5 Things I Wish I Learned in School About Indigenous History

When I was in school, Indigenous history felt like a footnote—if it was mentioned at all. What little we did learn was mostly about the arrival of settlers, and maybe a quick mention of “friendly” treaties, before jumping right back into European history.

Looking back, there are so many important truths I wish had been part of the curriculum. Here are five things I wish I learned in school about Indigenous history:

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1. Residential Schools Were Not That Long Ago

We were taught that residential schools were part of the “past,” like something from a different century. But the last one didn’t close until 1996. That means many survivors are still alive today—and many families, including mine, still live with the effects.

I wish we had learned the truth: that residential schools were part of a system meant to erase us. Not a mistake. Not a side story. A system.

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2. Indigenous Nations Had Strong Governments Before Colonization

I grew up thinking that First Nations were small, scattered bands with no real government before settlers came. That’s simply not true.

The Odawa, Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, Cree—all had sophisticated systems of governance, diplomacy, law, and land management. We weren’t lawless. We had our own laws. That knowledge was erased or ignored in classrooms, but it still lives in our communities today.

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3. Treaties Were Not Surrender Documents

In school, treaties were usually framed as land “deals”—like we just gave everything away in exchange for beads or some land. But treaties were meant to be nation-to-nation agreements of peace and partnership. Many of us never agreed to give up the land. That was added later—often without our knowledge.

I wish I had learned how many treaties were misunderstood, misrepresented, or outright violated by governments.

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4. Inuit History Is Often Left Out Entirely

When we did learn anything about Indigenous people, it was usually focused on the same few First Nations groups, as if we were all the same. But Inuit people have their own distinct cultures, languages, and histories.

I didn’t learn that whole communities were relocated in the North, or that the impacts of colonization reach even into the Arctic. That silence in school made it easier to ignore.

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5. We Are Still Here—and Thriving

Too often, Indigenous history is taught like a tragedy that already ended. But we’re still here. We are artists, leaders, scholars, activists, parents, and creators.

I wish I had learned about living Indigenous role models. I wish school had made space for Indigenous joy—not just Indigenous pain.

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Why This Matters

The truth is, school taught me to be silent about who I was. It made me feel like my people were part of the past—not the present, and certainly not the future.

That’s why I created Odawa Bound. To help change the story. To give others the voice I wish I had heard growing up.

If you made it this far, thank you. Keep listening. Keep learning. And most of all—keep questioning what you were taught.