The Story of ii’ taa’poh’to’p

New online course is now available to students

As all UCalgary courses remain online for the duration of the semester, ii’ taa’poh’to’p, UCalgary’s Indigenous Strategy, has made their new online course, The Story of ii’ taa’poh’to’p, available to all students.

Originally launched for faculty and staff in December 2019, the course was created by Human Resources and the Office of Indigenous Engagement to build awareness about ii’ taa’poh’to’p and unpack UCalgary’s role in reconciliation. The Story of ii’ taa’poh’to’p marks the beginning of an important learning journey towards understanding the complex histories of Indigenous and settler relations as we look to the future.

Through storytelling, imagery and video, the narrators, Dr. Reg Crowshoe and Pamela Beebe, give an interactive overview of the historical and cultural context of reconciliation, laying the groundwork for the Indigenous Strategy, which is inspired by the national Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action.

The workshop shares the development and structure of the Indigenous Strategy, the cultural gifts associated with the strategy, and the importance of territorial acknowledgements. Students can also explore the seven cultural symbols that guide the 27 recommendations of the strategy, which are reflective of Indigenous pictographs and petroglyphs from sacred archeological sites in southern Alberta.

“Our standing call to action for the community is to participate in learning opportunities to increase their knowledge about Indigenous peoples’ culture and history, through courses and professional development,” says Michael Hart, vice-provost, Indigenous Engagement. “In order for our strategy to succeed, students, especially, should set goals to increase their intercultural capacity.”

The Story of ii’ taa’poh’to’p is available now through Enterprise Learning, via the my.ucalgary.ca portal (requires UCID login).