LAWG 550 001/009, Law Focus Week Workshop 1 (1 credit) (Pass/Fail) Anishinaabe Law Class: Outdoor Legal Education Experience Duration: August 31 – September 3, 2017
Professor John Borrows, Canada Research Chair, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria & Distinguished Tomlinson Visiting Professor, McGill Law School
Open to Law students only (including Law graduate students)
Enrolment: 18 UG Law, 2 GR Law
Law students wishing to register for the course must submit a statement of intent (250 words only) outlining why they would like to take the course, together with a c.v. to Nancy Czemmel, Director (Student Life & Learning) [email protected] by May 15, 2017.
The purpose of this class is to facilitate student understanding of Anishinaabe law by teaching and learning about how to regulate our behavior and resolve disputes in a community context. The class will take place over a four-day period, from Thursday evening until Sunday at noon. Students will hear and work with sources of Anishinaabe Law found in traditional stories, the environment, treaties, declarations, customs, etc. The camp is outdoors, on land and water, and in First Nation community buildings and territory, at the Chippewas of the Nawash First Nation on Georgian Bay in Ontario.
The class requires a willingness to learn in an immersive setting, where weather is variable and accommodations are appropriate to camp-like conditions. The reserve is an approximately an 8 hour car ride from McGill University. Transportation will be arranged by the Law School for students attending the camp.
Students will be expected to develop an appreciation and understanding of Anishinaabe teaching and learning styles while present on the reservation, though no previous experience is necessary with Indigenous communities or Indigenous legal traditions.
Information from similar courses/experiences at U of T, Osgoode, Western and Windsor Law Schools can be found at: http://law.uwo.ca/news/2017/indigenous_law_camp_imparts_valuable_lessons.html http://www.osgoode.yorku.ca/programs/jd-program/anishinaabe-law-camp/ http://www.law.utoronto.ca/news/u-t-law-students-explore-indigenous-law-cape- croker-indian-reserve http://wcel.org/resources/environmental-law-alert/learning-land-anishinaabe-law- camp-walpole-island-first-nation https://reconciliationsyllabus.wordpress.com/2016/10/25/reflections-on-the- anishinabe-law-camp-bkejwanong-territory/ Dates (attendance at all sessions is compulsory):
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Breakfast Eat & Personal Eat & Personal Travel Eat & Personal Time 8:00-9:30 Time Time
Travel to Class Travel to Class 9:30-10 Travel Travel to Class Site Site Site
Sources of Learning Learning Law Anishinaabe Law: Circle Activity 10- Travel from/about Water Application Reflections 12:30 Exercise
Lunch Eat / Canoe Eat / Canoe Travel Travel 12:30-2:00 (optional) (optional)
Learning Law Learning Learning Law from/about Activity Travel from/about Travel Treaties & Legal 2:00-5:00 Plants/Animals History
5:00-5:30 Travel Personal Time Personal Time Travel
Dinner Travel Arrive Dinner Dinner Travel 5:30-7:00 9:00
Activity 7:00 Welcome/Fire Reflections: Shore Reflections: Elder Travel – 9:30 & the Law Walk or Circle or Law Keeper
Evaluation:
Students will be required to write a reflective 2,500 word essay, applying Anishinaabe Law to case or issue identified by the instructor.
All enquiries are to be directed to the Student Affairs Office.