Very informative course, explains historical and present events from multiple aspects in a succinct and insightful way, it's honest about many of the traumatic experiences that indigenous canadians have faced, injustices that still persist today and the movements that they have brought forward to ensure the possibility of a better future. The course will help you to view the history of Canada from an important perspective, one that has often been ignored.

While I've never been to Canada; through reading the course I have noticed many similarities over here in Australia, and the treatment of Indigenous Australians, and I'm hoping one day there will be similar courses here exploring those cultural perspectives that have also often been ignored.

It was also great to have some perspectives of what Canada was like before European colonization, because often that's the part where most history books begin, and there's a great deal of history that goes unheard as a result of that, it's unfortunately rare to have those insights into the history, lifestyle, expression, education, law and culture of indigenous canadians before European historical perspectives surfaced, so another reason why I liked this course was the knowledge of what pre-colonial canada was like, the social systems and community structure of indigenous cultures in particular and how they differed from the ones introduced by western culture.

Anyway, thank you very much for this course.

I found the material very well presented with an easy to follow, logical flow to the topics. I appreciated having the material presented by several different people, with sprinkles of other voices in the videos when there was quotes being done. It made the material more interesting to follow along with. The Leah Dorion videos were very interesting and informative. She described the various parts of her paintings and I could see how much thought she put into the pieces. I took this course for personal interest's sake. I don't remember very much of the history classes that I took in school but I do know that there wasn't anything presented from an Indigenous perspective. Some of the material was very disturbing, of course. As a non-Indigenous person, I couldn't help but feel some discomfort and shame for some of the things that had been done (and continues to be done) but I found the presentation of the material to be factual rather than blaming or judgemental. I have recommended this course to co-workers, family and friends. I think that this course should be required learning for all Canadians. I really appreciate being able to take this course and having the opportunity to learn about this. I am very interested in learning more. I will be exploring some of the suggested additional reading material and I will be keeping an eye out for future courses. Thank you for sharing this course with me. Bravo to all who contributed to this course.

Very honest and frank (sometimes salty) exploration of the topics which I am grateful for. I have sought to learn about Canada's history from an indigenous perspective for most of my life, although it was certainly not available at any point in my schooling. I had learned about many of the topics covered in the course but I appreciate having them all put together and the thoroughness of the topics covered. You could probably have an entire course about each module but it was a good place to start and I appreciate the reference material for further learning. I especially appreciate the weekly YouTube sessions with the instructors and Dan Levy and questions from other students. As a child, when our family travelled my Dad would always ask "Whose land are we on?" and he meant which Indigenous Nation. If he were alive he would be 94. I realize how blessed I was to have such an unusual father who was so aware of this history and interested in honouring the original keepers of the land. I raised my children the same way, visiting cultural sites or attending Indigenous plays or other presentations. They are aware that the land is a blessing for all of us, not for individuals, and we have a responsibility to protect it. I think this course should be required for every High School student, or at the very least for every school teacher in Canada. Thank you and blessings on your work.

I really enjoyed this course. As a white settler, you only really hear about some of these issues in passing and I'm really disapointed in our school system that still hasn't been changed to teach EVERYONE about our terrible history. This course really helped open my eyes to the issues I only ever hear in passing. It was nice to have some more context for things, and although I understand that this is an introductory course I found some of the information given too shallow, vague, or simplified. I would really love even more information, examples, and history to be given in each lesson.

I would also love more information to be provided on reconciliation and how white settlers can help achieve this. A main sentiment that comes up in conversation is that we would like to do our part to be allies and to help right wrongs and move towards reconciliation, but how to do that is always vague. Questions about whether or not it's proper for us to continue doing something are never answered, and I understand we need to consult elders to gain their insight and perspectives on how to do that, but most of us have no clue how to reach out to elders to begin that process or in some cases, even us reaching out and asking those questions is not wanted.

Overall I enjoyed the course, it was a great starting point to begin delving further into this topic. Thank you very much.

Thank you Dr. Tracy Bear and Dr. Paul Gareau, and Leah Dorion and all the people who developed the course materials. There is so much learning packaged so efficiently, and I learned so much. I wish I had something like this to take when I first arrived in Canada as a modern settler. This course should be mandatory for everyone living Canada and for all the new settlers, but especially for politicians, anyone working for government, public institutions and in private sector companies that have anything to do with Indigenous peoples, the land, the environment and so much more.

Of course, I'm basing that on the assumption that the more one learns about one's impact on people and the world the less inclined we would be to do harm. That probably sounds naive. But more learning would be a good place to start - for us all!

This course is a good way to learn, among other things, how modern settlers are co-opted into and benefit from the structure of lies, betrayal, violence and theft that is the ongoing colonization project.

It was inspiring and deeply moving to learn about the many ways in which Indigenous peoples have been resisting colonization and remained strong and grounded. The least we can do as non-Indigenous settlers is to follow their lead to hold the Canadian government, its institutions and private sector accountable.

Thank you.

This course was so helpful in providing a new perspective on Canada's colonial past and the struggle of Indigenous people since their first encounters with Europeans. Acknowledging the mistakes of these encounters and the crimes since (i.e. residential schools, racism) is critical to help form a new and continued partnership with between Indigenous peoples and Canadian settlers. It was a pleasure to learn about the diversity of many tribes and their social, intellectual and artistic gifts. If "education is the new buffalo" then we all have much to learn from Indigenous people in all environments and in particular their harmony with nature in time of climate change. I will be reflecting on the stories, events and powerful voices I have heard in the course. As a teacher of Canadian History, this course will be valuable as a continued resource to help my students explore Indigenous worldviews, critically examine the colonial perspective and have a greater understanding of the many themes, struggles and triumphs presented by the artists, scholars and leaders. Overall, this course provides a unique experience for those interested in escaping a colonial worldview and hearing the diverse voices of Indigenous Canada as they grapple with the past and adapt to today and in the future. I look forward to learning more.

This was an outstanding course, I learned so very much more than I thought I knew, having completed the 8 hour San'yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training at work a few years ago .For example, the reality of the ongoing dehumanizing impact of so many treaties and the Indian Act were shocking and completely mind -opening to become more aware of. I can see all the work that went into presenting such an all-encompassing course, implementing such a variety of real life, historical and present-day examples, art, music, quotes, stories, photos. Having lived with the Inuit on a small island in Nunavut in the 1960's ( a true highlight of my life), it was particularly important to me to become more aware of their bigger picture being experienced than the one I saw as an 11 year old there. I have recommended this course to several people and they are all feeling the same way. I'm sorry it is over, I will miss it! I highly honour and respect and acknowledge being provided and trusted with this knowledge, and am sharing- and will continue to share - what I have learned here wherever I can to enlighten others. Everyone involved in creating and providing this course is to be highly commended and can feel so proud of providing so many of us with this critical knowledge to learn , I am so grateful for it. Thank you .

To was ashamed and embarrassed by how little I was taught in school in the 1980s and how little work I had done on my own as a non-Indigenous person. I cannot express how grateful, thankful and emotional I am for this opportunity to commence my learning with respect of Indigenous Canada. I watched all the weekly videos as well as companion pieces and was delighted to have one of my questions addressed and answered during one of the discussions. I cannot express enough my gratitude to Dr. Bear and to the Faculty for creating this course. I could go on and on, but please accept my gratitude for this opportunity. The topics were fantastic jumping off points and the reading lists will provide hours of continued research. When I started my legal assistant career in 1999, I worked at a small firm that worked on the Residential School class actions against the many churches and the Canadian Government. I was fortunate to meet with several survivors and will never be able to extend the appreciation I felt towards them for speaking with me. It was a honour and a privilege. While the settlements won in these cases, in my opinion, were vastly lacking, what I appreciate about that time in my career was meeting these survivors. Thank you so much for this course. I cannot express my appreciation and gratitude enough.

Thank you so much for this wonderful learning experience. To the instructors and student presenters, I salute you. Your expertise, your professionalism, presentation, wit.... Felicitations! I thoroughly enjoyed my learning journey. I was familiar with much of the content however, only superficially....And now to have more detailed explanations, context, and background - is excellent. I am very pleased. Contemplating and understanding all those treaties.....What a terrible legacy to still be dealing with! The Indian Act! Shameful document! And even to learn the further horror of South Africa's Apartheid Regime patterned off of this racist document! This course has been an eye-opener. The history and past certainly seem to be repeating today, now currently. If only more Canadians could learn about this colonial past, perhaps we can then begin to thrive proudly as a nation. Personally, I found the last chapters on the Arts to be the most enjoyable. Honourable mention to, and appreciation for Daniel Levy who first drew my family's attention to this course and the absolute need for us as responsible Canadian citizens to sign up and learn! And lastly, to the professors, thank you once again for this scholarly and thrilling introductory course presentation. Bravo! Well done!

Great course! Would like to learn more. Any recommendations?

Suggestions: more links to additional non-required reading. I researched Norval Morriseau on my own, you could add more. Same with regarding articles about the deaths of many youth and of missing women -- through education we can change attitudes and behaviours.

I would like to support Indigenous efforts more, I would like more information about this. I have written my MP and donated to causes, but want to do more.

NOTE: Indigenous peoples have much to teach the rest of people living in the Americas. What should be the focus of one's existence? I say it is not the hyperactive activity and destructive consumer existence (pollution) created by the western world. that many of us presently live. We need to change our ways to respecting our elders, respecting the land/environment and having a healthier relationship with ourselves through more wholesome spiritual, family and community life.

I'm sorry that the Indigenous peoples of the America's have so suffered for generations and continue to suffer (lack of clean drinking water, lack of respect, trauma through the generations from residential school atrocities in Canada). I want change for a healthier and meaningful existence.

Hope you will grow this course.

Thank you.

I really got a lot more than expected out of this course! I learned about it by chance in an online article from a Canadian news source that cited the actor Dan Levy from Schitt's Creek having undertook the course and encouraging others to take the course. I have long had an interest in this area of study due to my own Canadian ancestry with very long historical roots dating back to the early French colonization and some known later ancestry in Maniwaki with ancestors from indigenous and non-indigenous groups who lived there in the 19th century. It has been fascinating to fill in many blanks I have about my ancestors, although at times painful. I truly appreciate this course, especially because it is so lovingly put together and presented by true representatives of indigenous Canadians. Thank you all for creating this fine resource, and please keep doing your work and developing this. I would love to take it again in the future with new information or other related courses; and definitely willing to pay again to keep these studies going. We have so much work to do to undo the damage that our ancestors have done on one side and to repair the damage done to our ancestors and our current family and turtle island / mother earth on the indigenous side. *much love and thanks*

I am a product of the public school education system of the 1970s, 80s and 90s. I grew up in Halifax, studied in Nova Scotia, Quebec, Saskatchewan and BC. I have a teaching degree. At no time, other than one course in my B.ed at University of Saskatchewan, was I exposed to Indigenous ways of understanding and knowing. I recall short, supplemental and stand alone chapters in my social studies textbooks in the 70s and 80s in Halifax, depicting the "savages" who my teachers pointed out, "did not believe in God". That was the Indigenous education of my childhood. I represent the vast majority of non-indigenous adults in this country whose education excluded Indigenous histories, experiences and perspectives. I originally registered for this course to improve my understanding and appreciation for the contributions Indigenous peoples have made to the economic development of this country because I am a business teacher. I have learned so much more than I had hoped and I have already included so much of what I have learned into my daily interactions with the high school students I teach. My students' exposure to my new knowledge base, and to my new understandings, will hopefully put them in a much better position to appreciate, "Indigenous Canada".

Wow! What a course and what a journey. I want to thank U of A Faculty of Native Studies for creating this course online for many people to access and expand their knowledge and experience with Indigenous peoples of Canada. It is a very well-rounded, knowledgeable, and critically reflective course that takes the student on a journey of the true history of Canada through Indigenous perspectives, views, beliefs, traditions, ways of knowing and being, political entity, relationship to mother earth and the vital foundation of how this country has come to be and how interactions between cultures of people clashed at first contact which are the underpinnings of so much trauma because colonialism, assimilation, and oppression which are still prevalent within Indigenous families and communities today. The beginning of Canada started with and will always be a story of the First Nation Peoples who were inhabiting this land before settlers crossed the ocean. The legacy of Canada will forever be grounded within the Indigenous People's community.

Thank -you, again, for your expertise and immense knowledge. I will be telling people about this course in order to understand the history of Canada and to propel truth and reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

I was so grateful for all of the information in this course. I was born in Canada. I'm a settler of Scottish, Norwegian descent. I can't believe how little of this I was taught in grade school. I feel like we are all ripped off not learning the history of the people who inhabited the land we live on for thousands of years. The fact that this history and culture is not taught to most Indigenous children is appalling, but beyond that, I think that all children should have the opportunity to learn the history of the land they are born on. I especially enjoyed learning about the variety of Indigenous methods of child rearing, educational philosophy and legal systems. I also found the history of the fur trade very interesting. The whole course was great. The unit on treaties and Canadian Aboriginal Law was really challenging, but I feel so much more equipped to understand the nuances of current Canadian Aboriginal legal battles. There were so many pieces missing in my understanding before this course. I know there are still many pieces missing, but I feel like I have the bare minimum now. Thank-you so much to all of the Instructors, all of the contributors and the University of Alberta and Coursera for making this course available to the public.

I found this course to be insightful , interactive and relevant concerning the issues both past and present facing Indigenous communities. This presentation outlining the traditions , struggles and contributions of First Nations peoples was illustrated in a meaningful manner.

As it relates to First Nations, understanding history, culture and tradition with any community is how current and future generations connect with the past and preserve the future. As a Canadian myself, recognizing the challenges faced by First Nations peoples is an important reminder as to the rehabilitative work that needs to be progressive in eliminating the barriers and social constructs that have impacted these communities. The first step is learning about First Nations peoples and I believe this course has succeeded in its endeavor to educate myself and I trust, many others.

For anyone interested in growing as an individual and passionate about how you can make a difference in these communities, I would encourage you to take this course, immerse yourself in the culture and actively participate in these communities.

Thank you to the university instructors, facilitators and First Nations Community for making this course possible.

-Chris-

It is inspiring to take the colonial teaching we learned in school and flip it to get the other side of the equation. To open a window to the culture of a nation that respects and lives with the land in harmony. It also exposes the disrespectful nature of a government imposing unnatural expectations on indigenous people and pushing an agenda that completely disregards the culture and needs of the people. I think it is important to seek understanding of the indigenous plight and have empathy to their culture and the road of reconciliation. Where prejudices and racial discrimination are eliminated and replaced with kindness, knowledge, and understanding. It isn't just their struggle. For me, it hits close to home. I grew up in an environment where connection to the land and nature was a way of life. My father (settler in the late 40's) taught me to respect the land and live with it in harmony. As I watch the current changing times where the freedoms I had as a child are being compromised; freedom to have family in our homes, to travel, to own firearms, and to live without fear.... I reflect on the perils of the indigenous people stripped of their freedom and way of life. It's everyone's struggle.

I am learning lots in this course and it would be even better ... if I did not have problems accessing the modules more than once. I did get the course notes for Week 3 module (video1) on Monday ... I attempted to get Module 2 (Rupertsland) and ended up also listening to module 3 ... at the same time today ... it is very aggravating that one cannot access the modules more than once ... I prefer to listen and print up the lecture and then reread it and see what I missed in my own note taking. Except for the modules being difficult to access more than once I would give the course content a full five starts. I am begining to wonder if anyone sees these comments.

With some assistance from a tech savy neighbour I was able to figure out what I was doing wrong to access the lecture notes and get them to print up ... which was why I was a little behind for several weeks. I did manage to catch up. In other comments I made I indicated that I would give this course 5 stars and that still stands. I learned a lot and it has opened up my eyes. Indigenous people need to be part of the decision making and law making processes ... it is about time our government ... doesn't matter who is in power ... smartens up.

This is an engaging, well constructed introduction to Canadian history & society as viewed by the Indigenous Peoples of the land. Their views are an imperative part of gaining a factual comprehension of our World, not only for the understanding of current Canadian matters, but also for gaining a true insight into the impacts of Colonialism & why it is so despised by almost ALL of the peoples it works against, globally. The course clearly highlights the tactics used by a small group of Europeans with very fixed & particular views dominated by the craving for short term profit, inappropriate control & the systematic decimation of anything and anyone they see as an obstacle to their goal of acquisition of material goods on both individual and mass scales. I regard this as essential learning for both the descendants of Colonials and other Indigenous Peoples who have suffered similar experiences of such management systems. This course shows us why we need to let go of the ideologies behind Colonialism and think differently about our societies, how we govern them and ourselves as individuals. Especially in the climate crisis we face everywhere on this planet, right here, right now.

As a white, cis-gender, queer male born and raised in Canada I can say from first-hand experience having gone through the Ontario education system that this course should be taught to students beginning in kindergarten to replace the inaccurate, woeful misrepresentation of settler culture and its "positive" impacts on Canadian society as we know it today. This course has truly opened my eyes. It is with deep regret that I acknowledge my participation in perpetuating inaccurate historical information that was taught to me through a European, patriarchal, heteronormative lens, and to acknowledge my own ignorance in not learning the sad, hurtful truths of the origin of this country. As a friend recently said to me, "We can only do better when we know better" and with that in mind I promise to advocate strongly, loudly and fiercely on behalf of the First Nations community for their rights which have been denied far too long. I feel invigorated to do this with the knowledge learned from this incredible course. My deepest thanks and praise to all those involved in bringing this to fruition. It has been a privilege to take part. A heartfelt thanks to all of you.

I took this course because I love Inuit Art, and wanted to learn more, but what I came out with was a whole new perspective. I had to completely rethink the history that was taught to me in the 1970's and 1980's going to school in Toronto, cultural norms, and whether my "appreciation" would become "appropriation". I became more "woke"! I have now even incorporated my growing (though still in infancy) understanding in my work which is in the Red River Valley, to take a second look when I hear others talking about "family dynamics" or such regarding Aboriginals living on "The Rez" - - maybe it is family dynamics, or maybe it is just a different way of interacting/community based on historical marginalization. I have to say, I feel a lot of shame, and also regret that people continue to exert power/be greedy (not just over Indigenous peoples but over anyone they can) - - will humanity never find its kindness? This has really opened my eyes and heart and I want to learn more. I MUST COMPLIMENT the course developers, artists, those interviewed, the engaging presentations, and the presenters. I have been recommending this to everyone I know. THANK YOU.

An absolutely fabulous introduction to Canada's original people and how horribly they have been treated as we colonized the country with little or no regard for the folks who already lived here. The fact that we still have not corrected our mistakes (i.e. inadequate housing on reserves especially up north, boil water advisories, and many other discriminatory practices around health & education) speaks to the need for every Canadian to be educated about what has and continues to be going on and to put pressure on our leaders to do something about it. There has been too much talk and not enough action and it's time for the government to articulate a clear and decisive change of heart and to put serious effort into settling claims, doing away with the Indian Act and rectifying the harm we caused with the Residential schools. The fact that First Nations, Inuit and Metis people are still able to produce beautiful art, reclaim their language and nurture their culture, in spite of all the pain we have caused, speaks to their resiliency and I personally wish there was more I could do to contribute to their struggle.

This was a fabulously diverse and detailed overview of the Indigenous peoples of Canada & North America, covering creation stories, shared histories and learning through story telling, the affects of colonisation and treaties on the first nations people, through to governance, self-determination, rights, education, creativity and more. The 1-2 hr per week of study over the 12 week course was a very achievable goal to incorporate into most people's lives. Having the benefit of additional support through weekly MOOC panel discussions with key educators and specialists, arranged with the collaboration of settler & fellow leaner Daniel Levy was another wonderful aide to cementing the lessons. Highly recommended to not only all Canadians but also to those from worldwide nations that have been colonised or were colonisers. Thank you for the wonderful opportunity to participate, listen, learn and plant the seed to seek further knowledge of the histories of the Australian first nations people in my homeland and also that of the Māori people from my mother's birth country of New Zealand.

Thank you for this course. I learned a lot. I'm a little distressed, disappointed and more than sad to learn that the position of the Federal Government towards Indigenous Peoples hasn't shifted much in 150 years. When I've heard about the various protests over the years I will admit that I didn't really understand the essence of what was being protested. When I was a small child I had a goal to meet someone from every country in the world. While I haven't achieved that goal I have met people from many countries, including my own. I've always found that people are people and while the colour of our skin might be different, in essence, we are all the same. It makes me very sad that many people continue to treat one another with disrespect. That disrespect often begins in our family of origin and then ripples outward from there. I want to congratulate all the people who teach Native Studies throughout the world. It must be very hard to have these wounds re-opened on an ongoing basis in order to reach those of us who don't fully understand. Thank you for this course.

The contents of this course were excellent, I learnt so much, stuff that I should've learnt back when I was in school. The watered down and filtered version the Canadian school curriculum has available is very disappointing. My only critique has nothing to do with the contents itself, but more with the errors in the video transcripts. Sometimes it seemed like the transcriber (which may have been a machine to be fair) misheard a word and would write down the wrong one, or there would be a chunk of a sentence missing. For me, I find it easier to learn from reading than from listening, so I would read through the transcripts first, take notes, and then watch the video for any graphs or context I may have missed. Made for some hilarious misunderstandings until I got to the point in the video where the mistake was, and then all was cleared. No harm though, the teachings still came across! :)

Might I suggest having someone go over the transcript and the video to fix those little mistakes?

But other than that, thank you UofA for the incredible work you've put into this course!

Taking this course has definitely opened my eyes to the worldview of Indigenous peoples of Canada. I really liked how the course was presented so that it was easy to follow along with the text while viewing the speaker. Many Indigenous words and terms were spoken so I could get a clearer understanding of how to pronounce them. Also very importantly, many, many issues concerning Indigenous peoples were made evident, and I could see that the battle to have their place in Canada as the first rightful citizens was very difficult. I liked hearing the names of prominent Indigenous people and how they fit into Canadian history. The variety of subjects that focused on many past and current issues and the chronological way they were presented was excellent. The three main speakers did a very creditable job of presenting, pronouncing and explaining. The art work of Leah Dorion was absolutely outstanding and the detail of each piece was pure genius. Thank you so much for putting together an incredible program which is so needed in our society today.