This weekend I was working on a presentation and needed a map of Indigenous territories between here and Washington. A friend suggested I check out native-land.ca . It turns out that this is an excellent tool for incorporating Indigenous languages into my lessons.
Screenshot of native land website linked above.
The site is a three layered map of the world. It is prefaced with a disclaimer about the colonial nature of mapping and the fact that this map is incomplete. The user then enters into a colour coded visual of Indigenous territories across the globe, complete with correct names and overlapping borders. In the top right corner, the user can toggle between images showing language, territories and treaty territory of Indigenous groups globally. The map is also interactive much like google maps, and the user can zoom in and out of any territory they like.
I can see this being an immensely powerful tool in the classroom. The flexibility and simplicity of this tool would likely make it a go to for students wanting to reference the language or territory of a specific group. The makers of native-land.ca have predicted that their project would be taken up by schools, and have provided the following information for teachers and students.
“First of all, this map must be used critically. Maps potentially function as colonial artifacts and represent a very particular way of seeing the world – a way primarily concerned with ownership, exclusivity, and power relations.
There are a ton of issues when it comes to using a map like this. And if people do not take these things into account, the map may prove more harmful than valuable.
Start a discussion:
- What are the difficulties when it comes to mapping Indigenous territories?
- How does the modern idea of a ‘nation-state’ relate to Indigenous nations?
- Who defines national boundaries, and who defines a nation?
- What sources are being used, and what biases are in those sources?
- How have colonial maps attempted to disposes Indigenous people of their land?
- What is Indigeneity? Who counts as Indigenous?”
taken from https://native-land.ca/teachers-guide/
Bronwyn McMillin 