I grew up in Nova Scotia, and I don't really remember learning much about the native culture there growing up, other than a basic study of traditional MicMac in grade school. I never learned about modern repercussions to them due to European exposure, etc.
However, now that I'm living and working in Saskatchewan, the long lasting effects of treaty are becoming more clear to me.
Saskatchewan is the ONLY province in Canada to mandate that students in all grades K-12 have treaty knowledge, and native education included.
The focus of First grade treaty inclusion is that "WE ARE ALL TREATY PEOPLE".
To me at first I didn't get it. I had always thought that treaties had nothing to do with me because they happened LONG before I was born and I am not native Canadian.
However, I've since learned that I AM a treaty person because the treaty is a promise between the people of Canada (Me), and the first nations people (my students- Cree, Dene, Metis).
Below is a poster we made with treaty promise at the bottom and a poem at the top about how long a treaty is for. We'll be referring to this through out the year.