“A school where you relearn to be proud of who you are...”
Since its opening in Odanak in 2011, Kiuna Institution is the only postsecondary institution run by and for Quebec’s First Nations. Inspired by its predecessor, La Macaza’s Manitou College (1973-1976), and rooted in a similar ideology as the American Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), the institute focuses on the establishment of cultural security (protection of the culture) and continuity within its programs and services. However, the introduction of Indigenous perspectives and curricula within the provincial education system raises a number of conceptual and logistical challenges. Can postsecondary institutions provide a supportive environment for the development of indigenous identities? Can the adaptation of curricular programs foster the perseverance and success of First Nations students? Based on testimonies and experiences of First Nations’ students, graduates and professionals collected between 2013 and 2015, this article analyzes the different components and cultural approaches integrated within Kiuna’s Social Science program and emphasizes the impact of cultural security within the collegial success of First Nations students.