St. Thomas University student Leanne Hudson
St. Thomas University student Leanne Hudson knew exactly how she wanted to spend her Future Wabanaki internship with the Provincial Archives in New Brunswick
Leanne began a project titled ‘Integration of Indigenous Culture, Knowledge, and Traditions’, a written guide for understanding New Brunswick Archives and Indigenous History. The guide was researched, prepared, and completed by Leanne, with the goal of helping address the gaps in Indigenous culture and history in New Brunswick’s public-school curriculum.
“It is a book that is filled with Indigenous history, aiming to educate students, professors, educators – everybody, really,” says Hudson. “I call it the ‘Reader’s Digest’ version because it is brief but more digestible, which will hopefully make it easier to learn from.”
The guide contains a history of Indigenous communities in New Brunswick, including their geography, names, and language. The publication also outlines significant Canadian and New Brunswick events.
For Leanne, the inspiration to write the guide was ignited by her own experience growing up in Nova Scotia’s public school system.
“It was difficult for me to not to see my culture recognized in my schools,” says Hudson. “In high school, I started advocating more and gained a better understanding of my culture, and I felt empowered to figure out why there were these gaps in public education and Indigenous culture.”
The Future Wabanaki initiative fosters collaborative relationships between the business community and Indigenous students across New Brunswick. Through experiential learning, students gain real world experience while contributing to the development of their community. The initiative ensures that Indigenous students have equal access to meaningful and valuable real experiences.