For one of our Education 405 classes, we got to participate in the blanket exercise. I had heard of the blanket exercise before, and participated in a similar exercise in which we used shoes instead of blankets. Dr. Sims, our Education 346 professor, stated that he has a certificate in this exercise so he was able to run it for us.
The blanket exercise provides the participants a visual on the colonization of Indigenous people in Canada. It is not a long exercise but it is still very powerful, because it helps connect people to this history on a more emotional level. The exercise starts with a couple of various sized blankets on the ground, and everyone stands on them. The blankets represent the land, and the people in the exercise represent the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people. As the exercise continues, the blankets are slowly taken away, made smaller, and separated from the main blankets. Christine and Dr. Sims explain the reason each time a blanket is taken or made smaller; the treaties, disease, residential schools, 60’s scoop, etc.
In the end there are only a handful of classmates left on folded up blankets. Though a lot of us have a basic understanding of this history, it is really impactful to be in the exercise and feel the blankets being taken away.
Photo Credit: Maddie Corbett, Prince George, 2021
