Welcome to Gilead!

Posted on by christianl

Hello!

We’re starting a new PLP project and I’m still keeping the same VMV goals that I set last time. I said I wanted to be more self-directed and stay curious, and honestly that goal hasn’t changed. It’s long-term. I want to stay consistent with my learning and not just do things when I’m told to.

Strength: Self Directed Learning

Behaviour: Agency

I will strengthen my self directed learning by researching topics beyond the set expectations. I’ll use my agency to set personal goals and review course material prior to coverage so that I can achieve success in class. I also want to analyze where I can push the limit in my learnings by communicating with the teacher on where and what I need to improve on. This goal is important to me because I want to become the kind of learner who takes initiative and responsibility for my own progress, rather than waiting to be directed. Building these habits now will help me in future courses and environments where independence and self-motivation are essential.

Driving Question:

“How does dystopia function as social criticism?”

Dystopia: a society that looks normal until you realize everything is controlled.  Going into this project, I didn’t actually know what dystopia really meant, only an idea from the previous project and common knowledge. I didn’t fully get why people cared so much about dystopian stories or what made them important. I kind of just assumed it was some exaggerated “bad future” to make a point.

Launch 🚀 help started changing it for me. We watched V for Vendetta and it made me realize that dystopias don’t appear out of nowhere. They come from fear and people wanting safety too much, with people getting comfortable with being controlled.  I could start connecting it to everything I learned last project about authoritarianism; it made sense how leaders can slowly gain more power, and why people let it happen.

After that process, I read The Handmaid’s Tale as well, a depiction of a patriarchal dystopian society made by Margaret Atwood.  I understood that a full dystopia doesn’t just happen in real life, it’s almost impossible. It consists of pieces of it? Those already exist in small ways everywhere. Utopia’s are impossible to achieve with human beings, there will always be greed and malice.  Similar to this, dystopias are the complete opposite of what utopias are, two extremes where one is the ideal situation we want to be in while the other is what we try to prevent.  A rule here, a restriction there, people being afraid to speak up. That’s when I started to see dystopia not as a “fictional world” but more like an exaggerated version of real problems.

https://christianl.craft.me/97dPR36IECODgP

I used to think these stories were just warnings for the future, but now I see their warnings about the present, and of what to come.  Whenever I see any subtle shifts towards dystopia on the news or in conversation, I would ignore it and think that one small thing won’t make a difference.  In fact, ideas like constant surveillance would be beneficial for me because I believed if you do no wrong, then you would be fine.  This is not the case; if power falls into the wrong hands then your freedom and life will be pretty much over.  It’s always easier to prevent and stop it early on rather than have to try to fix it when it’s at its peak.

This entire project led into the short story, one of my most enjoyable and favourite projects in PLP.   Writing my own dystopian world made everything make sense in a different way. I wasn’t just reading about control or surveillance anymore, I had to actually build it myself and simulate what dictators do when they try to come into power.  My story had an emphasis on showcasing how dystopia comes into society (Timothy Snyder lessons), how people ignore the “cracks”/dangers of society when they are benefitting, and what actually defines a human.  I had to think from the perspective of someone living inside it, someone who doesn’t even know they’re part of a broken system.  With constant surveillance and limited freedom, I questioned the idea of what living life truly entails.  Is it living safely, without worry of your life until the end of days, or is it living it to the fullest, taking risks that you previously would not have done.  The limiting freedom shows how my character begins to question this idea, and how they develop into realizing that they aren’t really “living”.  They have no purpose, just following the same routine and habits day by day.

Dystopian Story

I feel like I showed elements of extending throughout this process. Not because the story was perfect, but because I could apply everything I learned without needing to be told what to do. I connected V for Vendetta, Handmaid’s Tale, and the ideas from last project directly into my writing. I didn’t even realize how much knowledge I was using until after I finished the story.

This project didn’t just teach me what dystopia means. It taught me how to recognize when control becomes normal, and why that’s dangerous.

Thanks for reading!

Chris

The Constant Cycle of Authoritarianism

Posted on by christianl

Driving Question:

“How can we use documentary film to guard against authoritarianism?”

Vision:

Consistency and staying curious about learning is the main area I will be focusing on; this goal doesn’t go just to graduation, but beyond it as well.  I want to be able to always enjoy the process, have a constant hunger to learn more, and to be able to positively influence the people around me to have the same mindset.

—

Authoritarianism: A society where one person or group holds all power with little to no personal freedom for the everyday citizen.  A dangerous system that is slowly creeping into our society and destroying our democracies.  

Authoritarianism was our main focus for this unit, and how it is our duty to fight against it.  I personally have always questioned what truly defined an authoritarian regime, and how one would be able to rise to power.

—

During our Launch 🚀, we focused on the key idea on why it is so important to learn about authoritarianism.  Like many others, my knowledge was minimal – I had a general idea of what it is and where it has existed.
I always had a mindset of whatever makes a good leader can be in power, whether they were dictators or democratic leaders.  I felt like if a leader was effective, they should be able to stay in power.  Thinking back, this was a stupid mentality due to not really caring much for the topic and not understanding the dangers of unchecked power.  I always thought that Singapore was a great country and knew that they are under a benevolent dictatorship, unaware that this type of government is temporary and usually gets turned into a democracy later on.
What truly made me realize how dangerous dictatorships is the idea of unchecked constant power.  If there was an authoritarian leader who has unchecked power wakes up one day on the wrong side of his bed or one of his family members died, he has the ability to just take out his anger on anyone.

I realized, democracy isn’t the greatest system, and in fact, in many ways is pretty terrible and really flawed.  However, it is currently our best system and has so far been way better than any other governments that we have had in the past.

https://christianl.craft.me/dictator

This makes us, the people, the only way to fight against dictatorships.  We used the On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder book as a way to learn to how to spot authoritarianism and how we can fight against it.  I’m not going to go in depth about each lesson as you can learn the key ideas in the documentary below, but will talk about my learning throughout the book.

https://christianl.craft.me/2S2iBebX1FncA2

Like mentioned before, we were divided into many small groups to create segments of a documentary  on how we can fight against authoritarianism.  It would be a survival guide on fighting tyranny as high school students living in Canada.

video

Connecting my learning back to my VMV strengths, I thought that communication was a consistent factor throughout this project, whether it was to other students discussing about authoritarianism, or to teachers discussing goals over the year.  We also had multiple benchmarks like the socratic seminar and documentary that required collaboration and communication with others.

In my VMV goals I talk a lot about how I wanted to extend my learning and make my intentions clear to my teacher, Ms. Madsen.  I feel like I was partially successful, I know Ms. Madsen understands my goals and I communicate with her often, but still haven’t reached the exemplary level in my learning.  This was shown in the Socratic Seminar where my ideas were on the cusp of going to the next level, but wasn’t able to reach that point.  Next project, I hope to be able to achieve what I set out to do.

To add to this, the success behaviour I chose to support this strength is grit.  Throughout the whole editing process I was getting kinda annoyed that I was not receiving the full support from my teammates.  I still pushed through and got it done in time for Silas to be able to use.  I’m going to continue this mindset and not give up on any of my goals.

Overall, I felt like creating a documentary on the dangers of authoritarianism was a great way to guard against authoritarianism.  Like mentioned in the movie, education is one of the best ways to fight, staying informed can allow you to spread the word to other people and post online to prevent authoritarianism to ever creep into our society.

Thanks for reading!

-Chris

Reconciliaction: The Finale

Posted on by christianl

Hiya!

Welcome to my final project of Grade 11.  This project incorporated elements like reading and creating books, going on trips, and of course, the exhibition.  We wanted to summarize our overall learning of the year by displaying it to the public in our annual winter exhibition.  To do this, we had to dig up

Driving Question: How do the motivations and internal conflicts of characters influence their actions and decisions, and in what ways can exploring these motivations deepen our understanding of human nature?

To explore this, we studied two key texts:

  • The Golden Spruce, a nonfiction story about environmental protest, cultural loss, and personal conflict
  • Klee Wyck, a memoir by Emily Carr that showed the complexities of settler-Indigenous relationships through art and observation

We started off by reading the Golden Spruce, an interesting novel that explores multiple themes like land stewardship/destruction and more.  We analyzed how Grant Hadwin grew to hate the logging industry his family was so long part of, and cut down the Golden Spruce to spread “awareness” for his cause.  He believed that thousands of trees were being logged, so what makes this tree different.  Why is it protected by the logging industry?  His unravelling was shown throughout the book, with it showcasing the results of his actions.   Though Grant was the main focus on the book, it still went into details around the Vancouver environment and local Indigenous people who lived here.  Here is my research document that I used throughout the book:

https://christianl.craft.me/goldenspruce

After finishing the Golden Spruce, our class departed to Haida Gwaii to learn more about Indigenous history and be able to be hear information directly to the source.  Unfortunately, I was unable to go on the trip, and was assigned the book Klee Wyck to read while they were away.

We created a scrapbook based on Klee Wyck, where we analyzed each chapter through a personal, reflective lens. It helped us connect Carr’s stories to modern issues like cultural erasure and land stewardship. We asked hard questions about who gets to tell histories, and why some voices have been left out.  This scrapbook was our basis to create the exhibition that we later did that week.

Our class was split into three different groups for our exhibition: Time Immemorial, Truth Before Reconciliation, and Big Tide Low Water.  The people who didn’t go on the trip was placed in Truth Before Reconciliation, whilst the trip-goers were split between the other two groups.  Truth Before Reconciliation had to focus on the history, the actual past that reveals the truth about what happened when the colonizers first arrived in North America.

Our section was the most darkest of the exhibition; we had to focus on the nitty gritty of what happened, showing a full truth about how badly the Indigneous peoples were treated.

We wanted to focus on four main points that showed the results of colonizers on Indigenous peoples.  I focused on one of the main points:  Stripping of Culture.

I worked on this section with Keaton, we built a mannequin that represented an Indigenous person having their culture removed. We attached sticky notes all over the figure, each one representing something sacred. Words like language, ceremony, family, songs, and land and invited visitors to peel them off. As they did, the figure became more blank, more controlled, and less of themselves.  That was our goal: Stripping off culture was the goal of colonizers. They wanted Indigenous people to feel weak and alone, to become what they saw as the “ideal” white subject.  After we were done talking with the guests, we allowed them to stick the sticky notes back on the mannequin, symbolizing how we are now trying to reconcile and “help” give back their culture.

Even though Keaton could not attend the event, he recorded facts that we installed in a voice box inside the mannequin. Visitors could hear truths about cultural destruction.

I talked a lot about residential schools and complete banning of cultural ceremonies. Residential schools entire purpose was built for erasure. They banned Indigenous languages, took children from families, mentally broke, physically abused, and left them with trauma that lasted generations. Cultural ceremonies like potlatches, naming gatherings, and community feasts were outlawed. Even if Indigenous people gathered peacefully for any reason, it was often illegal. The goal was full cultural erasure, not just control.

This booth felt important to create. It reminded me that these are not stories from centuries ago. These were laws. These were real children. This was policy. The harm was not accidental. It was designed.

To reverse that, visitors could place the sticky notes back on. This symbolized reconnection. It showed that culture is not gone, but it needs to be restored actively, with respect.

After all this what does Reconciliaction mean to me?

Reconciliaction is not about guilt. It is about responsibility. It means doing something with what I have now learned. It means listening to Indigenous voices. It means seeing how my education and comfort were shaped by systems that harmed others. It means asking questions even when the answers are uncomfortable.

I do not want to move on from this project and forget. I want to keep reflecting, keep noticing, and keep pushing for change, even in small daily ways.

To Answer the Driving Question:

This project revealed that human nature is full of contradictions. When I looked deeper into each character, I realized their actions weren’t random. Each action is shaped by pressure, guilt, shame, and especially greed.  Greed was a hunger for control, influence, and the belief that your way of living is more important than someone else’s. Exploring these internal conflicts made me understand that even people who seem good can still make harmful choices because they are caught inside systems or emotions they don’t fully understand.

Grant Hadwin in The Golden Spruce is an example of someone who broke down because of his unresolved conflict. He came from a background of logging, but eventually grew to hate what it was doing to the land. He wanted to stop what he was doing, he wanted to preserve the land around him.  However, his method, cutting down the Golden Spruce, hurt the people who respected that tree the most. His actions were rooted in a desperation to expose the truth, but led to him doing more wrong than right. That made me think more deeply about how people unravel when they feel powerless, and how pressure mixed with anger and guilt can lead to bad choices that may lead to destruction.

In Klee Wyck, Carr’s conflict wasn’t as explosive, but it was still powerful. She was respectful and curious. But she still wrote from within a colonial mindset. Her words sometimes reduced people to symbols or exoticized their traditions. She tried her best, but even her best was shaped by a belief that her own view had value just because it came from her. That showed me how even well-meaning people can cause harm. Not because they are evil, but because they never questioned the system they were part of and took it for granted. This opened up something important for me. I began to reflect on my own perspective, my own assumptions, and the way I was raised to view the world. If Carr’s lens was shaped by colonial thinking, then I had to ask where my lens came from too.

Colonialism itself is a perfect example of human greed at its worst. It wasn’t just about land or power. It was also about identity; Colonizers wanted to erase Indigenous culture. Residential schools banned languages, punished ceremonies, and tore children away from their families. Even things like naming ceremonies or potlatches were made illegal. Not because they were harmful, but because they were Indigenous.  The goal was to create a blank slate – to replace diverse, rich identities with one narrow version of what a person should be. That kind of greed, the need to make everyone else disappear to feel superior, is something I now see as part of the darker side of human nature.

To conclude this project, I felt like the flow of this project was a bit off, we were given time to read and reflect on two different books but given only a few days to do the exhibition.  Although it was short notice, I believe that it was also a good thing that really allowed for us to get our act together quickly, and be able to present in a short amount of time.  I think we demonstrated really good communication and teamwork, we worked together and was able to pull off an exhibit that I felt proud to present.

Overall, this was a really long and hard project that ended with a bang.

Thanks for reading!

-Chris

My Final tPOL of PLP

Posted on by christianl

Hello Ms. Mc, Hello Parents!

“Thank you for coming to my presentation of learning. I am the expert on my own learning. I am also responsible and accountable for my own learning. You can expect me to give an honest evaluation of my progress. We will discuss my strengths and opportunities for growth. Thank you in advance for listening and for offering feedback that I can use to improve as a learner.”

“You don’t learn from experience; you learn from reflecting on experience.” – John Dewey.

Grade 11, the most important year for high school.  The turning point for deciding which careers to go into and the future after high school.  Overall, it was a great year that involved me breaking out of my comfort zone, and pushing for more.

Vision Mission Values (VMV)

During my mPOL, I reflected on how successful the year had been, and honestly considered the work I had put out. My success has been attributed to utilizing effective work habits and strategies, like working in a great study group. I mention that I wanted to keep working as hard as possible, aiming to make sure that I don’t burn out over the last portion of the year.

Helping others and being helped has been a really positive impact to my life, and would suggest this strategy for anyone struggling/wanting to improve their work overall. I believe that I have been successful in keeping consistent in these areas, and has allowed for me to be able to put out the same quality work over the year.

However, I discovered an area that I felt like I needed to improve on after the mPOL.  I always had this lingering fear that my work isn’t as good as it can be.

We all have a competitive nature to try to outdo each other, and I feared falling behind the others. This constant competition leads me to always try to find things that I am doing wrong, and try to make sure it is either the same, or better work than my peers. This fear may not be a bad thing, but it leads to a constant uncomfortable situation where I am worried that my work isn’t reaching the high standard that I want to achieve. I know that I am smart and I feel confident saying it, but will always aim to be the best in a group.

The way that I addressed this issue, I just need to know when to step back and be satisfied with the work that I put out. I need to understand that there will always be something that I can add, nothing will ever be perfect and my work may have already achieved the high standard that I want.  I have really learnt to be satisfied with what I have done, and be able to let go on things that don’t matter.

Though it has been a really successful year overall, there will always be gaps and things that I can improve on. Life is a never ending journey of learning.

So how does this reflection play into my VMV? How does it connect to all my values?

Understanding myself is something that I need to put first before I can help others.  This goal to be able to help others will be ineffective if I don’t understand myself, and I feel like I have really matured in this area.  Connecting back to my values:

I have really engaged with this tPOL and opened up about weaknesses that I feel like I have.

I am communicating areas that I feel like I need to improve on and want advice in.

I am being honest and taking ownership of the areas that I lack.

So why do I feel ready to move onto the new school year?

This school year has been really fun overall! It was full of maturing, understanding, and learning to become a better person!  Building confidence and being proud of the things that I create is vital to my future (especially for PLP)!

Thanks for listening!

–Chrissy

Museums and Governments: The Roles They Play in Society

Posted on by christianl

Hiya!

What roles do museums play in education of the public?  Is it their responsibility to share what’s right, or what benefits them?

Driving Question: What role do museums and governments play in acknowledging and addressing historical injustices?

We were tasked in creating some sort of media piece that shows off our answer to the driving question, that will be displayed, or sent to a member of the government.  I chose to create a letter to museums across British Columbia, accompanied with a video that explains why I believe their work is significant.  Sit back, relax, and enjoy!

What is a government?  What do they do, and what are they?

I am sure everyone knows what a government is, but do you know how they are actually structured?

In British Columbia, the government is structured into three main branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The Legislative Assembly, in Victoria, is where elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) debate and pass laws. The executive branch is led by the Premier and the provincial Cabinet, who are responsible for implementing laws and managing all services like health care and education. The judicial branch operates independently through provincial courts, ensuring that all the laws passed are fairly interpreted and upheld. This structure allows BC’s government to function within Canada, balancing power and ensuring government accountability.

Reconciliation

All my research:

https://christianl.craft.me/exhibit

So how do museums and governments play a role in education.  the governments are the ones who can dictate what is told, and what is shared through channels like museums or schools.  They can provide certain narratives to boost a side that supports their beliefs (propaganda).

I wanted to create a letter and video to museums across BC that addresses this issue, with examples of places that are actively implementing this, and places that are not.  My letter and video:

https://christianl.craft.me/3XWud2ImiNLhCj

Uncovering the truth of nation’s past is the responsibility of museums, both positive and negative views.  It should be an expectation to be able to see both sides of a narrative, not just a biased view that promotes a government body, or side.   Museum’s can choose to educate the public on one opinion, ultimately creating a biased view towards a certain side that can influence who and what they vote for in government elections.  A certain party might push for a cause, and people being exposed to it will ultimately lead to them supporting this idea.

Overall, I enjoyed creating my letter and video that answered the driving question.  I wish I went on the trip as I did find it a bit hard not having access to the same materials when creating the same quality work as others.  I originally only wanted to create a video, but didn’t have the necessary resources to do so.

Thanks for reading it up!

-Chris

Vinland Saga is Peak

Posted on by christianl

Once upon a time in a classroom driven with knowledge, we set off on a journey not with swords or ships, but with words.  Writing is one of the most primordial skills humans have ever developed and was how we’ve passed down stories, beliefs, and legacies since the very beginning. This time, we were the ones shaping the story.

Driving Question: “How can we develop our voice as writers?”

 A writer’s voice is what makes their writing sound like them. It’s their tone, their word choice, the rhythm of their sentences, and the way they see the world. Some voices are bold and direct, others are quiet but powerful.  Think of it like a sword style, one unique and personalized to each individual.  My voice came through in the way I asked questions, made connections, and chose topics that actually meant something to me. Developing your voice isn’t about copying someone else’s style, it’s about learning how to write like yourself.

The technique that we revised and used throughout our journey was the Zettelkasten. A “second brain,” built on our iPads, the weapon that we have used since the start of PLP. The Zettelkasten is filled with thoughts, ideas, and connections from everything we read, watched, or listened to.

This powerful technique, Zettelkasten, was a system that helped us organize our thinking. The word itself means “slip box” in German, and originally, it was used to store handwritten notes on paper. In our case, we used our iPads. Each note we made, whether it came from a book, a video, or just a thought, was saved and linked to others. Over time, those notes formed a network, where ideas connected and grew. Zettelkasten wasn’t just about remembering facts. It was about building understanding and discovering patterns that could lead to stronger, more meaningful writing.

Along the way, we read articles, created literature, permanent, and fleeting notes that built structure through reflection.

Fleeting notes were quick, simple thoughts. These were the small ideas we captured as they came: Raw, messy, and not always useful right away. But they were important because they helped us not lose anything that might become meaningful later.

Literature notes were more focused. These were notes we took while reading or watching something, and they helped us capture what the source was actually saying.  Instead of copying it word for word, we wrote it in our own voice, making it easier to understand and connect with later.

Perma notes were where it all came together. These were notes we wrote after thinking deeply: when an idea felt solid enough to stand on its own. They weren’t summaries; they reflected our perspective and were linked to other notes to help form a bigger picture. These perma notes helped build the foundation for our final writing.

These steps weren’t random, they were like trials in a dungeon, each one unlocking a new skill. We weren’t just learning how to write. We were learning how to think, connect, and express what actually matters to us.  Link to my project guide:

https://christianl.craft.me/W0t8cKE4QrolZE

Each note we made was a stepping stone to be able to complete out final trial, a written piece that allowed for us to express ourselves and what we learnt throughout the project. One idea led to another, until eventually, a path started to form.

That path led me to Vinland Saga, a story that felt human and honest, something that I could connect with. I explored how its characters wrestled with their identity, purpose, and the weight of violence. It wasn’t just about Vikings or violence. It was about change: redemption, meaning, and a reflection of our day to day life. I was no longer just writing about the story, I was using the story to say something about how I see the world, and how I can better mine.  Here is the written piece that I developed:

https://christianl.craft.me/4FfvqIxR894U28

In the end, my final piece wasn’t just an analysis, it was my voice that reflected my beliefs, learnings and growth through this quest. That’s when my answer to our driving question was able to develop.

We develop our voice as writers by following what speaks to us, by staying curious, and by building something real from the ideas that hit the hardest.

That’s how we write with a voice that’s truly ours. It’s how I will utilize my writing in my next journeys.

Status – A Deep Dive on Indigeneity

Posted on by christianl

“How might understanding the sensitivities around Indigeniety, help us understand B.C. First Peoples?”

Hiya!

What is Indigeneity?  

Indigeneity is the identity, culture, and experiences of Indigenous peoples. It’s shaped by connections to land, traditions, communities, historical/ongoing struggles for recognition, rights, and self-determination. Unlike the Indian status, indigeneity is rooted in the culture, shared histories, and resilience of their past and present.  However, can people of non-Indigenous roots have Indigeneity?  If they were adopted into an Indigenous culture can they be considered as Indigenous?

In this project, we explored social status and Indigenous identities. This project aimed to deepen our understanding of the line between being Indigenous and not being Indigenous.  What defines someone as Indigenous, and what are the consequences of falsely claiming to be?

Status in Canada is given by the government under the Indian Act that grants individuals specific rights and benefits. While it provides some advantages (like tax breaks and educational funding), many of these benefits come with restrictions (only applicable on reserves).  Not only that, status also plays a role in shaping Indigenous identity, as it serves as proof of heritage in a time when many falsely claim Indigeneity for personal gain.

We utilized multiple resources, like the Fifth Estate and multiple articles, to understand Pretendians and why they are such a problem we currently face.  

Pretendians are people of non-Indigenous ancestry who claim to have Indigenous status for financial benefits, social status, or a sense of belonging.  They take resources made for Indigenous people to use for their own personal gain. 

A notable example of this is Buffy Saint Marie, an “Indigenous” artist from the Piapot nation.  She utilized their benefits to gain fame, and won awards whilst labeled as the first Indigenous person to do this.  

This prevalent problem is seen throughout a lot of places, with people using it for universities, schools, and other organizations.

However, what if someone grew up in an Indigenous community, what draws the line for someone being Indigenous?

Reflecting on the 6 Talking Circle Questions

What does “status” mean in Canada, and how does it shape identity and access to rights and resources?

In Canada, “status” is the official recognition of someone as Indigenous under the Indian Act. It comes with certain benefits, like healthcare, tax exemptions, and funding for education. However, it’s not as simple as just having status, many of these benefits are only accessible on reserves or have other hidden conditions. Status plays a significant role in how people identify as Indigenous, but it isn’t always clear-cut. Is being Indigenous just about ancestry, or does living in a community and participating in the culture matter too?

Why do some people falsely claim Indigenous identity? What are the consequences of this?

There are three main reasons, as mentioned in The Fifth Estate: for money, status, and a sense of belonging. Money is an obvious motive.  People can receive financial benefits by claiming to be Indigenous. You’re able to charge significantly more because it’s seen as “exotic” or rare to have an Indigenous performer. 

Some people want a sense of community, a place they can call home. People with broken families, no home to go back to, or a lack of belonging may try to fill that gap by claiming to be Indigenous. They gain a community and a family that looks after them. 

The consequence of people finding out is your reputation.  Buffy Saint Marie had a variety of her awards taken away, and many of her fans condemned her actions.

How has my understanding of Indigeneity, identity, and authenticity evolved through this study?

Before doing this project, I never fully understood the complexities of what it means to be Indigenous.  I thought it was just about having Indigenous blood running through your veins, but I have come to a realization that their is a lot more to it.  Being Indigenous is about more than ancestry, it’s also about culture, community, and shared experiences. I also now understand how harmful false claims are.  They not only distort what it means to be Indigenous but also make it harder for real Indigenous people to be taken seriously.

What is the difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation? Where do we draw the line?

Cultural appreciation means taking the time to learn about and respect a culture. It’s about engaging with it thoughtfully and with permission from the community. 

On the other hand, cultural appropriation is when someone takes aspects of a culture for their own benefit, without understanding it or seeking permission. The line is tricky, but ultimately it comes down to respect. If the community says something is offensive, then the person doing something harmful should listen. When people profit from Indigenous culture but don’t give anything back to those communities, that’s where appropriation crosses the line.

How do media and institutions contribute to the problem of false claims to Indigeneity?

Media and institutions make it too easy for people to claim Indigenous identity without any proof. Many universities, organizations, and media outlets rely on self-identification, which allows for people to easily falsely claim to be Indigenous. When false claims are exposed, it causes confusion and distrust towards people who are actually Indigenous. It creates a public perception that undermines the authenticity of Indigenous voices. This is how the system gets distorted, leaving the real Indigenous experience hidden under misinformation.

What responsibility do we have when discussing these issues outside of class?

The most important thing we can do when discussing these issues is to educate ourselves and others. Many people don’t realize how damaging false claims can be, and a lot of these issues aren’t widely talked about. It’s up to us as students of this class to bring these conversations into our communities, schools, and social circles. We need to be active in educating others about the harm caused by appropriation and false claims to Indigeneity. If we can do that, we are able to create a more informed and respectful space for Indigenous people and their culture.

https://christianl.craft.me/statusIndigenous

Participating in the Talking Circle was a thoughtful experience.  It allowed for open, respectful dialogue but lacked equal power for everyone participating. I realized the importance of listening and the value of diverse perspectives, but felt that some voices weren’t being heard.  I talked with some people after the circle, and they agreed on my point.  The system of not using hands led multiple people to not be able to share their thoughts due to numerous students trying to speak at the same time.

However, I really enjoyed connecting my learning back to other projects from before, and I think the talking circle really allowed for me to do that.  The discussion flowed in a way that allowed for anything to be said, and I felt that we all had the “anthropological mindset” where we were all open to each others ideas.

To answer the driving question, Indigenity isn’t a black and white word.  Understanding how people falsely claim Indigeneity creates an identity of mistrust towards their image.  It undermines their reputation, and makes it harder for Indigenous people to be accepted. It is a problem that can’t be easily solved, and understanding what defines Indigenous isn’t simple.   

Thank you so much!

-Chris

MPOLLL – 2025

Posted on by christianl

Hello Ms. Mc, Hello Parents!

“Thank you for coming to my presentation of learning. I am the expert on my own learning. I am also responsible and accountable for my own learning. You can expect me to give an honest evaluation of my progress. We will discuss my strengths and opportunities for growth. Thank you in advance for listening and for offering feedback that I can use to improve as a learner.”

“You don’t learn from experience; you learn from reflecting on experience.” – John Dewey.

I believe that this was one of my most successful years in PLP: I’ve implemented new working plans and utilized previous habits for me benefit.  

Vision Mission Values (VMV)

Vision:  Better my community!

The main area that has allowed me to significantly grow in my learning is asking other people for help, and helping others when needed.  

Notable people:  Daniel, Logan and Lucas.

I’m not the best at everything, I have strengths and weaknesses.  Utilizing other people to help with my growth will allow me to become better at things I struggle with.  I tend to write as much as possible; a habit that leads me to write a lot of unnecessary writing.  I’ve slowly gotten better at focusing on quality over quantity and looking at the bigger picture.  I think it’s shown in my humanities work, my last presentation delved deep into my area of focus, and my grade showed it.  If I focus on improving my work, the marks will follow.

Helping others in areas that I enjoy and excel in is something that I have improved on over this past year.  It tests your knowledge; it makes sure that you understand the topic.  During my study block, I work with the people mentioned above in areas like math, chemistry, PLP, and other aspects of school to help each other put out the best possible work.  We’ve created a sort of study group that helps push each other to become better. 

These two aspects both play a role in my VMV, connecting to all my values.  

I’ve engaged positively in my community through this idea of helping each other.  

I’ve communicated and collaborated with my friends to create work that I’m proud to present.

I’ve been honest and led others to become successful in their own regard.

So at the end of the day: How have I shown growth as a learner so far this year?

Though I’ve always been open to feedback, I’ve been seeking critique and pushing my work to become better.  My final product tends to have been seen by multiple people, with a couple rounds of critique being done beforehand.  This mPOL right now has probably been seen by my friends a couple times.  

I’ve been blessed with a good set of friends that’ll support me through my work. 

Areas that I want to focus on:

Put the same care and effort on smaller assignments, not just on the final product.

Able to maintain the same level and quality throughout the year.

Thanks for listening!

-Chris

The Dig to go Deeper

Posted on by christianl

Hello Everyone!

Anthropology Definition: The scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including archaic humans.

We have been utilizing an anthropological perspective to help with our idea of Reconciliation.  This allows for us to view with an unbiased perspective, learning and viewing the Indigenous culture with an open mindset.

Driving Question: How might we use an anthropological perspective to better understand the history of British Columbia?

Anthropology provides a deeper lens through which we can analyze ideas, cultures, and human evolution. We can break it down into its four major subfields, each of which provides valuable insights into the significance of this artifact:

  1. Cultural Anthropology:  The study of human cultures, societies, and behaviors. It focuses on understanding how people live, interact, and create meaning within their social and cultural contexts.

  2. Archaeological Anthropology:  The study of past human societies through their material remains, such as tools, buildings, and artifacts. Archaeologists aim to reconstruct past ways of life, uncovering information about historical cultures and civilizations.

  3. Linguistic Anthropology:  The study of language and its role in shaping human societies. It investigates how language influences communication, identity, culture, and social relationships, as well as the history and evolution of languages.

  4. Biological Anthropology:  The study of human biology and evolution. It examines human genetic variation, evolution, and the biological aspects of humans, including topics like primate behavior, human skeletal remains, and the fossil record.

We also learn about terms like ethnocentrism, cultural relativism, xenocentrism, and culture shock.  Ethnocentrism is the belief that one’s own culture or ethnic group is superior to others, often leading to judgment of other cultures based on one’s own cultural norms.  Cultural relativism is the idea that a person’s beliefs, values, and practices should be understood in the context of their own culture, without judgment from an external perspective.  Contrary to ethnocentrism, xenocentrism is the tendency to favor and value other cultures over one’s own, often placing foreign customs and practices over their own beliefs.  Culture shock occurs when a person encounters a culture vastly different from their own, leading to feelings of confusion, disorientation, or discomfort.  These terms are highlighted in anthropology, as avoidance of these things are crucial when studying a culture.

I talk more in my final display of how the Ball-Headed Club is associated with these terms.

To display our knowledge, we also took a test to make sure we fully understand and grasp the topic!

If you want all of my research, understandings, and work here it is:

Link

Our research on anthropology led us to focus on one Indigenous artifact that is currently being held in the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) in UBC.  The end goal was to be able to send this to the MOA for them to look and display our work.

My focus was on a Ball-Headed Club that was created by the Coast Salish Nations.  Its discovery was quite rare, as Ball-Headed Clubs of this nature were not usually common in the area of British Columbia.

The final product was comprised of a couple different parts, including an analysis of the artifact, how it relates to anthropology, a nation deep dive, and an interactive element.  We were also allowed a lot of freedom on how we took things and the areas we wanted to focus.  This gave us the ability to be able to have our pace, own direction, and ideas that would come unique to us, creating a really interesting digital exhibit of artifacts from the MOA.  These factors really allow for us to understand and go deep into our learning of our respective areas.

I had also decided to create a digital map for my interactive element because I wanted to showcase that the Coast Salish Nation was not just one culture, but a vast amount of communities that came together during the colonization of North America.  This allowed me to place all points and locations of each nation!

All my research and final focus display is in this link here:

Link

Anthropology can really allow for us to analyze ideas, cultures, and human evolution, allowing for us to delve deeper than just the surface level. Not only does it allow for us to do this, it makes us learn something with an open mind.  If you are unable to grasp, or not understand a different person’s culture, it creates a mental blockade that prevents you from wanting to learn ones culture.  Like mentioned before, a lot of people in school and around Canada have prejudice against Indigenous people, viewing them as “lesser” and “vulgar“.  They will never be able to truly understand the diversity of Indigenous culture unless they are able to remove this ideal within their mindset.  This is why an anthropologists mind is so important when doing research related to Indigenous culture.  If you are able to start just as an anthropologist, and slowly learn about more cultures than just yourself, you will be able to remove that mental blockade.  It paves the way for Reconciliation, and promotes education and research on this topic.

If you go into my display I talk more about how this club specifically plays a role in Reconciliation!

I really liked combining anthropology and BCFP together; this project was a really interesting blend, and was able to captivate my attention.  I enjoy doing research projects like this, where we pick one specific item/event and focus all our attention on it.  It gives us the freedom to connect it to past learnings and ideas.  Overall I think I did a great job utilizing all information that I had access too, as finding sources regarding this topic was really difficult.  Since the actual nation was undiscovered, it was really hard generalizing it as it may not show the full picture.

Thank you for reading!!!

-Chris

Let’s take Action for Reconciliation!

Posted on by christianl

Reconciliation:

“The act of restoring friendly relations between two parties.”

Has our past ways of reconciling been effective?  Are we moving towards a brighter future of where Indigenous people are given an equal playing field as the rest, and for our past wrongdoings to be forgiven?

An issue we currently face is a lack of initiative, and action being taken in this topic.  Lots of people have a sort of aversion towards this subject, and generally turns a blind eye, and/or don’t support the cause.  Sure, there are plenty of people that are part of “Reconciliation”, but are simply using it as a way to increase status, and use this idea to their benefit.  For this project we used a word called Reconciliation, the verb form of Reconciliation, where we take initiative and try to move forward as a class.  We aim to be able educate the people coming to this year’s winter exhibition by showcasing them a diverse set of points focused around different areas of reconciliation.

Driving Question:  

How might we engage in meaningful Reconciliation?

To start, we were given a set of different topics that we wanted to focus on and dive deep into.  I was placed in a team with Cameron and Daniel, two of my friends that I am very confident in working with.  We focused on the subject of land acknowledgements, what do they mean, what they are for, and whether or not they were effective.  I really went extensive into the individual research, as this topic really fascinated me and I wanted to know more.  A major issue my group realized that affected not only land acknowledgements, but reconciliation as a whole was tokenism.  Tokenism is when a company, or organization, does something for the sake of their own personal gain, not actually tackling the issue.  It’s superficial, they just want to look good without putting in the effort of actually researching the topic.  We can see this in land acknowledgements, the constant repetition of the same thing being repeated over and over again.  They are just using a template that has been copied and pasted thousands of times.  Whether it’s through speeches, or the tagline at the bottom of email addresses, we see this happen all the time.

https://christianl.craft.me/Scjjh4646jJIRy

After putting in the research, we wanted a perspective of someone who was Indigenous, and have their thoughts shared to us.  Cameron Bringsli, born in raised in the Yukon, was able to schedule and interview with both an Elder from the Kwanlin Dun Nation (Elder Dawson), and a Professor from the Yukon University (Professor Theresa).  They were able to share with us the information of how they felt towards the topic, and what they found worrying.  Please take a bit to watch our interview with them.

This led us into the idea of creating a booth that allows for the learner to be able to create a land acknowledgement of their own.  Instead of focusing on the same reused information, we wanted them to create a personalized connection to the land, what makes living here so special to them, and why living here is irreplaceable.  When I moved here, I had to restart almost everything that I had done for the last 12 years of my life.  I didn’t know anyone, and was scared meeting people from a foreign nation.  Now, being able to walk to school with friends, or go climbing outside has created life long bonds with the people around me.  Since about last year, I still held a large attachment to my friends back in Brunei, but as I continue to live here, I realize how much I enjoy living in North Vancouver and attending Seycove.  These things are irreplicable to me, aspects that make up who I am, and something that I would write in a land acknowledgement.  This personal connection creates a land acknowledgement that is special to me, whilst also acknowledging that I am on the territory of someone else.

I believe that the best way of reconciling, or spreading awareness in any topic in general, is through education.  Education is the key to most of our modern day issues, whether it’s to spread awareness, or gaining skills to use in the world, it helps with everything.  The awareness allows for us to have compassion and empathy, to realize what we were doing is wrong, and the need to apologize.  Education needs a clear balance, whether we are pushing a topic too little, or too much depends on the people taking in the information.  An example of this is BCFP, though I believe in the necessity of the topic, I am aware of other students that are not as fond on the subject.  I think each person would need an individualized way of learning about reconciliation, as pushing a subject onto someone may create disinterest and a sort of resentment if they were forced.  The winter exhibition was a good balance of the topic, they were able to go there, learn about the topic, and be able to think about it outside of the night.  If they were not interested, or loss interest, in a topic they had the option of walking away, giving the direct freedom to the people who are learning.

Education, my key to reconciliation, requires an open mind with people willing to learn.

I really enjoyed delving into this topic, lots of issues that I was previously were unaware with were brought to light after researching this topic, and I think that we did a fantastic job in presenting during the exhibition.  This was honestly one of my most favourite topics, I really enjoyed working with my two group members, and I believe that we had great chemistry working together.  We all pulled our weight, and I think our final product really showed off all of the hard work we put in.

Thank you so very much for reading, and learning about this topic.

-Christian Lo