Canada’s vibrant Indigenous heritage is highlighted in a new book collection – made in collaboration with communities across the country.

Canadian Geographic’s Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada is a four-volume set which guides readers through land, languages, people and culture.

Three books are dedicated to Indigenous groups, Inuit, Métis and First Nations and a fourth to truth and reconciliation.

Ry Moran, director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, told CTV News Channel that the books cover the whole of Canada through the lens of Indigenous people.

He says: “We’re lifting the colonial construct of Canada off of the map and leaving behind the Indigenous places, place names and rich connections to the land that have existed here for millennia.

“Education is essential for this process of truth and reconciliation that we’re broadly going through as a country.

“Canadians just simply have not been presented with correct information over the course of our country’s history.”

The volumes contain more than 48 pages of reference maps, content from more than 50 Indigenous writers, hundreds of historical and contemporary photographs and a glossary of Indigenous terms, timelines, map of Indigenous languages and frequently asked questions.

The books were created by The Royal Canadian Geographical Society in conjunction with the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Métis Nation, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and Indspire.

To coincide with the launch, a giant floor map has been created to bring into schools and other public places so people can see Canada from this very old perspective.

The book also hopes to highlight the ancient origins of names such as Ottawa and Ontario.

“Our country is filled with Indigenous place names that we aren’t really exploring,” Moran says.

“Canada itself means community. The opportunity we’re exploring is bringing everyone into this sense of community; bring everyone into this sense of what Canada truly is.

“And truly it is an Indigenous place.”

Vincent Design, a six-person Winnipeg firm founded by Shaun Vincent, designed the ambitious educational resource.

Vincent, who has Métis roots, is a graduate of Red River Community College’s graphic design program in Winnipeg.

The atlas will be released on Tuesday, September 25 and is available for pre-order at Amazon.ca, Chapters.Indigo.ca and other booksellers from $54.