Notions and Bundles: The Biases and Gifts We Bring to a Blanket of Cultural Respect

Notions and Bundles: The Biases and Gifts We Bring to a Blanket of Cultural Respect is a three-hour, open-ended and strengths-based workshop designed to encourage storied critical self-reflection about cultural respect, especially as enacted by non-Indigenous settler peoples with Indigenous children, families, communities and people. The workshop is anchored in two simple premises. First, every person has biases and gifts, both of which inform cultural relationships. Second, when heads, hands, AND hearts are activated and engaged, there are increased chances of meaningful and culturally respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

The workshop teaches and unfolds through modified Indigenous circle learning, didactic knowledge presentation, arts-and-crafts production, small group conversation and accountability engagement, and large group facilitated interaction. Indigenous Elders, present at all the workshops, are integral to the learning process. Conceived of and adapted by Indigenous and non-Indigenous designers, the Notions and Bundles curriculum is intended to open space and time for multiple ways of knowing, seeing, and being in the world while, simultaneously, recognizing vast imbalances of power and privilege resultant from colonialism and colonial violence. The workshop is designed to grapple with complex questions of anti-Indigenous racism, white privilege, colour-blindness, and settler-naiveté. The workshop is also designed to allow participants to learn from each other and to leave feeling empowered to be part of anti-colonial, antiracist social justice and action, both personally and professionally.

Learn more by reading a Notions and Bundles Final Report on the most recent series of workshops.