classes during the 1950's. Quite a different story now and sad to see my hometown getting the label of "the racist capital of Canada" but seemingly doing everything possible to earn if.

Every elected politician and law enforcement worker (police, lawyers, judges) should be required to complete this course as should as many other Canadians as possible.

Thank you so much for the experience and kudos to the presenters!!

Bill Rajala

This was a very long course but all material was needed and excellent. Despite enjoying it, it took me quite awhile to finish it but it was not due to lack of interest. Like Black History, Indigenous History is also missing from our curriculum. Or if it is there it has colonialism views. Personally, I think every Canadian needs to take this course. I have told many people about it and was pleased that some have shown an interest in taking the course or have taken it in the past. I would love to be able to be given permission to use the University of Alberta and the Indigenous Canada logos on my website to advertise this course.

I wonder is there a Community to address Canada to make UNDRIP legally binding?

Chère faculté, Je vous remercie de nous offrir ce cours sur l'histoire, la culture, les combats, les tragédies, les injustices et les victoires de la communauté indigène. J'ai beaucoup appris et j'ai beaucoup de respect pour le peuple indigène. Il est vibrant, captivant, vivant et il force l'admiration. Il a puisé dans sa diversité, ses échecs face à la colonisation européenne et il a constamment observé et appris de ses ancêtres. J'espère sincèrement que le processus de réconciliation nationale, de restitution des terres et de reconnaissance des peuples indigènes va avancer. C'est notre histoire et nous devons la reconnaître, l'apprendre et la partager dans toute sa diversité. Avec une profonde gratitude.

This was a wonderful course and filled some gaping holes in my knowledge. I guess the biggest hole was my belief, as an elementary school student in the 1960's, of believing that the residential school system had ended. To understand that it continued until 1996 devastates me. I first became interested in Indigenous relations in Canada when I watched the episode in "Canada: A People's History" that described the British genocide of the indigenous peoples by the distribution of small pox laced blankets. I believe in equality for all and this course further pushes me to teach this distinction and the needs that we, as European Canadians, must work diligently to accept native cultures, land claims and rights.

Was recommended the course as the pandemic and BLM movement surged fourth. I was very little but I remember the Oka Crisis, Ipperwash, and several other events of the past. I know now that the unfair privilege colonization provided allowed for a one-sided narrative. The narrative back then was given a colonial lens that I saw on TV through the news - completely distant from that world and the so very wrongful death of Dudley George. I know better now, and know to whom to listen and who the true teachers are.

I would like to thank Dr. Tracey Bear and the rest of the staff for making this course very accessible, and one I shall recommend as - not the end - but the beginning of learning. Eternally, thank you.

My gratitude to all who made this course for enlightening us so generously with your knowledge, hard work, and time. My interest in it stemmed from being indigenous-adjacent (I first came to Canada to teach and live among the Nisga'a and was very happy to see their history featured here, especially with the recent loss of Sim'oogit Hleek).

This is also informing my work as a member of the Canadian Teachers' Federation Advisory Committee on the Status of Women and the British Columbia Teachers' Federation Committee for Action on Social Justice.

Some work still need to be done to edit the transcripts, however. I hope that time is expended to correct them as they can lead to miscommunication.

Much appreciated!

Extremely beneficial for all people living in what we currently call Canada. An introduction into the history, present and future of Indigenous nations here with many interesting and relevant pieces of information that we all should know and should inform our actions. Could have benefited slightly from a deeper exploration of two-spirit and gender diverse histories and modern efforts, particularly for recognition within colonial LGBTQ+ structures and liberation efforts, however I recognize the limitations of such a short course for such a broad and diversified history. Thank you to all contributors to this course, and to the unnamed individuals who have made the availability of this information possible.

I was very impressed with the content, organization and delivery of this course. The entire course was aethetically pleasing. I really enjoyed the commissioned artwork created by Leah Dorion, especially her in depth explanation of her creative process and meaning behind her art. I was further impressed with the collection and the continuity of the drawings utilized to illustrate prominant figures throughout the course. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Indigenous histories as well as contemporary issues from an Indigeious perspective. I would not hesitate to invest my time into another class created by the same community of instructors from the Faculty of Native Studies at the University of Alberta.

The content provided was enlightning, informative and well quantified. The facilitators and those interviewed presented their arguments and stories with a calm balance, professionalism and not with anger. I was keenly impressed with the qualifications of the leader ship and those interviewed. Growing up in Canada I realize that I have not been educated on the full holistic story of our history but rather a scrubbed version and this course provided the necessary content for my fuller understanding. My empathy and compassion has only grown over the many tragedies that existed in the world of colonization. Navigating the course was very user-friendly. I would recommend this course to anybody. Thank you

For someone like me, who had almost no knowledge about the history and culture of Indigenous peoples in Canada, this course was a great opportunity to become acquainted with their sorrowful yet proud history. Reading about the residential schools made me very sad, and I cried. As a father of a four-year-old, learning about the unjust and cruel system of separating children from their families under children welfare system filled my heart with pain. Discovering the discriminatory Indian Act made me feel outrageous, However, seeing the unparalleled resilience of Indigenous people, especially their women, filled me with pride. My Indigenous friends in Canada, your life stories are an inspiration to me!

Being an American newcomer to Canada (British Columbia), my knowledge of Indigenous Canada was severely limited. I found this course to be an indispensable part of becoming a recent immigrant to Canada. Learning about the diverse, historical, cultural, spiritual, linguistic, and artistic identities of Indigenous communities helped me better understand Canada today and where I, as an immigrant, fit in. It also served as a interesting point of comparison with Native American history in the U.S. when I reflect on the experiences, similarities, differences, and injustices that occurred there. I'm indebted to this course for making me want to learn more about these topics. Thanks for an awesome 12 weeks!

Great Course, good content. As an older Canadian who attended school in the 60/70's I am surprised at how my education was lacking in honest content, I am further shocked at how legislation in the past and fairly current continues to discriminate esp relating to gender. I thought I was aware of injustices but clearly did not have the breadth of knowledge of the impacts of business, church, and state. My thanks for the education.

The grammar, spelling and inconsistencies in written content and spoken content are distracting. There is an implication on a lack of attention and value of this program that a couple of hours of an editor could correct. It reflects badly on the University of Alberta.

A great introduction to indigenous cultures, worldviews, and challenges in colonial society. Often insightful, and frequently painful (as a settler), this course covers the reasons we are where we are in our relationships with indigenous peoples. It also offers insights into how that relationship is changing, and where we need to work harder as we work toward reconciliation. Well presented by all three instructors, each with their own worldview and cultural contributions to the material. I highly recommend this to any Canadian looking to extend their knowledge of the devastating impact of European colonial patriarchy in North America, and how we can reconcile that past with a more equitable future.

I appreciated this course very much. I wanted to gain better insight on the important issues affecting Indigenous people in Canada and this course provided me with a good general knowledge of both historical and modern issues. I acknowledge the difficulty one must have in designing a short 12 week course that aims to capture such a broad range of topics. I enjoyed the lectures and can say with certainty that this course has given me a much better understanding of Indigenous peoples in Canada. I would recommend this course to anyone with an open mind and an interest in learning more about Indigenous culture, history and other related topics. Thank you for making this course available on Coursera!

This course should be mandatory for every person in Canada - as a descendent of a family affected deeply by the 60s Scoop, this has helped me understand my family's history and reason's why it was hidden - to try to keep their children from being taken. Without true understanding of the genocide that is still taking place in our country, and the systemic push to keep FNMI people(s) quiet and to assimilate them, how can anyone begin to have empathy and to disappear many of the commonly heard myths about FNMI people(s)? I believe this course is essential to our history and should be taught in all schools, be a requirement for newcomers, and anyone enrolled in any post-secondary academy. Thank you.

This was an amazing course and has inspired me, on many levels, to learn more about Canada's darker past. A past that, now unsurprisingly, was rarely mentioned in my schooling from 1964 to 2003.

I could write 10,000 words covering the revelations, the pain, the anger, the sadness, the shock and the joy that taking the course brought forth but instead I'll finish with my most important conclusion. I now understand that I have more in common with my Indigenous sisters and brothers than I do with the federal government of Canada. An ancient and outdated organization that, through the lens of deep time, have proven to be nothing more than the security apparatus of Canada's extractive industries.

Incredibly informative and life changing for me. I finally learned at 50 years old the ACTUAL history of our country which is not taught in our public school system - that needs to change. I also learned that 150+ years later we have such a long ways to go in our endeavour to understand and truly honour the incredibly knowledgeable First People; the true caretakers of this land. As a country, we could benefit so much by incorporating traditional Indigenous knowledge and world views into our current governance thereby creating a true partnership as we lived together harmoniously.

Thank you SO much for this opportunity. It is a huge honour for me to have been a part of this fantastic course.

Thank you for the insight into the situation of the Indigenous peoples of Canada . It is a sad statement when we see what has gone on in the past and continues to transpire. There is a need for all levels of government and the Canadian public to recognize that there has been and still is systemic racism in Canada. As I reflect on the course and also look at Idle no More I do wonder if there is an Indigenous person in Canada that has NOT experienced racism in there life. A very sad thought. Thank you Tracy and your team for helping me to understand the challenges and successes of the indigenous communities across Canada. A real eye opener as to the consequences of colonialism in Canada.

This course is a tremendous primer to compensate for the appalling dearth of care for Indigenous history, culture, sensitivity, and context in this country's general education system, especially for those in their 20s and up. Having completed the course, I feel I have a more complete understanding of our world and what we must do better in it, as well as leaving it with a wealth of threads to continue in my education of Indigenous rights and culture. This course could not have come at a better time; I am immensely grateful for the work of the faculty of University of Alberta and their Indigenous Studies department for their work in putting this together and making it so accessible to all.

This was a wonderful introduction course into the true history and affects of past, present, and continuining colonization of the Indigenous Peoples. It starts to give us a true picture of what Indigenous peoples have suffered and continue to suffer with to this day. It also demonstrates how truly amazing Indigenous people are as they have survived all of these things and continue to grow and find ways to showcase their truth in a knowledge based way. I grew up surrounded by Indigenous culture but even then had very little knowledge about the truth of their lives. This was a great course to show me what happened and which areas I may want to pursue in my studies in the future. Thank you.

I enrolled in this course to learn about Indigenous Canada as a new immigrant. The course content was so interesting that I complted the course sooner than expected. It has not only enhanced my knowledge about past and present of Canada but have also made me think and reflect back while studying the history and struggle of indigenous people. I can relate to them at so many levels as I myself am from a community, though from an entirely different geographical area and continent, whose ancestors have seen colonialism.

I hope that this course is definitely going to help me connect with Canada in a positive way at personal and professional level. Thank you for creating such a great content.

I really enjoyed the course. There were some issues I was aware of but I gained a deeper knowledge. There were also a lot of issues I was unaware of and am glad that I have a better understanding of Indigenous life in Canada. The speakers were all easy to understand and conveyed passion about the topics. I have talked about this course and recommended it to other people. Being non-Indigenous, it is horrifying to think that my ancestors received dominion land grants when they moved to Canada from the US. However, it’s really no different than the land I currently live on in the city. There is so much to be done to correct the injustices committed and education is a starting point.

In searching for an online course about Indigenous studies, I found this one. I was not necessarily looking for a tuition-free course but because it was tuition-free, I decided it would be a good introduction to the topic. I enjoyed the narrative presentation of the course. If you are looking for powerpoint slides, tables with facts and figures, look elsewhere. I felt privileged to be able to just sit back and listen - and I could refer to the chapter reading/notes as necessary. I could also follow along with the transcript as needed. I learned a lot and am inspired to learn more. Thank you for this wonderful learning opportunity; I am sharing this course with anyone who will listen!!