Reclaiming Anishinaabe Law: Kinamaadiwin Inaakonigewin and the Treaty Right to Education

Leo Baskatawang's manifesto for the future of Indigenous Education in Canada, Reclaiming Anishinaabe Law, outlines the history of the neglected treaty relationship between the Crown and the Anishinaabe Nation and the Canadian governments' failings to administer effective education policy for Indigenous youth. Baskatawang envisions a future where Indigenous nations have their traditional laws formally recognized and affirmed by the Canadian governments, and where kinamaadiwin inaakonigewin, an Anishinaabe education law, is revitalized and codified. Kinamaadiwin inaakonigewin promotes education that is grounded in tradition and positions learners for success in life, while also enacting Anishinaabe self-determination and bringing about cultural resurgence, language revitalization, and a new era of Crown-Indigenous relations in Canada.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 14 April 2023
Publisher: University of Manitoba Press

In his groundbreaking work, "Reclaiming Anishinaabe Law," Leo Baskatawang delves into the historical roots of the neglected treaty relationship between the Crown and the Anishinaabe Nation in Treaty #3, highlighting the Canadian governments' egregious failures to implement effective education policies for Indigenous youth. These failures, exemplified by the horrors of the residential school system, are a testament to the systemic injustices perpetrated against Indigenous communities. Baskatawang firmly believes that Indigenous education should be governed and administered by Indigenous peoples, drawing from the wisdom and knowledge passed down through generations.

Towards this vision, Baskatawang outlines the efforts underway in Treaty #3 territory to revitalize and codify the Anishinaabe education law, known as kinamaadiwin inaakonigewin. Kinamaadiwin inaakonigewin encompasses a holistic approach to education, focusing on ways of knowing, being, doing, relating, and connecting to the land that are deeply rooted in tradition. At the same time, it equips learners with the skills and knowledge necessary for success in life, both on and off the reserve.

As the foundation of an Indigenous-led education system, kinamaadiwin inaakonigewin embodies Anishinaabe self-determination and holds the potential to foster cultural resurgence, language revitalization, and a new era of Crown-Indigenous relations in Canada. Baskatawang urges. challenges policy makers to move beyond mere apologies and performative politics, urging them to engage in meaningful reconciliation practices by recognizing and affirming the laws that the Anishinaabeg have always used to govern themselves.

Through his meticulous research and compelling storytelling, Baskatawang sheds light on the ongoing struggle for Indigenous rights and self-determination, advocating for a transformative change in the education system that recognizes the inherent dignity and wisdom of Indigenous communities. "Reclaiming Anishinaabe Law" is a seminal work that demands the attention of policymakers, educators, and all those who seek to build a more inclusive and equitable society for all.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781772840254