Introduction

Weytkp

Land Acknowledgement

TRUs official land acknowledgement

Thompson Rivers University acknowledges the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc

(Kamloops campus) and the T’exelc (Williams Lake campus) within

Secwépemc’ulucw, reside on the traditional and unceded territory of the

Secwépemc. TRU also acknowledges the territories of the St’át’imc,

Nlaka’pamux, Tŝilhqot’in, Nuxalk, and Dakelh Peoples, on whose

traditional territories we are privileged to live, work, and play. Through

our work we are committed to incorporate Indigenous epistemologies,

pedagogies and ontologies into our actions and understandings,

supporting decolonization, reconciliation, and Indigenization.

Welcome to your mathematics Journey

Written by Sandra Bandura,

I am very honored to be your guide through this book. Math is my happy place—a world built on logic and patterns, a refuge when the nonsense of the world becomes overwhelming.

As an Indigenous woman, the opportunity to teach mathematics at a university was a dream I never allowed myself to envision. However, I was invited into the Canadian academic world because of the survival, strength, and sacrifice of the Indigenous Peoples who came before me. In particular, I am grateful to those who shared their stories with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). I will be forever thankful to those who have made space for my existence in this environment.

To summarize my Indigenous identity, I am visually identifiable as Indigenous (at least by Canadians), but I lived with my white mother until I graduated high school. In my early twenties, I moved to Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc (Kamloops) to be nearer to my father, who was a pipe carrier, sundancer, and sweat lodge keeper in the Lakota way. He not only shared his knowledge but also demonstrated how to live in a good way by following the teachings of the First Peoples of this land.

Although I find it unnerving that others seek my perspective due to my Indigenous identity, I have learned that the knowledge and history shared by Indigenous Peoples are essential to understanding how to exist in our world. They have lived here for thousands of years. As a settler on this land, I have a responsibility and duty to recognize their knowledge and to learn to disregard the nonsensical rewards and prizes of our current society.

As a math instructor, I recognize my responsibility and duty to uphold the values and principles of the First Peoples of this land. I understand that mathematics can act as a gatekeeper and poses challenges for many marginalized students. Additionally, I acknowledge that mathematics education, and education in general, has historically been used as a tool of oppression to control Indigenous Peoples. Therefore, it is my duty to ensure that education serves as a tool of empowerment.

Message to Instructors

The Māori have a word, “ako,” which means to learn, study, instruct, teach, and advise. Ako describes a reciprocal relationship between teacher and learner. In this relationship, the teacher shares their knowledge, and the student demonstrates their understanding through class participation and, of course, their graded work. However, it is essential to remember that the learning process centers around one key person: the student. Learning does not always require human guidance. It is important to recognize that it is an honor to guide students into the beautiful world of mathematics.

Message to Students

Have a lovely math adventure!