FROM THE NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA

Country features I \^ng adults from two "—inct Winnipeg neighbourhoods, on either side of the Red River as they strug-to overcome geographical and cultural barriers.

chool students from the predominantly Aboriginal North End, with thesupport of their peers from the Francophone district of St. Boniface, work to pro-duce a play on the origins of the Metis - a theme which links both groups to Louis

am of a society in which respect for difference is a founding principle.D these youths foresee their role and place within their respective com-

..- —•' How do these minority communities co-exist with the predominantculture? How are prevailing intolerance and racism dealt with from both sides ofthe river? Victims of discrimination, these two groups share their experiences inview of better understanding themselves and others.

ucer: Jacques Vallée,1 "~°d by the National

"on nationale deCanadian Heritac

49 minutes 5 seconds

A_FJ.LM BY MARTIN DUCKWORTH

Produced by theNational Film Board of Can

MinThis guide is designed to encourage highschool students to reflect on the impactwhich intolerance, racism, and discrimi-nation have on individuals as well as soci-ety as a whole.

Evaluating student's knowledge:1 . Define the term "Metis". Is there a dif-

ference between the FrancophoneMetis and the Anglophone Metis?What do Francophones mean whenthey use this term in French? Is therea distinct Metis culture or nation? Cananyone today of mixed racial origin callthemselves Metis?

2. Make a class survey to record the stu-dents' ethnic backgrounds. Comparethese results with those statistics fromthe film's opening.

3. What do you know about theFrancophone and Aboriginal minori-ties? Discuss, then sort according towhat is fact and what is stereotype.Points to consider: culture, origins,history, cultural activities, organiza-tions, schools, artists.

4. Define the term "discrimination" andprovide examples. List the differenttypes of discrimination. Have you everbeen a victim of discrimination? If so,how did it make you feel and how didyou react? If not, how do you think itfeels to be a victim of discrimination?

5. Define the term "prejudice". Do youhave any prejudices? Is it possible tolive without any prejudices? Whoteaches us these prejudices? Whatwill you teach your children?

Analyzing the film:1. In the film, certain people admit to

being a victim of discrimination. Whoand why?

2. What was the message of the R.B.Russell play "The First Metis"? Howwould you apply this message toeveryday life today?

3. "But when we, Metis, gave lands inManitoba to the CanadianGovernment, we did not give it only tothe Anglo-Saxon race. My heart willnever abandon the idea of having anew Ireland in the Northwest, a newScandinavia..." According to thisspeech Louis Riel gave before his exe-cution, what was his vision of the newsociety taking form in western Canadaa century ago? Do you think thatLouis Riel's dream has been realized?React to the speaker on the radio whosaid, "One country, one language".

4. What did Louis Riel mean when hesaid, "God cannot create a tribe with-out locating it. We are not birds. Wehave to walk on the ground." Establisha link between these sentences andthe situations in the film.

5. Why did the film's director choose tohave an elderly Metis woman speak tothe students?

6. Should we encourage Canadians tokeep their culture and traditions? Docultural differences make Canada astronger country? What does it offeryou personally?

7. In which ways can a group expresstheir ethnic pride? Is it possible forFrancophones to live their cultureabove and beyond cultural events suchas the Festival du Voyageur? Doesthis hold true for Aboriginals?

Application:1. One of the students in the film admits

that he does not get along with hisfamily. Where does he find the supporthe needs? What are his needs? Whatdoes his adoptive family have to offerhim? Why is the feeling of belongingso strong in humans?

2. Form two groups of four. Appoint onestudent to leave the classroom. Informhim that he/she will have to try to makefriends among the groups. Upon re-entering the class, the student is to askthe following question: "Hey, I've gottwo tickets to the symphony. Wouldyou like to go with me?" To which theother students will respond in turn witha pre-assigned response, such as:

Oh, don't be such a sissy.Can't you see that everybody here likesalternative music?We don't want to hang around with peo-ple like you.I don't have the time. I'm busy that night.I can't stand classical music, it's stupid.You're strange.Get lost!You couldn't even pay me to go to anevent like that.

Ask the student afterwards to reporthow he/she felt. Has he/she ever felt thisway before? How does this situationrelate to that of the students in the film?3. Invite the students to express them-

selves on the topic of discriminationthrough the use of a medium of theirchoice (e.g. drawing, poetry, story-writ-ing, posters, song, painting, skits,video, etc). The students may workindividually or in groups. Their productwill be presented during an anti-dis-crimination exposition.

4. It is the year 2200. Because of a hugewave of Liponese (fictitious people)immigrants, only 2 million of yourarea's 100 million people are anglo-phone. There are 20 Liponese televi-sion stations to one Anglophone sta-

tion; there are 30 Liponese radio sta-tions to only one Anglophone station.Practically all music is Liponese andthere is only one English film per year,one professional English-speaking the-atrical group, and one English weeklynewspaper. When shopping, you mustcommunicate in Liponese to be under-stood. How do you feel? Do you wantto keep your language? If so, how?How is it different to be a part of aminority?

Text: Carole Freynet-Gagne

11! il»Cultures in Canada, Kanata, WeiglEducational Publishers, Edmonton, 1986.

Les métis, un témoignage à coeur ouvert,Bureau de l'éducation française, June1993.

Multiculturalism is for all Manitobans:Towards a Horizontal Mosaic. Departmentof Culture, Heritage and Recreation ofManitoba, August 1988, 84 p.

Multiculturalism, Racism, and theClassroom. A CEA Report, November1982,68p.