Educational Guide: Two-Spirit Resiliency, Truth, and Reconciliation
💡 Suggested Activities
1. Primary Source & Historical Context Analysis (1 Class Period)
Materials: Excerpts from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Call to Action 80, educational materials from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR), and Two-Spirit historical profiles.
Activity:
In small groups, students examine the role of Two-Spirit people in Indigenous nations prior to European contact versus the impact of residential schools.
Key Questions for Discussion:
How did residential schools enforce Western gender binaries, and what impact did this have on Two-Spirit children?
What does Call to Action 80 mean when applied through an intersectional lens that includes Two-Spirit experiences?
2. Visual Symbolism & Narrative Workshop (1 Class Period)
Materials: The story of Phyllis Jack Webstad, artwork by Two-Spirit Indigenous creators, and chart paper.
Activity:
Students analyze the symbolism of Orange Shirt Day ("Every Child Matters") and how Two-Spirit youth are bringing their identities back into the circle.
Class discussion on the difference between passive commemoration and active reconciliation work within schools and communities.
3. Action & Commemoration Project (In-Class or Homework)
Activity: Students design an awareness resource for Orange Shirt Day that highlights Two-Spirit resilience:
Options: A bilingual infographic explaining the origins of Two-Spirit terminology, a short essay analyzing TRC Call to Action 80, or an educational poster displaying crisis support resources and ways to mark September 30th.
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