British Columbia Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres

Family Literacy

Aboriginal Family Literacy

Traditionally, Aboriginal people learn through the transfer of knowledge within families. Elders share stories that teach a lesson, give you something to think about or make you laugh or cry. At times, the stories are told during food gathering/preparation, while traveling, at family gatherings or over tea and bannock. The family unit is the source of teachings including; language, traditions, crafts, food gathering/preparation, dancing, drumming, singing and where about the different stages of life and development.

Non-Aboriginal society has introduced a different way to look at learning and the environment. This is a formal approach to learning and usually takes place in an institutionalized environment. This method of learning has left scars on generations of families, but is slowly evolving over time to be more accepting and inclusive of various cultures.

Aboriginal people are learning the new ways of education while still maintaining their traditional teachings and forms of learning. An Elder once taught me that Aboriginal people today must learn to be "bicultural" in their way of learning. Learn the new teachings of today's society to have a formal education, while holding strong to what our families teach us and our culture.

For Aboriginal people, literacy is more than just reading and writing. Literacy includes all traditional knowledge that is being shared within families and clans. Literacy will help us succeed in mainstream education, but it will also help us to retain our culture and languages.

Go to your local Friendship Centre to find out what kind of Aboriginal Family Literacy
programs they offer for you and your family.

Talk to your family to find out what literacy means to them.

BCAAFC Goals for Aboriginal Family Literacy

1. Support the provision of Aboriginal family literacy programming among literacy and Aboriginal social service providers in BC

Strengthen the networking and collaboration between organizations providing literacy services to Aboriginal people in BC
Literacy service providers are empowered to implement culturally appropriate Aboriginal family literacy initiatives

2. Increase access to Aboriginal-focused literacy approaches and resources for both literacy practitioners and Aboriginal families in BC

Resources and materials related to Aboriginal family literacy are easily accessible
Aboriginal families in BC feel that their needs for culturally relevant reading materials are met
Aboriginal families have a culturally-friendly, welcoming place to come read together
Gaps and areas for further development of Aboriginal literacy resources are identified

3. Promote Aboriginal family literacy in BC through emphasizing the positive connection between literacy and Aboriginal culture

Aboriginal families have a greater awareness of the importance of literacy
Aboriginal families have a better understanding of family and Aboriginal approaches to literacy, and of the importance of reading at home
Aboriginal families view literacy as supportive of Aboriginal culture
Literacy service providers have a strengthened awareness of Aboriginal approaches to family literacy and the importance of employing Aboriginal pedagogy.

Aboriginal Family Literacy Initiative: A Proposal and Implementaiton Plan for the BC Aboriginal Family Literacy Initiatve for 2008 (click on the link for a PDF format of the file)