Learning is a lifelong commitment that goes beyond the classroom. For Indigenous Peoples, curating knowledge about the land and culture is equally as important as math or science. However, many First Nation schools struggle to provide access to land-based learning due to funding restrictions.
Across Canada, young Indigenous Peoples face higher rates of mental health challenges and substance abuse issues. They often lack access to resources that other urban communities take for granted, such as healthcare, education and cultural programming. These issues are compounded for Indigenous girls, the most vulnerable population and often the most invisible.
The first word a child utters defines who they are, where they have come from, and the culture they are born into. Nêhiyawêwin is the language spoken by the Nêhiyawak (Cree) people, the largest Indigenous group in Canada. For generations, Nêhiyawak culture and traditions have been deeply interwoven with its language, which has struggled to survive due to the impacts of colonization.
