The University of Saskatchewan has signed a memorandum of understanding with Indigenous recording artist Buffy Sainte-Marie to increase the incorporation of Aboriginal perspectives in the science curriculum.
The MOU between the U of S and Sainte Marie’s Nihewin Foundation was signed earlier this month as part of the university’s Aboriginal Achievement Week.
Sandy Bonny, the project developer with the Saskatchewan Cradle Board Initiative, says the goal of the MOU is to address existing shortfalls within the provincial science curriculum in terms of including Aboriginal perspectives.
“Our provincial science curriculum mandates co-presenting and parallel teaching of Indigenous and Western perspectives on science and – especially for non-Indigenous teachers – this is creating a resource deficit in the curriculum,” she says.
Bonny adds the teaching of Western science has traditionally overlooked Aboriginal perspectives.
“The way that we teach it makes it look as though Aboriginal people were not involved in using this kind of knowledge, or weren’t aware of these kinds of solution chemistries, but in fact at the level of engaging with physical properties in the world, there’s multiple ways to understand them.”
The Saskatchewan Cradle Board Initiative is a cross-cultural educational resource project to support kindergarten through Grade 8 students in science, technology, engineering and math.
Buffy Sainte-Marie is the founder of the Cradle Board Teaching Project.