b'INDIGENOUS EDUCATORSbirthday every year. Instead ofAt 16, life took another turn.aspect of Indigenous education CRAFTING A focusing on everyones individual[In] Grade 10, I got pregnant from early childhood programs birthday, we all celebrated throughand dropped out of high school,to post-secondary policy. After this teddy bear. She just had soLoring-Kuhanga says matter-of- earning her BEd and MEd at the much love and caring for us. factly. She paused her teachingUniversity of Victoria, she began NEW VISION For a little girl who faced hardshipgoals and dedicated herself insteadworking directly with First Nationsat homethere was abuse fromto motherhood, working as acommunities to return control of the neighbours Ms. Lynnscook in logging camps and mines.education to Indigenous hands. kindness left a lifelong imprintAfter a divorce at 25, she made aWhen I was in my undergrad, I was on Loring-Kuhanga, who is adecision that would shape the restintroduced to the Indian Control of member of the Gitwangak Firstof her life. I went back and did myIndianEducation document from Nation. She really showed meupgrading, wrote my GED, applied1972, she says. When I first read unconditional love and cared aboutto university as a mature student,that, I was like, Yes, thats what we us individually, she says. It builtand went on to get my bachelorsneed to do. Who better to know my self-esteem and confidence,degree, she says. Later I wentwhat your kids need than you as despite everything else going onback and finished my masters. a parent?around me. That determination became moreAs an educator, Loring-Kuhanga On the other side of the smallthan a goal; it became a guidingdevoted herself to helping commu-schoolhouse was Ms. Walkersprinciple revolving around thenities develop their own systems. classroom, her intermediateidea that its never too late. CaseParents had been taken out of the teacher: She was very strict, butin point, says Loring-Kuhanga, areeducation of their children through what she taught me was that I wastwo siblings she met years agoresidential schools, so I started smart and capable, and that shefrom Oneida, both in their 80straining parents to form school had high expectations for me. at the time. They decided to goadvisory committees and school back to school in their 70s, gotboards in their communities, After elementary school, Loring- their degree, and wanted to keepshe says.Kuhanga entered a very differentteaching until they were 100, world. When I got into highshe recalls with admiration. TheyThe training sessions started school, thats when I realizedhad so much energy and commit- with one essential question: that a lot of teachers back thenment to making a difference inWhat do you want your children didnt really have belief or faith inkids lives. to achieve? From there, Loring-First Nation students, she says.Kuhanga helped communities craft We became what we called theCONTROL OF EDUCATION vision and mission statements, Red Pass, meaning you wereOver the years, Loring-Kuhangasunderstand curriculum, and just passed along without anycareer has touched nearly everylearn the fundamentals of school thought given.Loring-Kuhanga saw classmates discouraged, written off, or shuffled through. It made me even more determined to become a teacher because I could relate to the kids,WE ARE AN INDIGENOUS-OWNED VIDEOshe says. I believed wholeheart- PRODUCTION COMPANY & EDUCATIONAL PLATFORM edly that we could do anything weTHAT AMPLIFIES INDIGENOUS VOICESwanted to do.Her parents, who each had limitedindigenousgeographic.ca INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.INDIGENOUS STORIES.formal education, reinforced that belief. My mom only went to Grade 3 because her parents refused to send her to residential OUR PROMISEschool, Loring-Kuhanga says. My father only went to Grade 7RESPECT SEEKING UPHOLDING because he went out to work. Butfor more info, visit:THROUGHTO TELL TRUECULTURAL they always instilled in us that weAUTHENTICITY STORIES INTEGRITYshould try to get a good education.2025indspiration29'