STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITY 3
Indigenize the L’nu Way
Indigenize the L’nu Way is presented as a pillar of CBU’s Strategic Plan for 2019-2024, erected with the goal of providing pathways to move our University community toward reconciliation. On October 2, 2019, CBU celebrated the launch of Learning About the L’nu Way, a multifaceted learning experience for all employees. To date, 250 employees have started with us on that pathway, with 133 completing it, engaging in an enriching learning experience that provides foundational knowledge of who the L’nu (Mi'kmaq) are, an overview of their history and culture and the rights-based challenges they face in Canadian society today.
Guided by the Strategic Plan and by the Truth and Reconciliation Report of Canada, Stephen Augustine, Associate Vice President, Indigenous Affairs and Unama’ki College, and Hereditary Chief on the Mi'kmaq Grand Council, led CBU employees on this learning journey. He says the finished product is the result of a broad commitment across departments.
Over 100 employees at Cape Breton University participated in the first cohort of the Learning About the L’nu Way, an in-house-created learning experience of 14 modules, 60 lessons and 95 videos created with local contributors and subject experts.
Photo taken prior to March 2020.
“The learning experience, with its many contributors and topics, has provided CBU employees with a comprehensive program that highlights these important facets of L’nu history and culture and provides further insight into the contemporary issues and concerns of the L’nu,” says Mr. Augustine. “I want to thank everyone who has engaged with this learning experience and my team at Unama’ki College, the staff at the Centre for Teaching and Learning and the contributors featured in the videos for their efforts in making this learning experience a reality.”
Learning About the L’nu Way emerged as a hybrid online and in-community learning experience that covered topics from the Mi’kmaw creation story, to ceremonies, treaties, reconciliation, governance, education, language and injustice. The teachings were conveyed through 95 original videos and included 25 local contributors as subject experts.
“Developing the Learning About the L’nu Way learning experience was, in and of itself, a formative experience for the University. It was the first time we came together to create an online education experience directed at staff and faculty,” says Terry MacDonald, Lead Education Developer with the Centre for Teaching and Learning.
Photo taken prior to March 2020.
Anita Morrison, CBU employee who participated in Learning About the L’nu Way, crafted this depiction of the Creation Story as part of her reflections on the learning experience.
Reflections that were recorded as employees concluded their journey in Learning about the L’nu Way capture many facets of the learning experience.
Anita Morrison, Administrative Assistant in Facilities Management, was inspired to create a wall hanging depicting elements presented in the L’nu program. “While I found all of the information in the program to be very informative, well presented and interesting, I felt a particular connection with the creation story and wanted to make something that reminded me of all of the parts of the story and our connection to mother earth in a visual manner.”
Kim Desveaux, Manager of Enrolment Services, shares her experience saying, “I found myself searching the internet for photos of those mentioned throughout the materials and viewing maps of territories and more. I look forward to attending many cultural events with my family in the future!”
Assistant Professor Norm Hubbert added his positive thoughts, “I was struck by the fact that we need to learn from the past, there are so many things to learn from the L'nu and equipped with this knowledge, we can make better changes for tomorrow.”
Learning about the L'nu Way continues to be shared with CBU employees as an invaluable learning experience.
Cape Breton University has a more than 40-year history of Indigenous post-secondary education and partnerships with local Mi’kmaw communities and is committed to continue leading Indigenous post-secondary education. This learning experience is an important initiative to act on that commitment.
Stephen Augustine of Cape Breton University shares knowledge as a subject expert in the creation of the university’s Learning About the L’nu Way learning experience.
Cape Breton University’s Learning About the L’nu Way learning experience was created with the support of local contributors and subject experts. Here, CBU employees, Nina Kent and Katie MacLeod record a module on CBU’s programs that support Indigenous youth.