Tag Archives: Indigenous community

Module 3: Post 3 – First Peoples: A guide for newcomers

The city of Vancouver has various documents that outline many of the resources and services that can be found in Vancouver. From Parks and Recreation to City Council to Housing to Businesses, there is a wide gamut of information available. This booklet was developed by the city of Vancouver for new immigrants and people new to Canada.

While I don’t know the second author, Jane Henderson, I am familiar with Kori Wilson. Kori is an Indigenous lawyer living on the Musqeum reserve in Vancouver. She has a wealth of knowledge about many things Indigenous, the colonizer history in British Columbia and Canada and has family members who are residential school survivors. She knows what she is talking about, and I am glad that she authored this booklet with the City of Vancouver, so it is imbued with her Indigenous perspective. It is informative, though I’m not sure how the information is received by newcomers to BC. It is a pdf document buried on the City of Vancouver website, and is not immediately apparent when looking at the website. It should be featured more prominently on the website and be easier to access. You have to have a certain amount of knowledge to be able to research (in English) and find the document on the website. There is also the literacy factor that requires a certain level of reading and comprehension, again in English, to understand the information presented. There is a great ‘myths vs facts’ section, but again, if it’s not accessible on the website, the information gets lost.

It is an interesting read, for sure!

Wilson, K., & Henderson, J. (2013, March 3). First peoples: A guide for newcomers. Vancouver.Ca. https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/First-Peoples-A-Guide-for-Newcomers.pdf

//vancouver.ca

M4, Entry 5: A framework to address climate change and sustainability

Module 4: Ecological Issues in Indigenous Education and Technology

Entry 5: A framework to address climate change and sustainability

In his essay, Cajete presents a framework for building resilient and sustainable communities through Indigenous science. What stood out to me was the definition he used for Indigenous science, “that body of traditional environmental and cultural knowledge unique to a group of people which has served to sustain that people through generations of living within a distinct bioregion”

This definition and the framework provided directly inform my project as two of my guiding principles to incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing, doing and being are Local Learning and working within a Collaborative Community.

Cajete, G. A., (2020). Indigenous science, climate change, and Indigenous community building: A framework of foundational perspectives for Indigenous community resilience and revitalization Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9569. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229569

M3: P2 – Art Processors

Art Processors is an Australian creative technology company that focuses on enhancing visitor experiences in museums and galleries alike. Of the several projects that they showcase on their “Our Work” page on their website, three are Indigenous based: “WA Museum Boola Bardip”, “Josh Muir: What’s on Your Mind?”, and “Awaken”. In boasting that their “work strives to create a harmony between people, place, content and technology”, Art Processors incorporates the holistic approach of Indigenous knowledge and understanding, meanwhile building it with digital technology.

M3P2: The Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association

In 1974, a number of nurses with Aboriginal ancestry joined together with others to form the Aboriginal Nurses Association in 1975, which then became the Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association.

As part of their mandate, the CINA helped inform the Federal/Territorial/Provincial Workforce committee on Health Workforce in their work with the Principle Nursing Advisors Taskforce in 2017 to develop a vision for the future of nursing in Canada that included Indigenous Health. In 2020, the report was published and included numerous strategies and recommendations for involving Indigenous people, Indigenous nurses and nursing schools to improve the health of Indigenous peoples in Canada.

Despite this work by and for nurses, the systems involved are slow to respond, and Indigenous people continue to have poor health outcomes, higher rates of suicide, higher rates of drug and alcohol use, and higher rates of incarceration than the Canadian average (Statistics Canada, 2021). These indicators also clearly indicate symptoms resulting from a legacy of trauma.

While many governmental organizations have commitments to Indigenous health, acknowledgement of Indigenous peoples and multiple task forces and working groups, there doesn’t seem to have been much progress made to improve Indigenous health and well-being.

The mandate of the CINA continues to work on this more specifically with nursing health professionals, as demonstrated by their key objectives. However, there is still much work to be done.

The Association’s key objectives were updated in 2010 to be more reflective of current changing health, social and political environment:

To work with communities, health professionals and government institutions on Indigenous Health Nursing issues and practices within the Canadian Health system that address particular interest and concern in Indigenous communities with a view to benefiting Indigenous peoples of Canada by improving their health and well-being, physically, mentally, socially and spiritually.
To engage and conduct research on Indigenous Health Nursing and access to health care as related to Indigenous Peoples.
To consult with government, non-profit and private organizations in developing programs for applied and scientific research designed to improve health and well-being in Indigenous Peoples.
To develop and encourage the teaching of courses in the educational system on Canadian Indigenous health, Indigenous knowledge, cultural safety in nursing and the health care system and/or other educational resources and supports.
To promote awareness in both Canadian and International Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities of the health needs of Canadian Indigenous people.
To facilitate and foster increase participation of Indigenous Peoples involvement in decision-making in the field of health care.
To strengthen partnerships and develop resources supporting the recruitment and retention of more people of Indigenous ancestry into nursing and other health sciences professions.
To disseminate such information to all levels of community.

Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association. (n.d.). Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association (C.I.N.A). Https://Indigenousnurses.Ca. https://indigenousnurses.ca/about

Statistics Canada. (2021, June 28). Indigenous peoples. Https://Www.Statcan.Gc.ca/Eng/. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/subjects-start/indigenous_peoples

M2 P4: BCIT’s Indigenous Vision

This framework is the basis for the Indigenization of the nursing program at BCIT. It is broad and ambitious, but serves as a guiding framework for the work being done by faculty to ensure Indigenous student success in the programs. It is openly available to the public on the BCIT website. This vision prioritizes three actions around inclusion, accountability and collaborative relationships. The faculty working within this framework works closely with Indigenous educators and leaders from BCIT Indigenous services.

https://www.bcit.ca/indigenous-vision/

“Truth is the foundation. Indigenization is the action. Reconciliation is the goal”.

British Columbia Institute of Technology. (n.d.-a). BCIT’s Indigenous vision. BCIT.Ca. Retrieved February 21, 2021, from https://www.bcit.ca/indigenous-vision/

Module 2: Post 2 – Cultural Videos

While exploring more about Carolyn Roberts, I discovered some cultural videos on her website. These cultural videos can provide educators with resources that come straight from different Indigenous communities. It can be hard sometimes to get elders to come into the classroom and speak to the class. However, by having access to local cultures, it can be easy to share it with your students. On this website, you will find stories told from different nations, cedar hat weaving, canoe pulling, etc. There are also videos from Indigenous elders that touch on many topics, such as displacement, carving, the river, cultural knowledge, plants, canoes, fish smoking, hunting, environmental impacts, and cedar harvesting. These videos would allow educators and students to learn straight from different Indigenous cultures, providing an authentic opportunity to be present in your classroom.

Source: https://www.carolynroberts.net/cultural-videos

Maskwacis Youth Perceptions of Strength ad Resilience: A Photovoice Project

Module 2, Post 2

Maskwacis Youth Perceptions of Strength and Resilience: A Photovoice Project

This video summarizes the positive impact that a strength-based project delivered to an Indigenous community. What I liked about this project is that it provided a focus on the positive aspects of a community, rather than revisiting what are more negative historical events. I can see the power of being present and positive in activities and actions and will use this article as a reminder to create opportunities for positive growth for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners by focusing on strengths and as we live in the present day and build a future together.

References

PolicyWise for Children & Families. (2017, January 20). Melissa Tremblay: Maskwacis youth perceptions of strength and resilience: A photovoice project [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4lvA61uDvs