Truth Before Reconciliation
“Education is what got us into this mess, and education will get us out.”
— Hon. Murray Sinclair
Since 2020, Canada’s National History Society has been honoured to collaborate with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation on an annual publication to coincide with Truth and Reconciliation Week. Each publication features content from Indigenous Elders writers, storytellers, artists and educators is distributed for free to classrooms throughout Canada.
The 2023 publication, Truth Before Reconciliation: Listening to Survivors, shares stories of Residential School Survivors and explores the theme of language loss and revitalization. An accompanying educator’s guide is designed to help teachers and students engage their hearts as well as their minds as they explore the publication together.
You may also download past publications and educators’ guides below.
We encourage teachers to bring Indigenous voices and perspectives into the classroom all year long. It is important to centre the stories of Survivors, who have long spoken of the diversity of experiences that Indigenous children faced at Residential Schools: separation and isolation; physical, sexual and emotional abuse; resilience, and resistance. Many Survivors also hold traditional knowledges, teachings, practices, and languages, passed on through generations. Listen to their stories with open hearts and open minds.
Thank you to all teachers who are taking on this important work of advancing reconciliation every day in their classrooms and their communities.
