Lessons from Lillooet

I just keep thinking- it’s not necessarily what we learn (and teach) in school, but what we don’t.

Lillooet, Canada. BC

I’m watching Indigenous TV channels. Late night talk shows in First Nation language. A Morning kids show teaching First Nation language and concepts. A Documentary called “1491. A Land Before Columbus.” Never before seen- perspectives in US history classes. We (I) taught curriculum based on notions of non-existence, or primitive, cave dwellers prior to a certain era.

But where do we get those stories? In the 1491documentary, there is evidence of advanced civilizations including over 2,000 languages, prior to colonization, for example. Just in BC. Yet

Native prayer hour with a lit candle on the screen. Would never get through censors in US television.

There is no access to US networks like Hulu and Peacock. Copyright.

I just keep thinking- It’s not just that we are learning in school, it what we don’t. Teach, that there is a world to be kept from exploring in public education. And maybe that’s the lesson.