James Corbiere, an Anishinaabe artist from Wiikwemkoong, created a board game in 2017 to teach his high school students about truth and reconciliation in Canada. Initially designed as a classroom tool, the game titled The Truth in Truth and Reconciliation was released in 2024 and quickly sold nearly 3,000 copies. Now, Corbiere is launching a new version tailored for elementary and middle school students, with simpler language and redesigned components for younger audiences.
The original game, set on a depiction of Turtle Island, involves Indigenous characters who navigate historical challenges. Players lose value cards representing land, language, culture, and identity as they progress, reflecting the consequences of colonialism. The goal is to collect four eagle feathers, but players lose if they lose all their values first. In the new version, the competitive element is replaced by cooperative play, where everyone either wins or loses together.
Corbiere’s journey to develop the game was not without challenges, including a failed partnership with a publisher over the inclusion of “shame cards.” Undeterred, Corbiere self-published the game and eventually connected with Medicine Wheel Publishing to help bring it to classrooms nationwide. The game has been positively received by schools, families, and faith groups, and Corbiere is already working on a second volume focused on reconciliation. The elementary version will be available on September 15, 2024.
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