Here is a list of resources to help develop a greater understanding of the water challenges facing many Indigenous communities in Canada and to provide more context for the work that we do.
We hope that this list can continue to grow with input from our community. To suggest an addition to this living document, send an email to info@waterfirst.ngo.
Books
- The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America, by Thomas King
- Clearing the Plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation, and the Loss of Indigenous Life, by James Daschuk
- Dispersed but Not Destroyed: a History of the Seventeenth-Century Wendat People, by Kathryn Magee Labelle
- The Great Peace of Montreal of 1701, by Gilles Havard
- The Ojibwa of Southern Ontario, by Peter S. Schmalz
- Grounded Authority: The Algonquins of Berriere Lake against the State, by Shiri Pasternak
- His Majesty’s Indian Allies: British Indian Policy in the Defence of Canada 1774-1815, by Robert Allen
- The Civil War of 1812, by Alan Taylor
- Cahokia Mounds: America’s First City, by William Iseminger
- Loyal till Death- Indians and the North-West Rebellion, by Blair Stonechild and Bill Waiser
- Never Come to Peace Again: Pontiac’s Uprising and the fate of the British Empire in North America, by David Dixon
- Flesh Reborn: The Saint Lawrence Mission Settlements through the 17th Century, by John-Francois Lozier
- A Treaty Guide for Torontonians, Talking Treaties Collective (Online Version)
- Separate Beds: A History of Indigenous Hospitals in Canada, by Maureen K. Lux
- Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Ojibwa Myths and Tales, by Col. George E. Laidlaw (PDF)
- The Island of the Anishnaabeg: Thunderers and Water Monsters in the Traditional Ojibwe Life-World, by Theresa S. Smith
- The Sacred Scrolls of the Southern Ojibway, by Selwyn Dewdney
- Reading Rock Art: Interpreting the Indian Rock Paintings of the Canadian Shield, by Grace Rajnovich
- Dancing with a Ghost: Exploring Aboriginal Reality, by Rupert Ross
- Seven Fallen Feathers, by Tanya Talaga.
- All our Relations, by Tanya Talaga
- 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act, by Bob Joseph
- Indigenous Writes: A Guide to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Issues in Canada, by Chelsea Vowel
- To Be A Water Protector: The Rise of the Wiindingoo Slayers, by Winona LaDuke
- My Conversations with Canadians, by Lee Maracle
- The Right Relationship: Reimagining the Implementation of Historical Treaties, by John Borrows and Michael Coyle
- An Act of Genocide: Colonialism and the Sterilization of Indigenous Women, by Karen Stote
- Canada’s Indigenous Constitution, by John Borrows
- Fire Keepers Daughter, by Angeline Boulley
- I Am Not A Number, by Jenny Kay Dupuis & Kathy Kacer
- The Orange Shirt Story, by Phyllis Webstad
- 11 books to teach kids about residential schools, (Article featuring childrens book recommendations by Alex Mlynek. September 28, 2017)
- This Place: 150 Years Retold, by Kateri Akiwenzie, Sonny Assu and Brandon Mitchell
- Black Indians, by William Loren Katz
- Indian Horse, by Richard Wagamese
- Keeper ‘N Me, by Richard Wagamese. A story about life in Whitedog (which is where two of the interns in our Drinking Water Internship Program, Greg and Sunny, are from)
- Marrow Thieves, by Cherie Dimaline
- Moon of the Crusted Snow, by Waubgeshig Rice
- Broken Circle, by Theodore Fontaine
Articles & Publications
- It’s taken thousands of years, but Western science is finally catching up to Traditional Knowledge, George Nicholas, The Conversation, 2018
- Indigenous hunters are protecting animals, land and waterways, Mylène Ratelle, The Narwhal, 2019
- State Sponsored Abuse in Canada, The Daily by the New York Times
- Dispelling Common Myths about Indigenous Peoples, by Bob Joseph, President, Indigenous Corporate Training
- Tip of the iceberg: The true state of drinking water advisories in First Nations, by Mario Swampy and Kerry Black, University of Calgary
- Clean Water, Broken Promises, by a consortium of universities, colleges and media companies, coordinated by Concordia University’s Institute for Investigative Journalism
Digital
- REDx Talks Erica Violet Lee: “Our Bodies and Lands are not Your Property”
- Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education
- Nibi’s Water Song by Sunshine Tenasco
- Angry Inuk by Arnaquq-Baril
- Future History on CBC Gem
- There’s Something in the Water
- Nîpawistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up
- Spirit to Soar on CBC Gem
- The Secret Path on CBC Gem
- Molly of Denali on CBC Gem
Self-Learning (Websites & Courses)
- It’s Our Time: The AFN Education Toolkit, a tool to bring together First Nations and non-First Nations people and foster a spirit of cooperation, understanding, and action.
- University of Alberta “Indigenous Canada” free online 12-week course
- University of British Colombia “Reconciliation through Indigenous Education” free online 6-week course
- Ojibwe History
- Shades of our Sisters, an exhibit and online experience co-created by the families of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women to share the memory of their loved ones and what the loss of their life means.
- Innuplaces.ca, a website to teach about Innu Nation place names and pronunciation, managed by SIFN and the Innu Nation.
- National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) is a place of learning and dialogue where the truths of Residential School Survivors, families and communities are honoured and kept safe for future generations.
- Beyond 94: Truth and Reconciliation in Canada
- Decolonizing the Narrative Conversation Series, a free, live online sessions from the Banff Centre about Indigenous arts and creation, various dates.
- Ending Long-Term Drinking Water Advisories: Government of Canada.
- Interactive map incorporating residential school histories and facts. In participation with Canadian Geographic: The residential school system is older than Confederation itself, having lasted from 1831 to 1996, and represents a dark aspect of Canadian history. These government-sponsored, church-run schools aimed to assimilate Indigenous children by taking them away from their families and forcibly eradicating their cultural identity. Residential schools have left a horrible legacy that survivors, communities and families are still struggling to overcome and heal from to this day.
- Native Land, an interactive map to acknowledge and learn about the territories and Indigenous lands you occupy.
- First Nations Child & Family Caring Society, Indigenous knowledge portal. The Caring Society works to ensure the safety and well-being of First Nations youth and their families through education initiatives, public policy campaigns and providing quality resources to support communities.
- Indspire’s curated resources list (covers almost everything we have here)
- Water Today, a website that follows and tracks boil water and do not consume advisories in Canada.
- CBC Kids News contributor Isabel DeRoy-Olson explores what it means to be an ally on National Indigenous Peoples Day (Youtube video – 5min. Published June 18, 2021)
- Anaana’s Tent, an educational preschool television series that aims to prepare young children for their first years at school by promoting early literacy, math skills, and social skills.
- How to talk to children about residential schools, teaching resources from the classroom to assist speaking with children in the aftermath of a tragic discovery in Kamloops. (Article by Anna McKenzie. June 3, 2021)
- A message from Tasha Beeds, Water Walker, Tasha Beeds is a Plains Cree Mide-Kwe and Water Walker. She has walked nearly 7000km to raise awareness about the current state of water systems in Canada and the United States. She is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Indigenous Studies at Trent University with a research focus on violence, Indigenous women, and Cree consciousness. We were very lucky to have Tasha share her knowledge and experiences with water with the Indigenous youth interested in applying for the Waabnoong Drinking Water Internship. She inspired us all with stories of her journeys across her ancestral lands and shared the ways in which we can engage with the water and help the water.
Mental Health Resources
24 Hour Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line
1-866-925-4419
First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness 24/7 Help Line
1-855-242-3310
Indian Residential School Survivors Society Counselling Services
Crisis Services Canada
1-833-456-4566 or text 45645
Kids Help Phone
1-800-668-6868
Native Youth Crisis Hotline
1-877-209-1266
Organizations to Donate to
The Caring Society: The Caring Society works to ensure the safety and well-being of First Nations youth and their families through education initiatives, public policy campaigns and providing quality resources to support communities.
Indspire: a national Indigenous registered charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people for the long term benefit of these individuals, their families and communities, and Canada.
Legacy of Hope: A national Indigenous charitable organization with the mandate to educate and create awareness and understanding about the Residential School System.
Indian Residential School Survivors Society: To assist First Nation Peoples in British Columbia to recognize and be holistically empowered from the primary and generational effect of the Residential Schools by supporting research, education, awareness, partnerships, and advocating for justice and healing.
Indigenous Women Outdoors: Holding space for Indigenous women to come together and feel safe on the land.