Dismantling Narratives By Jennifer Hardwick Summary

The way that history is understood can change with a shift of perspective. The settler mentality in Canada has had an impact on the history of Indigenous people. According to Jennifer Hardwick's article Dismantling Narratives: Settler Ignorance, Indigenous Literature, and the Development of a Decolonizing Discourse, settler ignorance has an impact on the historical education of high school students in Ontario, and Canadians must unlearn what they already believe they know about Indigenous history to properly understand it. In her review of how students in Ontario are taught about Indigenous history, Hardwick demonstrates the flaws in the current system. In addition, Hardwick looks at the kinds of Indigenous literature that some students might

Since the tenth grade is the final year in which history is required to graduate, she remarks that many students will read their last history textbook during this year. Hardwick explains that this textbook covers Indigenous history throughout the book and includes topics such as treaties, residential schools, and Indigenous self-governance (Hardwick, 103). Hardwick discusses how the material about the IRS system reinforces colonial supremacy and contributes to settler ignorance in this textbook. She described how the text makes it appear as if the IRS system was beneficial for Indigenous children since they were “getting an education” and it would help them to learn “how to make a living on the reserve” (Hardwick, 104). She explains that while the IRS system's history was intended to assimilate Indigenous children into becoming "whiter," the textbook's authors make it seem as though this was a positive and beneficial development. According to Hardwick, the Face of a Nation authors' use of language fails to adequately account for the actual implications of the IRS system. She quotes their words “parents resented the government” (Hardwick, 104) to describe how the authors provided little to no information regarding how parents and families felt by this forced separation that left many

I can personally say that her article left me with many emotions since I myself had been in high school only a few years ago. And if I can think back to my experience in high school, I am sure that many of those who read Hardwick’s article can do the same. I remember talking with my friends about how boring Canadian history was and how we wished we did not have to learn it. Looking back at it now, I feel grateful to have “learned” about Indigenous history because I can see now with the help of Hardwicks article that what I learned back then is wrong. I have taken my fair share of history courses in university that include Indigenous culture and I am glad that I can see the difference. I do agree with what Hardwick said about how if people are to understand Indigenous history, it is important to start from the beginning and ignore the settler mindset and break this colonial education system (Hardwick, 115). Like Hardwick said, “only then will meaningful change and reckoning be possible” (Hardwick, 115). While reading this article and seeing just how the settler ignorant mindset has been imposed on the young minds of students, I felt angry. While I can not relate to the pain and hardships of the Indigenous people in Canada, I understand how angry they are with the Canadian