Acknowledgements
We acknowledge the support of many who helped to make this book possible. We begin by acknowledging the Indigenous peoples of Musqueam First Nations (Vancouver, Canada), the Indigenous peoples of Treaty 6, including the Cree, Dene, Métis, Nakota Sioux, and Salteaux, (Edmonton, Canada), and Native Hawaiians (Hawai‘i, United States) as theirs are the lands from which we are writing and editing this book. We extend our deepest appreciation to the students, teachers, families, and communities with whom we work and to the work of the extraordinary scholars and associated communities who contributed to this volume.
This collection began many years ago with three American Educational Research Association (AERA) Symposia focused on exploring the nature of culturally responsive education with/in Indigenous communities across international contexts. At these symposia, many of the contributors to this book presented their work to large audiences with critical dialogue lead by symposia discussants including Dr. Ray Barnhardt of the University of Alaska, Dr. Liz McKinley of the University of Auckland, Dr. Marta Civil of the University of Arizona, and Dr. Christine Sleeter Emerita of California State University. These symposia brought us together as teachers, scholars, and Elders across geographical contexts to share ideas, extend our thinking, and make new connections to this growing field. As this has been an on-going multi-year project we are particularly grateful to all contributors to this volume for their patience, support, and belief in making this book a reality.
Along our journey from book conception to reality, we lost co-editor Dr. A. J. Sandy Dawson in the winter of 2015 in Hawai‘i. We dedicate this book to Dr. Dawson who worked with Indigenous peoples throughout his academic career. Dr. Dawson’s “innovative and imaginative” doctoral work in the early 1970s “looked at the implications of Lakotas’ work for school mathematics” (Kieren, 2015, personal communication). Dr. Dawson was a
selfless human being whose life work at its core was about cultural exchange, equity, and mutual respect. Mathematics education was his vehicle. He was not only intellectually curious but also profoundly interested in people and listened well to appreciate the life experiences of those with whom he worked. He always gave in his interpersonal relations and, as a consequence, received so many insightful gifts about people and their world. (Powell, 2015, personal communication)
We are truly grateful for all we learned as we travelled along side Dr. Dawson in this project and in our careers. Dr. Dawson was a leader, mentor, and friend in learning what it means to engage in culturally responsive practices.
We are indebted to the work of graduate students Amanda Fritzlan, Heather Commodore (now Dr. Heather Commodore), Jeff Baker (now Dr. Jeff Baker at the University of Saskatchewan), Maria Jose Athie Martinez, Rob McDonald, Tathali Urueta (now Dr. Tathali Urueta at the University of British Columbia, UBC), and Janice Novakowski. We valued their participation on research teams related to moving the research papers to book chapters, as well as their critical questions, feedback and innovative ideas. We are also grateful for the contributions by artist Kirsty Robbins of the UBC Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy. We also thank the reviewers, in particular Dr. Lester Rigney, who provided a number of suggestions and insights that improved individual chapters and book coherence. We are grateful to Brill Sense, and in particular to Michel Lokhorst for his continued support and for providing information in the process of preparing the book for publication. We also acknowledge Evelien van der Veer and Jolanda Karada who supported the final stages of the book to publication.
I (Cynthia) acknowledge the place of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia Canada and the many people who have mentored me and supported the making of this book. I thank my Haida family in Gaaw, Old Masset, including Aggie Davis and Helen Davis, for their ongoing teachings that continually help me to be a better listener to others, the land, my ancestors, and myself. I’m also thankful to my colleague and friend Joanne Yovanovich and her family in Skidegate, Haida Gwaii for making me a better learner and teacher by bringing me closer to Haida ways of knowing through connections to family, story and humour. I’m grateful to my UBC colleagues Dr. Ann Anderson, Dr. Susan Gerofsky, Dr. Samson Nashon, and Dr. Jo-ann Archibald for their teachings and unending confidence and encouragement. Finally thank you to my family Gord, Elyse, Chai, Monty, and Annie for their continued support and patience, and most importantly for providing me with the strength to expand my learning.
I (Jo-ann), in Coast Salish tradition, raise my hands in thanks and respect to my UBC colleagues, graduate and undergraduate students, and Indigenous Elders with whom I have learned from and with over the years, regarding Indigenous knowledge systems, mathematics education, and community-based research. Thanks to my partner, John, for engaging in countless discussions about Indigenous education and Indigenous storywork that helped me to clarify and deepen my ideas. I am grateful to my daughter, Corry, and her husband, Brian, and their two children, Sawyer and Bennett for inspiring me to share Indigenous teachings and stories about the heart, mind, body, and spirit. Thus, the circle of learning, caring, and sharing continues.
I (Florence), as a member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, acknowledge my ancestors and Elders who have walked before me. It is those ancestors and Elders who have provided the generative spaces for me to live and engage in this work in mathematics education. I am grateful for the teachings about Indigenous knowledge systems, about mathematics education, and about working with communities that I’ve received from Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples who have walked alongside me. Finally, I am grateful to my husband, Andy, my father, Oliver, my sister, Brenda, and my nieces, Lara and Valisa, for their never-ending curiosity, questions, and support. The family stories we tell and live by provide me with the courage and strength to live my life-calling.
Finally we thank you, the reader, for selecting this book, and we hope that the chapters inspire engagement with these ideas and actions for living responsive, relational, and respectful mathematics education with/in your communities.