Indigenous Services
The Lethbridge Public Library acknowledges that we are gathered on the lands of the Blackfoot people of the Canadian Plains and pays respect to the Blackfoot people past, present and future while recognizing and respecting their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship to the land. The City of Lethbridge is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III.
Oki Niiksokowa! (Hello all my relations)
Lethbridge Public Library recognizes the rich and complex history of Indigenous peoples. We value the experiences of those who have lived in this area, known in Blackfoot as Sikoohkotoki (Sik-ooh-kotoki), since time immemorial.
Our Indigenous Services team assists in the sharing of cultural knowledge to all members of our community, by offering programming that highlights Indigenous cultural practices and ways of knowing. Programs are developed in collaboration with local Elders, Indigenous organizations, and knowledge holders.
We aim to provide a safe and welcoming experience for all members of our community. We invite you to join us in the Piitoyiss (Eagle’s Nest) area at our Main branch. This space hosts many of our Indigenous programs and houses our Indigenous collection, which contains over 5000 books, DVDs, and CD’s for adults, teens, and children.
To stay up-to-date on all of Lethbridge Public Library’s Indigenous programming, please follow “LPL Piitoyiss Indigenous Services Team” on facebook!
Prairie Indigenous Ebook Collection
The first of its kind in Canada, the Prairie Indigenous eBook Collection increases access to books by Indigenous authors and writings about Indigenous culture. Over two hundred eBooks published on the prairies are available to all Albertans, with no holds, through the province’s public library systems. Some notable authors included in this collection are Eden Robinson, Dawn Dumont, Richard Van Camp, Lee Maracle, Will Cardinal, Chelsea Vowel, and Katherena Vermette, along with hundreds of other voices.
Voices of the Land is a space that supports the community to create, share, discover and celebrate local Indigenous content online.
The Blackfoot Digital Library brings together Blackfoot historical documents including field notes, photographs, and recordings.
Blackfoot Revitalization Project
Technologically innovative language learning tools to aid in the revitalization and preservation of the Blackfoot language.
National Aboriginal Documents Database
The National Aboriginal Documents Database contains information that can be used for research projects such as documenting land claims, or for studying independent Statutes and Acts, Treaties and Court Decisions.
Virtual Museum of Metis History and Culture
Dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Métis history and culture, the Virtual Museum of Metis History and Culture contains more than 11,000 documents, including oral histories, essays, learning resources, photographs, videos, and audio.
K-8
Think Indigenous – Online Indigenous Education K-8. From the about page: “In light of the current situation regarding school closures, educators across Turtle Island have come together to provide online learning opportunities for our children K-8”
K-12
Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom Centre. “The IKWC office opened its doors and began operations in the spring of 2017 where it will be a centralized location offering education, policy, language and culture. It will provide a repository of information on Treaty No. 6, Treaty No. 7 and Treaty No. 8. Members, and a First Nations directed environment to learn and share information”
Rupertsland Centre for Teaching & Learning (RCTL) has developed learning tools for you to Gabriel Dumont Institute - in partnership with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education, the Department of Canadian Heritage's Canadian Culture Online Program, the Canada Council for the Arts, SaskCulture, the Government of Canada and the University of Saskatchewan - is proud to provide you with this systematic look at Métis history and culture. This project is the culmination of years of research gathering and resource production and is based on the Institute's resolute desire to ensure that the Métis have their own stories told in a medium, which is user-friendly, free, and accessible to all those interested in Métis history and cultur
University of Toronto: Aboriginal Worldviews and Education Online Course
University of Alberta: Indigenous Canada Online Course
The Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF): is a national, Indigenous-led charitable organization that has existed for almost 20 years. The LHF’s goal is to educate and raise awareness about the history and long-lasting intergenerational impacts of the Residential School System, Sixties Scoop, and other means cultural oppression against Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) Survivors, their descendants, and their communities.
NFB: A number of free documentaries are available to watch on the National Film Board website.
Back To Batoche: This website provides an interactive tour of Batoche’s history and culture through time. The website features video interviews with elders, video and photo highlights from the annual Back to Batoche festivals, Métis music, games, quizzes, photo albums, virtual tours, and hundreds of pages of informative text.
Podcasts: there are also a number of podcasts that can be listened to or downloaded, below is a brief list:
- All My Relations - Hosted by: Matika Wilbur and Adrienne Keene
- Coffee with My Ma Kaniehtiio Horn and her mom - Hosted by: Kahentinetha Horn
- Missing and Murdered - Hosted by: Connie Walker
- Métis in Space - Hosted by: Chelsea Vowel and Molly Swain
- New Fire with Lisa Charleyboy - Hosted by: Lisa Charleyboy
- Secret Life of Canada - Hosted by: Falen Johnson and Leah Simone Bowen
- The Henceforward - Hosted by: Eve Tuck
- This Land - Hosted by: Rebecca Nagle
- Unreserved - Hosted by: Rosanna Deerchild
Read Alberta eBooks: As part of the Alberta eBooks site is the Prairie Indigenous Ebook Collection.
Image credit: Grant Spotted Bull, Medicine Wheel Series, 2014, oil on canvas