Just Do It

The transmission of culture and worldview to Anishinaabe children and youth is essential to the spiritual survival of the Anishinaabe people. Education is therefore a high priority for the Anishinaabe community toward transmitting Anishinaabe knowledge such as language, history, traditions, behaviour and spiritual beliefs. While it can be argued that great strides have been made in the field of Anishinaabe education, there are clear inadequacies in education for off-reserve Anishinaabe children and youth living in Canada. In an attempt to meet the educational needs of Anishinaabe children and youth, this book presents an innovative and transformative educational site that specifically reflects Anishinaabe culture and community realities. The Anishinaabe Bimaadiziwin Cultural Healing and Learning Program is one of the very few off-reserve, culture-based educational spaces created for Anishinaabe children and youth in Canada. The program exists as a model for Indigenous communities and educators to create culturally-based educational spaces for Indigenous children and youth by just doing it.