Grant: College & Community Social Innovation Fund

After centuries of colonial treatment, the indigenous peoples of the First Nations are still facing the challenge of recovering their cultural voice and social status. Each of these First Nation communities has their own unique history, language, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs. Elders traditionally hold crucial roles in supporting both formal and informal education in First Nations communities. They impart tradition, knowledge, culture, values, and lessons using orality and role modeling traditional practices. Elders are the carriers and emblems of communally generated and mediated knowledge. As the current generation of Indigenous elders age in Canada there is a growing concern that First Nation Communities knowledge of their history, culture, and language will be lost. The Aamjiwnaang First Nation located in Southern Ontario is an Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) First Nations Band. As other First Nation communities Aamjiwnaang is challenged to preserve their knowledge of their history, culture and language. The elders of the community are aging and as many of them perish, so will the teachings and knowledge that they have obtained creating a threat of Aamjiwnaang's future members not having access to this information. Lambton College's Research & Innovation department in partnership with Aamjiwnaang First Nation will design and develop an interactive 3D game that includes community verified historical, cultural and language content, containing interactive gameplay, education, and simulation components. The results will provide Aamjiwnaang First Nation an innovative solution to addressing the challenge of educating and engaging their youth in learning about their rich heritage. The resultswill also provide a platform that other First Nation communities across Canada can utilize to address this challenge in their communities. There is also potential to additionally use this platform to educate non-Indigenous in direct support of Canada's commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.