Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City

What is the Anishinaabe Prophecy of the Seven Fires, and how does it relate to the deaths of the seven Indigenous students? What does this prophecy mean for the relationship between Indigenous and white residents of Canada today? How do teachers, judges, government officials, and the wider Canadian society ensure the fulfillment of the eighth fire or the final prophecy?

How did the Indian Act of 1876 and the numerous treaties between Indigenous communities and the British Crown (and eventually the Canadian federal government) play a role in the long-term marginalization, violence, and poverty faced by Indigenous communities? How do these pieces of legislation still impact Indigenous peoples in Canada today?

What was the Indian Residential School System in Canada, and what were the short- and long-term impacts of this system on Indigenous children and Indigenous society more broadly? How is the Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC) related to residential schools? To what extent was the TRC successful in helping Indigenous communities heal from the impacts of residential schools and raise broader Canadian public awareness about the horrors that took place at residential schools?