Because the Lives of My Kin Depend on it: Reflections on Teaching Indigenous Studies 101

This reflective essay, adapted from a final lecture in an introductory Indigenous Studies course, examines the state of Indigenous education on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Final Report. Drawing on classroom encounters in a large first-year course, the Red River Métis author reflects on teaching students with varied academic preparedness amid institutional constraints. She highlights the emotional and intellectual labour expected of Indigenous faculty and the persistent gap between institutional rhetoric and meaningful change. Guided by the 4R Indigenous Learning Outcomes – respect, responsibility, reciprocity, and relationships – the essay explores pedagogical tensions, including teaching histories of grief and trauma while foregrounding hope, joy, resistance, and resurgence. It argues that introductory Indigenous Studies courses are not neutral spaces but sites of ethical responsibility, concluding with a call for learners to continue the work of building healthier relationships and pursuing reconciliation beyond the classroom.