[Reprinted in Histoires de Kanatha: vues et contées / Histories of Kanatha: Seen and Told. Presses de l’Université d’Ottawa, 2008] In this short piece, the author explains his motivations, in 1978, for becoming a historian. By making use of modern education, i.e. reading and writing, Indigenous peoples can transfer their knowledge and teachings to the younger generation, to those who are interested, and to those who recognize them and accept them as valuable sources of knowledge. These teachings, the author emphasizes, are at the heart of what makes Canada “distinguished from the rest of the world” and will provide youth with guidance and strength.
