Paper short abstract:

“In order to educate the children properly we must separate them from their families …. If we want to civilize them we must do that.” H. Langevin Sec of State for Provinces. 1883

Paper long abstract:

The task of rebuilding relationships with families, communities, Nations, traditions, languages and the lands is the work of Indigenous peoples. It means working within their Indigenous world to reconstruct and also educating the Colonial world. These are stories of achievement and challenges.

Dr Lorna Wánosts’a7 Williams is Líl’watul from Mount Currie, B.C. Dr Williams is an educator, filmmaker, author, and Indigenous language expert who has devoted her life to Indigenous education and Indigenous languages. She served as past Chair of First Peoples’ Cultural Council and is the current Chair for First People’s Cultural Foundation.

Throughout her career, she has held a number of senior positions, notably at the University of Victoria as Director of Indigenous Education and Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education, and as Canada Research Chair in Indigenous knowledge and learning. She retired in 2014. She served as Director of the Indigenous Enhancements Branch of the Ministry of Education. She currently serves as the Elder and member of the Minister’s Advisory Council on Indigenous Women and a member of the Indigenous Circle for SSHRC. She was inducted into the Order of B.C. in 1993, the Order of Canada, Officer in 2019. In 2018 she received an honorary doctorate from Simon Fraser University, and was awarded an Indspire Award in 2017, all for her work in Indigenous education and languages. Her work is informed by her early development of band-controlled schools in Mount Currie, where she taught, and developed Indigenous knowledge curriculum and the Ucwalmicwts language.