Cultural literacy, first nations and the future of Canadian literary studies

First Nations literature presents a variety of challenges to scholars and t eachers of Canadian literature to which we have a responsibility to respond . Studying First Nations literature is one means by which we can increase o ur understanding of and respect for First Peoples and create the political will to involve ourselves in the social justice issues that concern them. I n this paper, we discuss the reasons for promoting greater cultural literac y (by which we mean the mainstream becoming acculturated by aboriginal cult ures) in Canadian students, and we offer pragmatic suggestions as to how it might be achieved.