Local Métis author explores Indigenous disability in groundbreaking book
Cathy Fox
SHAWVILLE – An intriguing new book titled Indigenous Disability Studies by John Terry Ward was introduced by the author to an audience of about ten people at the Shawville Library on the evening of December 12. Ward, a Métis with Algonquin ancestry, grew up in Aylmer, Quebec. His struggles with dyslexia in the Quebec school system led him to explore how non-colonial cultures approach disabilities.
The school system offered little hope for Ward’s future, so his mother had him reassessed and hired a private tutor. However, the only spaces made available to him at the school were a broom closet and the hallway. Facing bullying from both his teacher and principal, his mother enrolled him in Heritage, a private school in Ontario, where her support contributed significantly to his success and that of the school.
Ward earned a BA in History from the University of Ottawa, an MA in Indigenous Politics and Gender Equality, and a PhD in Education, focusing on Indigenous disability knowledge. He was inspired to pursue a PhD by George Sioui, a retired professor and the first Indigenous person in Canada to achieve a PhD in History.
For his doctoral thesis, Ward gathered anecdotal experiences from a wide range of individuals, including representatives from 20 countries and 38 Indigenous nations. His research emphasized the lived experience, traditional knowledge, and wisdom shared by respondents, rather than formal answers to specific questions. He aimed to help readers with disabilities connect with people from other cultures and gain a new perspective on disability.
Ward highlighted numerous examples of technology initially invented for specific disabilities being adopted by the general public, such as the keyboard, which was originally created for people who are blind to access computers.
Ward has traveled extensively and continues to collaborate with others globally as an adjunct professor in the Health Science Department at the University of Sydney, Australia. He currently resides in Ladysmith, Quebec, with his mother. His book is available through Amazon, Indigo, and Rutledge.
Photo – Author John Terry Ward launches his new book, Indigenous Disability Studies, Dec. 12, at the Shawville Library. (CF)
