English 12 First Peoples is a course that is currently being offered in British Columbia by the Ministry of Education as an alternative to English 12.
From the cover:
"'Stories are wondrous things,' award-winning author and scholar Thomas King declares in his 2003 CBC Massey Lectures. 'And they are dangerous.'
Beginning with a traditional Native oral story, King weaves his way through literature and history, religion and politics, popular culture and social protest, gracefully elucidating North America's relationship with its Native peoples.
Native culture has deep ties to storytelling, and yet no other North American culture has been the subject of more erroneous stories. The Indian of fact, as King says, bears little resemblance to the literary Indian, the dying Indian, the construct so powerfully and often destructively projected by White North America. With keen perception and wit, King illustrates that stories are the key to, and only hope for, human understanding. He compels us to listen well."
Notes to educators: This book is an exceptional accompaniment to the CD of the same title where King presents these lectures orally. Given that many students respond to various methods of delivery of content, this title presents an excellent opportunity to promote skills associated with orality.