This course opened my eyes to the rich history of the Indigenous peoples in Canada, the centuries of injustices suffered post contact and the inter-generational trauma that runs deep beneath continuing struggles being faced today. First Nations people's close relationship with the land and nature resonates with my personal belief that we are closely connected with the earth and must treat her with respect in order to keep the soil, water and air clean for future generations. Doing this course has made me even more aware that where I live (Mississauga), is located on the Traditional Territory and Treaty Lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. I love how the course also hi-lights the resilience, leadership and creativity of First Nations peoples. Highly recommend this course for anyone who calls Canada home. Kudos to the team that put together and narrated the content and the fabulous artwork that accompanied the course. Thank you!

It is very difficult to offer a course that tries to cover the breadth of material that this course covers and to present it to people with a wide range of learning backgrounds, but I was very impressed with how good the course was. Overall, it was excellent and I would highly recommend it to others. If there was one thing I would have liked to have seen more about in the course it would be the historical relationship between Indigenous people and European settlers in the Maritimes (and southern Ontario and Quebec) prior to 1850. In that time period much of the focus of the course was on the fur trade and areas in the western and northern parts of Canada. It was mentioned that relationships changed in the west after 1850 when farming and more permanent communities were established, but there was not much about how the permanent settler communities of the east (and lack of fur trade in that region) defined Indigenous / settler relationships.

Course Content and all Presenters were excellent! I had some limited knowledge of the real history of our Aboriginal Peoples and learned so much more in the course. I was filled with sorrow, heartache , and shame ; as well as hope and promise that we as a country and community we will Do Better moving forward. I will carry with me , what I have learned to share with family ,friends and neighbours . I am interested in more courses on our Indigenous Peoples. Thank you to all involved in the presentation and course study and for the free access.

Thank you to the tech staff , as I was committed to several on line learning situations and had to send 2 emails to connect me back into the course. It was almost immediate and so appreciated. Enabling me to complete this incredible learning experience. I suggest this course be in public and private schools across our country!

sincerely and with appreciation of everyone

Laurie Boyd

Fergus ON

This is an interesting and very insightful course on Indigenous issues in Canada. I have learned a lot about how Indigenous peoples have been marginalized and discriminated against on their own land. I have also learned and gained knowledge about the history, culture and traditions of Indigenous people. Although settles have tried in diverse ways to change the culture and traditions of the people, they are not yielding to settle pressure and oppression but findings ways and means to maintain and conserve their traditions and cultures through social movements and activism. It is my pleasure signing up for this course and I give credit to the organizers for organizing this course for people to learn about Indigenous people's issues, especially the discrimination, subordination and marginalization they experiencing. I will recommend this course to anyone interested in studying and understanding Indigenous issues in Canada.

This course is excellent, moving, and inspiring. I have studied the colonial history of Canada and the experiences of Indigenous Peoples in Canada before, however taking this course has reminded me and inspired me to continue learning and engaging with this history and these experiences. I am currently working on a second Masters and I am preparing a paper on intergenerational trauma and the ongoing impact of colonialism in Canada. As I write this paper, I will remember the many ways that this course has demonstrated Indigenous voice and agency and strength. It is not just about understanding the devastating impacts of ongoing colonial patterns and practices, but also seeing the strength and empowerment and leadership of Indigenous Peoples. I agree with the TRC report recommendations that non-Indigenous Canadians have an accountability to learn about our colonial past, not to passively wait for someone to teach us.

This was an excellent, well-paced and engagingly delivered course. As a non-Canadian, but an anthropologist long interested in indigenous peoples, I found it very informative and logically organised. It is also to be commended for its thought provoking treatment of understanding wider issues of colonisation, patriarchy, racism, genocide, extractive exploitative economics, ecosystem degradation, and respect for different ways of knowing and world views, all so much needed by all peoples everywhere. I liked the combination of delivered lectures, art narratives, testimonials and videos. The notes will be very useful for further exploration of issues, events, places and people in more depth. I am grateful for this being made available free, and for the professionalism, commitment and authenticity of the three presenters, and the indigenous artist who "accompanied" the student at every lesson. Thank you all so much.

I was glad to have had the opportunity to take this course. History texts,books need to be corrected and this course would be very useful for Grade 7, 8 and above. With regards to a specific ongoing battle out in the East Coast between the Miqmaq and the commercial fishermen - I am thinking that anyone who applies for a commercial liscence re fishing, hunting, logging, and any kind of resource extraction should HAVE to take a similiar kind of course as part of the liscensing process BEFORE they get their liscence. Hopefully something like this might deter events escalating to the point that they have out East. Gchii-miigwetch to all the intsructors, elders, artists and others who contributed to this course. I quickly caught the word indoctrination in one review and yeah if you have to see it that way - it might seem to be the only way to correct and move forward from the harm done by colonization.

I'm so thankful for this excellent course. Since about 13 yrs old, I had a sneaking suspicion that there was WAY MORE to the history of Canada - that it really wasn't mainly about Christopher Columbus. Well, now we have a much better and clearer and realistic picture of what really happened. Thank you to the whole team at U of Alberta, your faculty and all the people who helped put this course together. I shall spread the word to encourage others to take this course. I've gotta say, having Dan Levy suggest it put a lot of wind in the sail - which is sometimes what is needed. I also enjoy the APTN tv station which has been discussing some of the topics I have learned about - getting more informed is pretty well a responsibility, wherever you live. And we happen to live in Canada, so...... Thanks again and wishing you the best of luck, courage and continued determination and successes going forward.

This was a wonderful course in that it was an honest look at the history of indigenous experiences. What I was really hoping for was a more in depth look at how indigenous and settlers coming west truly interacted with each other on a more personal level. Unfortunately there exists the "us" bs " them" mentality and until that goes we will always have this discourse. I was very happy to see the inclusion of the struggle of indigenous woman who married non-indigenous. I have two uncles who married indigenous woman when they came back from WW2. And the abuse and discrimination WE ALL faced because of that was staggering. And it came from both indigenous and non-indigenous. For people not well versed in history this course will be outstanding for them in that it will present an honest and compelling look into a part of this country's beginning. Thank you faculty for a wonderful and pleasurable journey!!

I am so thankful to have heard about this course before it started and to have had the opportunity to learn alongside everyone. The Sunday live chats with Dan, the faculty members and guests were so inspiring and eye opening. I really appreciated being able to dive deeper into the content of the course through these conversations. I grew up in Winnipeg and was embarrassed at how little I knew about indigenous history and culture after living so long amongst the largest indigenous urban population in the country. I am beyond thankful for this opportunity to learn about things that I feel we should’ve learned in grade school. This has kickstarted my learning journey and I will definitely be pursuing more knowledge about our indigenous history and culture which helps me to better understand current events and enables me to be a better ally.thank you to everyone who helped bring this course to so many!

Indigenous Canada has been a wonderful journey of relearning and expanding the knowledge of First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples. I am grateful for the facilitators, they do a great job relating a shameful and painful history and they come alive engaging and provoking the learners when it comes to relate the history of resistance and resilience, the beauty, and the hope that Indigenous ways of seen the world have to offer. Today, that message is even more powerful as we need to look for alternative and better ways to be in this world. I wish I could take a part II of this amazing course, with humbleness I will endeavor to continue the personal journey; making sure my children get educated from Indigenous Canada's perspective, and incorporating the learnings and looking for ways to reciprocate and speak up against racism and oppression against Indigenous people everywhere I can. Thank you!

This course should be mandatory for every high school student in Canada... pass it, or no diploma. Of course, for those of us long past our high school years, it should be a priority for all of us to immerse ourselves. New Canadians should also be required complete the course. How can we understand Canada without understanding the indigenous story, and the colonial past as it has been carried into the present? I was intrigued by so much of the information, angered by what was has been done to the indigenous people, and I now have a much more profound understanding of the issues still with us today, and still to be resolved, and each of our responsibility to do so.

I also learned how extraordinary and diverse the indigenous peoples are in Canada. It's most certainly time to finally live together as equals.

Thank-you for an exceptional experience, and making it freely available to all.

The recent discoveries of unmarked graves at the sites of former residential schools compelled me to learn more about the strifes of the Indigenous peoples of Canada. Their trials and tribulations and the theft of not only their land but their way of life, language and culture was extremely eye opening to me. My husband and son are both of Mi'kmaq descent and I have learned recently that I may be of Metis descent, but even without those Indigenous connections, I feel an empathy with all Indigenous people and the hardships they endured and continue to endure today. I stand with all Indigenous people and hope to see one day that they are given the proper respect and return of all that was taken from them. This course is one all Canadians should take to truly understand the past and how it has affected the present and will continue to affect the future for generations to come. Wela'lin

The course was in-depth and challenging. There were many facts, concepts, and histories which were complex, interrelated, and ongoing. Many subjects I only knew about superficially. These were described thoroughly and in a way which Helped me acknowledge that there is much I still need to learn about Indigenous Canadian people’s, their heritage and histories, and the ongoing colonization experience. It was especially helpful to hear about the Land and the Indigenous connection to it. It is a far more intricate connection then my own thoughts, and history with, “land”. I was pleasantly surprised to see a reference to “Mariano Aupilarjuk”. I have worked with his grandson (In Nunavut) and recently sent him a USB with over 40 drum dance songs on it. I am hoping the voice of his grandfather is on one of the songs. The songs were shared with me by a traditional singer in another NU community.

I very much appreciate being able to take this course. I learned a lot and am excited to learn more. I really enjoyed hearing from the speakers that you brought in to break down particular topics. I also appreciated the way the course was broken down into 'bite-sized' videos, none of which were too long. I also liked that you could rewrite the exam if needed. I had origionally planned on giving 4 out of 5 starts but reallly couldn't thing of a reason to take a star away so I decided to give 5 out of 5. The only thing I can think of that I sometimes found frustrating is that on my iPad I wasn't able to rewind the video or fast forward. I'm not sure if this was my device or something disabled on your end but this feature would have been helpful. The course was very well done, I learned a lot and I look forward to taking another course to further my knowledge in this area. Thank you!

Despite not being Canadian nor even from Turtle Island, I have always been interested in (appalled by ?) the situation of the indigenous peoples of northern America. Living in Europe, I have had access to a copious and varied amount of information and books about indigenous peoples of the USA, but very little is available in France about Canada, which is shocking , considering that the French were once the main colonial force in the continent. I heard about this course through Canadian writer/actor Daniel levy, and I have been absolutely thrilled by it. It's rich, easy to access despite the difficulties of english as a second language, and informative. I've had a whale of a time studying Indigenous Canada with coursera, and I hope to continue this process of educating myself on these fundamental issues, that affect us all worldwide. Thank you for this terrific opportunity

This course provided an excellent overview of Indigenous history, culture, people and land. It explored a number of topics in depth, and did not shy away from explaining how settlers tried to eradicate many elements of Indigenous culture. The module on residential schools was particularly difficult to go through, but extremely important to be aware of. In every module I learned something new (often many things) and feel I have a greater understanding of the concepts and issues than I did before taking this course. I think this should be a mandatory course that every Canadian takes. Our Canadian educational curriculum does not cover even a fraction of what was presented during this course, and presents a very one-sided view of Indigenous Canada; this course rectifies that and brings light to many important parts of history that has been swept under the rug for too long.

This course was an eye-opener. I am so glad that a social media link directed me to the link and I ended up enrolling in this course. While I was studying the chapters, watching the videos, and finishing my final quiz for each chapter, I felt that this course should be mandated for every Canadian. Most importantly, this course should be part of the Canadian Citizenship Test. Most of us who chose to live in this beautiful country would not be knowing the real history of Canada without such courses. It is very limited availability on this subject matter. The way this course was planned and delivered, was an incredible experience for me. Today, I finished the course and really feeling proud to know a little bit more about Canadian history and the lives of those who were originally the owners of this wonderful land. Thank you to those who made this course so engaging.

I am so grateful for this course. I believe it to be very important for all Canadians to know our history and relationships with our Indigenous "Relatives." The material is disturbing on so many levels and the truth hurts. I realize that the information provided is only the tip of the iceberg, but it certainly provides a framework to participate in ongoing truth and reconcilliation work with a deeper understanding of the experiences and consequences of the colonization of our First Nations people. I am grateful to others who encouraged participation in this program, most notably Dan Levy, along with others from within my Truth and Reconciliation circle. Thank you to the UofA, the scholars, speakers, and participants for their contribution. I will do my part to spread the word regarding this valuable work. It has been a privilege...blessings to all of you!

This course was enlightening. Each module was fascinating, informative and it opened up not only my eyes but my mind. I now have a whole different perspective on what I thought was our Canadian history. I can definitely state the education I received both in high school and post secondary did not reveal the whole picture on the many important events, happenings, and special moments that shaped our Canadian history as this course did. I am appalled at the treatment received by Aboriginal peoples at the hands of the First Settlers and the continuation of this mistreatment even to the present day. I have a brand new outlook and I will incorporate this new knowledge into my everyday life. Thank you for the great work that went into the development of this course. I hope many more will partake in this course and develop a better understanding of our history.

This was a very enlightening course. I already knew some - not all - of the history, but little of the cultural background. One of my favourite modules was the last one, about Indigenous art. I previously knew so little about today's Indigenous artists! My only criticism - a mild one - is that insofar as the course deals with colonial powers that have interacted with Indigenous people, the focus is almost exclusively on England rather than France (and where French names occur in the videos, they are often mispronounced). Some of the relevant history is not understandable without a bit more emphasis on the "French fact" - which played a crucial role, for instance, in the genesis of the Métis people. If the course is ever updated, I suggest that an extra module be added to cover this aspect - ideally, with the involvement of a francophone Indigenous historian.

From the worldview lesson at the outset to the powerful lesson on Indigenous Canadian art at the close, this course informed and surprised. It was difficult to learn the history, and infuriating to realize I grew up being told a skewed colonial story. In particular, the chapters on urban Indigenous communities and Indigenous women broadened my understanding of the pervasiveness and danger of stereotypes and patriarchal practices. Thank you to Dr. Bear, the presenters, and all who worked to assemble and present this course.

I have a single suggestion for improvement. I liked the music used as background for many of the videos, but it never changed. One track in particular consisted of two alternating pitches and a repetitive drumbeat. It was extraordinarily distracting, and I could find no way to silence the background music and listen to the lecturer alone.

Este curso me ayudò a entender la ubicaciòn de las culturas aborigenes y su transmision cultural, asi como las dificultades que aun tienen para proteger su legado y mantener sus tradiciones y soberanias sobre los territorios que sus antepasados cuidaron. Me interesò continuar estudiando sobre los pueblo originarios de canada para entender mejor la realidad actual y còmo es posible una integraciòn respetuosa y evolucionada en estos tiempos modernos.

Los primeros merecen nuestro respeto, ademàs demostraron tener una organizciòn suficientemente efectiva para vivir en armonìa y protegiendo la naturaleza. Es mi opiniòn que en este mundo moderno, es necesario tambien conocer las tecnologìas y demàs facilidades para vivir mejor, sin afectar a nadie y menos al medio ambiente.

Muchas gracias por este excelente curso! Me cambiò completamente la percepciòn de Canadà.

How different would our Canada, our world, be if instead of trying to assimilate the indigenous peoples we had explored, embraced and adopted their view on Mother Earth and our relationship to our land and to community? I personally find in current times, many of us so unsatisfied, so disillusioned with hectic schedules and constant stress when really we are just completely disconnected from Mother Nature and respect for our environment and each other. This course amplifies the price, the darkness of colonization, capitalism and total disregard for what should be sacred. Too much has been lost, too many lives lost in horrific ways and Canadians need to recognise this truth and hope the Indigenous ways can still help save us all. Thank you to Tracy Bear, her team and Leah Dorion for educating us with skill, knowledge, honesty, strength and sensitivity.

Thanks to the presenters and Dr Paul Garneau for providing this course! It's been 40 years since I was in University, and there was a bit a learning curve with the online aspect of it, but I got through that.

What a pleasure it has been! To learn so much so quickly was so satisfying and useful.

Parenthetically, it was Dee Brown's book in 1970 (Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee) that got me interested in the subject of the people who lived here long before colonization by the Europeans. He said early on in the book that we should look EAST, not WEST when examining how Indigenous peoples reacted to this fundamental event.

Although that book taught me a lot, this course taught me more, most especially about the specific experiences of Indigenous people, and their nature in this land.

Congratulations on a job well-done. You've made me a better man...

Chris Betcher