UNDRIP was created by the UN to define, establish, and affirm the rights of Indigenous peoples around the world. It was passed in 2007 by the United Nations and was recently adopted in Canada. With 46 articles, this declaration seeks to revitalize the following…

• the right to self‐determination
• the right to be recognized as distinct peoples
• the right to free, prior and informed consent
• the right to be free from discrimination

In our BC First People’s course, we recently learned about UNDRIP. I particularly found it interesting that the class was a direct result of BC implementing this declaration.

For this assignment, we were tasked to create a “Puppet Pals” video demonstrating our understanding of UNDRIP and one of its declarations…

Article 8

“Indigenous peoples and individuals have the right not to be subjected to forced assimilation or destruction of their culture.”

The significance of this article is how it acknowledges the forced assimilation of Indigenous peoples worldwide. In Canada and BC, there’s the example of residential schools, which stripped the culture, family, and identity of Indigenous children. It was important for Canada to adopt this declaration, because awareness and acknowledgement is a crucial step in the road to Reconciliation.