Disrupting harmful legacies of Western education by honoring the living heritage of Indigenous knowledge systems

Abstract Indigenous peoples have knowledge systems that have sustained cultural teachings and lifeways for thousands of years. Settler colonial logics and systems have disrupted and threatened Indigenous knowledge systems through multiple forms of oppression, including land dispossession, linguicide, and disrupting traditional kinship relationships. Western education systems are central and foundational to this violent process; our paper describes efforts to challenge these colonial legacies of harm through the Sapsik’ʷałá Program, an Indigenous education program. The three focus areas are: 1) Relationality, 2) Community, and 3) Intergenerational teaching and learning. Through these efforts, the Program is instrumental in reclaiming Indigenous knowledge systems. We conclude that such efforts are important for Indigenous peoples and all peoples who have been harmed by the violence of imperialism and colonialism.