Despite growing awareness of Indigenous demands for justice, self-governance, and decolonization in Canada, a significant portion of the Canadian population remains largely unaware of the complex interconnections between Indigenous and non-Indigenous lives and the ongoing settler-colonial structures that continue to impact Indigenous Peoples and their lands.

The Problem of Settler-Colonial Ignorance

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRCC, 2015a) has brought to light the broad lack of understanding regarding the unjust and violent foundations of modern Canada. The TRCC investigated the crimes and legacy of the Indian Residential Schools, which aimed to sever Indigenous children from their families, cultures, and lands, thereby facilitating settler control over Indigenous territories and resources. Despite numerous reports and media coverage about these issues, many Canadians remain unaware or in denial about the violent realities and ongoing impacts of settler-colonialism.

Understanding Geographical Ignorance

This paper explores how settler-colonial geographical ignorance is produced and reinforced through formal education. It highlights the role of education in maintaining ignorance about Indigenous presence and the settler-colonial past and present. By examining survey results from college and university students and analyzing public K-12 curricula from three Canadian provinces — Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and British Columbia — this study reveals common misconceptions and prejudicial attitudes about Indigenous Peoples and settler-colonialism.

The Role of Education in Reproducing Ignorance

Education systems in Canada have historically reinforced white supremacy and settler-colonial power. Despite some efforts to include Indigenous perspectives and settler-colonial history in curricula, significant gaps remain. The education system often supports ignorance of ongoing settler-colonial violence and its consequences, obstructing societal transformation. Scholars have noted that colonial geographical ignorance and imaginaries are deeply embedded in educational content and practices, which continue to perpetuate settler-colonial logics.

Colonial Geographical Ignorance and Imaginaries

Colonial geographical ignorance is characterized by the erasure, distortion, and denial of Indigenous histories, cultures, and geographies. Settler-colonial imaginaries often depict Indigenous Peoples as temporally and spatially distant, reinforcing the myth of their disappearance and making them appear incompatible with modernity. This ignorance manifests in perceptions of Indigenous Peoples as being ‘here but not present,’ which perpetuates their marginalization and denies their ongoing presence and rights.

The Impact on Reconciliation

To address these issues, it is crucial for reconciliation efforts to tackle the spatial and temporal dimensions of geographical ignorance. Education must confront and dismantle these pervasive misconceptions to foster genuine understanding and relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. By highlighting how settler-colonial ignorance is spatially and temporally constructed, this paper contributes to discussions on how reconciliation must also address these spatial and temporal aspects.