Page 294 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9 to 12 | First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies

THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9–12 | First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies
sacred sites. Places that have great spiritual and cultural significance to a particular group.
self-governance. A system in which a commu- nity or nation has the right to govern itself and to control the administration of its land, people, and resources.
self-identification. To voluntarily identify oneself as First Nation, Métis, or Inuit.
settler. A person who migrates to an area and establishes permanent residence, often dis- placing Indigenous populations.
settler government. A governance system introduced upon colonization that ignores the rights of the Indigenous people of the territory, focusing instead on exclusion or assimilation.
shaman. In some Indigenous spiritual traditions, a person who is responsible for holding cere- monies, communicating with good and bad spirits, healing people from illness, and tracking game animals. An Inuk shaman is called an angakok.
Sixties Scoop. The removal, during the 1960s, of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children from their homes and their subsequent placement in the foster care system or, in the majority of cases, with non-Indigenous families, without the consent of their parents, guardians, or com- munities. Victims of the Sixties Scoop are often referred to as the Stolen Generation.
smudge. A process of cleansing or purification that uses the smoke from the burning of sacred medicines or plants to say prayers, cleanse
the senses, and start the day in a good way. Smudging is commonly practised by First Nations peoples. Although Inuit and Métis people did not traditionally smudge, many follow the practice today.
social action. An individual or group effort to address societal issues through social reform.
social justice. A concept based on the belief that each individual and group within a given soci- ety has a right to equal opportunity and civil
liberties, and to exercise the social, educational, economic, institutional, and moral freedoms and responsibilities of that society.
songlines. Also known as dreaming tracks, songlines are ancestral songs that Indigenous people of Australia have used, and continue to use, to map their travels across the lands.
sovereignty. Independent control or authority over a particular area or territory.
spiritual identity. The foundation of an individ- ual’s identity that is rooted in the behaviour and values found within spiritual beliefs.
spiritual interconnectedness. The connection between the spirit in all things, including the people, the land, and the natural world.
state-coerced sterilization. Policies that target- ed specific groups based on ability, ethnicity, race, and/or class to control what the govern- ment deemed “undesirable” populations through forced sterilization.
status Indian. See Indian.
storywork. A framework, described by Stó:lo scholar Jo-ann Archibald, for understanding the characteristics of Indigenous oral narratives and the process of storytelling. Storywork establishes a receptive listening context for holistic meaning- making, bringing storytelling into educational contexts and demonstrating how stories have the power to heal the heart, mind, body, and spirit. Storywork is built on the seven principles of respect, responsibility, reciprocity, reverence, holism, interrelatedness, and synergy.
sui generis. A Latin term meaning “unique” or “one of a kind”, it is used to describe the unique place of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit rights, treaties, and/or relationships in Canadian law.
sunrise ceremony. A ceremony, performed at sunrise, to give thanks to the Creator. Many First Nations communities hold sunrise ceremonies to mark special events or gatherings, and such ceremonies may include a smudge, a prayer, drumming, or a pipe ceremony.
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