Category Archives: Module 3

Module #3 – Post #2: Art and Wellness

“Art and Wellness: The Importance of Art for Aboriginal Peoples’ Health and Healing” is a document prepared for the National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health by Alice Muirhead and Sarah de Leeuw. The document outlines the benefits of art therapy as a means of improving mental and physical health in Aboriginal communities, in addition to its role in reviving traditional Aboriginal arts.

Muirhead and de Leeuw argue that art therapy methods help patients to relax and to gain enhanced self-esteem and self-confidence as a result of the creative process, which ranges from conception to the development of a final product that can be shared with others. The authors also point out that many traditional Aboriginal arts are collaborative in nature, which assists in building and strengthening relationships between individuals and the community.

An important benefit of art therapy in promoting wellness in Aboriginal populations in particular, is the opportunity for patients to express themselves in ways that might not be perceived as threatening. Some Aboriginal cultures view the doctor/patient model as an inequitable balance of power, and patients are reluctant to speak truly about their experiences. Art, therefore, provides a more accessible middle ground, where feelings can be expressed in non-verbal and potentially more indirect means.

Module #3-5: Indigenous LGBT

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This week there was an article in the New York Times about two gay men of Native American descent in Oklahoma who are planning to take advantage of tribal law to marry although gay marriage is illegal in the state. Also on Advocate.com, I found another article about Indigenous LGBTs titled “Eight LGBT Native Americans You Should Know”.

If Indigenous peoples are a minority in our society, then Indigenous LGBTs are a minority within a minority. Just like other LGBT people, Indigenous LGBTs face various issues related to health care, discrimination, and identity but their situation may be made more difficult due to their remote location, lack of education, and so forth.

NativeOUT is one of the few organizations working on behalf of Indigenous LGBTs and “Two Spirit” people—those manifesting both masculine and feminine traits and who could be considered as transgender, found traditionally among many Native Americans and Canadian First Nations communities. NativeOUT was originally founded as a local social group and then evolved into a national nonprofit volunteer education, multimedia, and news organization actively involved in the Indigenous LGBT community of North America. Their main mission is to work for social justice in rural and urban communities that benefit Indigenous LGBT and Two Spirit people.

As for the Two Spirit, this website has some explanations and information about articles, books, movies, etc.

Module #3-4: Mental Health Issues

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After I saw Kind Hearted Woman which I mentioned in module 2, I started wondering about Indigenous peoples’ mental health issues. The woman in the documentary faced so many struggles in her life: poverty, career, relationship, drug and alcohol abuse, her own identity, and so forth. Indigenous peoples have to deal with different struggles, more than we do, due to the unique circumstances of their lives.

According to HeretoHelp, in some Indigenous groups in Canada, a survey shows the number of people seeking help was as high as 17%, compared to the Canadian average of 8%.

Health Canada, the Federal department, has some information about First Nations & Inuit health on their website. Also the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) states how to cooperate with Indigenous communities across Canada to help them overcome barriers and support their vision for improved mental health. MHCC also mentions what they have learned from Indigenous peoples in Canada through their work: acknowledging realities facing Indigenous peoples; developing close partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis (FNIM) communities; and appreciating culture roles in supporting well-being and recovery in FNIM communities.

In Australia, Indigenous Psychological Services (IPS) was founded in 1998 to contribute to the Aboriginal mental health field. They have three main areas of service delivery, including Aboriginal mental health training, cultural competency intervention programs, and Aboriginal mental health and suicide intervention programs. What they state in the website is similar to MHCC; it is crucial for service providers to recognize the uniqueness and diversity of Aboriginal culture. The “one size fits all” approach would never work.

Module #3-3: Education for Indigenous Peoples

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Education for Indigenous peoples is one of the most urgent issues. When compared with non-Indigenous peoples, Indigenous peoples tend to have a lower education level and hence a lower standard of living. In Canada, the Government is pursuing the important goal of providing Indigenous students with quality education because it will bring them broader choices and opportunities with which to follow their dreams.

There are some educational institutes with the same goal. The Indspire Institute is an online community where K-12 students, educators and parents can network, find resources, and participate in webinars. The institute offers online programs and resources for classroom use in order to raise high school completion rates among Indigenous youth. They choose to function as an online tool because the Internet has the most widespread accessibility for the greatest number of people in Canada. For many communities with no high-speed connection, Indspire sends out material in DVD format or uses audio-only delivery where bandwidth is a challenge. Indspire is the largest supporter of Indigenous education outside the federal government.

The Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative (MAEI) is a charitable organization supporting education for Indigenous students across Canada. Their mission is to improve elementary and secondary school education outcomes for Indigenous Canadians through the implementation of specific programs and the application of appropriate research. MAEI offers various programs to provide Indigenous youth with opportunities to learn in areas such as business, entrepreneurship, and accounting, and to encourage them to complete their high school education and continue on to post-secondary studies.

Education is critical to enhancing the social and economic strength of Indigenous people to a level enjoyed by other Canadians. These institutes aim to increase high school graduation rates, encourage completion of university, and support Indigenous students as they consider a variety of professional and business career options.

Module #3-2: Indigenous Wisdom

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Indigenous wisdom is developed by trying out what works and what doesn’t, i.e., trial and error. It is passed down from generation to generation rather than being inscribed in a book. Then the descendants value these wise ideas, paying their respects up to today, because they benefit their everyday lives.

For the Next 7 Generations is a 2009 documentary. It is the story of thirteen wise Indigenous women who came together at a historic gathering, the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers, to represent a global alliance of prayer, education, and healing for the earth and indigenous ways of life. Their concern about this world and planet in crisis spur them to share their visions and wisdoms of healing and to call for change that protects their lands, medicines, language, ceremonial ways of prayers, and the education of their children, before it is too late.

The Pachamama Alliance, the organization which empowers indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest to preserve their lands and culture, wrote a blog titled “Reconnecting with Indigenous Wisdom” and introduced their posts exploring the profound value of indigenous wisdom. These posts explain why reconnecting with indigenous wisdom is essential to creating a thriving and sustainable world.

Indigenous wisdoms traditionally represent the hope that connects the old generation to the new one. And, at the same time, resistance to the encroachment of non-Indigenous values and morals is a means by which they strive to preserve their identity.

Module #3-1: Aboriginal People in Canada

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This post returns to the basics. According to Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC), the Canadian constitution recognizes three groups of Aboriginal people: Indians (commonly referred to as First Nations), Métis, and Inuit. More than one million people in Canada identify themselves as an Aboriginal person. These three distinct peoples have unique histories, languages, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs. Their cultures are displayed online by numerous organizations and museums.

The First Peoples’ Cultural Council supports the revitalization of Aboriginal language, arts, and culture in British Columbia. They monitor the status of B.C. Aboriginal languages, cultures, and arts, and facilitate and develop strategies which help Aboriginal communities recover and sustain their heritage. They also provide program coordination and funding for Aboriginal language and cultural preservation and enhancement.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) is the national Inuit organization in Canada. They represent and promote the interests of the Inuit on a wide variety of environmental, social, cultural, and political issues and challenges facing Inuits on the national level. ITK does not deliver or fund programs and is instead a national advocacy organization.

The Metis Culture and Heritage Resource Centre Inc. (MCHRC) is a Métis managed and non-profit membership-based charitable organization in Winnipeg. They publish a quarterly newsletter, hold cross-cultural workshops, and offer various community outreach programs, etc. As for Métis culture, the Virtual Museum of Métis History and Culture is a good resource. They chronicle traditional Métis history and culture and contain a wealth of primary documents such as oral history interviews, photographs and various archival documents in visual, audio and video files.

Module 3, Post #1: BC Teacher Guidebook

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In my quest for teaching resources, I came across a guidebook called Shared Learning: Integrating BC Aboriginal Content k-10, which was developed by the BC Ministry Education. The guidebook offers a variety activities that could easily be used in the classroom to meet the provincial curriculum expectations. Along with its lesson plans, the guide offers resource lists and assessment tools. This resource receives high praise in my books!

Recognizing that the integration of indigenous culture is mutually beneficial for mainstream and indigenous students, the guide highlights themes and activities that can be used in all subject areas, according to divisional level. Kindergarten to Grade 3 activities include indigenous storytelling in language arts and trading games in mathematics. The section for older students suggests activities that demand a little more critical thinking. Students are challenged to delve into deeper issues, many of which we have discussed in our course. The guide outlines lessons on the stereotyping of indigenous people in media, the impact of the Indian Act, the aboriginal view of science, the importance of indigenous role models, indigenous ways of teaching and the use of technology to learn about important indigenous people. Thinking back on my elementary education, we never explored these big, important ideas, even though they are crucial in understanding the past and present relations between indigenous and mainstream populations.

Imagine how much stronger the ties between mainstream and indigenous cultures would be if everyone knew and understood what we have been learning in this course. The BC Ministry of Education is doing it right by raising these valuable questions and teaching these issues at a young age.

Shared Learning: Integrating BC Aboriginal Content K-10, 2006. British Columbia Ministry of Education, 2006. http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/abed/shared.pdf Web. 24 October 2013.

Module 3: Post 5 – Inter-Generational Effects of Residential Schools

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In this interview, Eve Abel and her daughter Krystine discuss the effects that Eve’s time in a residential school has had on each of them.

Eve mentions the physical abuse that she suffered and noted that she was made to feel ashamed of her Indigenous culture and beliefs. She was beaten whenever she spoke her Indigenous language. As a result, Eve can speak a few words today of her Indigenous language, her daughter cannot speak any.

Krystine notes that until she was in university she had very little understanding of or connection to her Indigenous culture and history. It wasn’t until she began attending Aboriginal studies classes that she learned about residential schools and she began to speak with her mother about her experiences.

It is quite poignant to know that Eve attended residential school from ages 7-11, and the impact of those four years is felt long after, into the next generation.

Module 3: Post 4 – The Shingwauk Residential School Centre

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Shingwauk Hall at Algoma University in Sault Ste. Marie is a former residential school. The residential school was open from 1873 – 1970. Algoma University and The Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association have created The Shingwauk Residential School Centre to raise awareness of the history of Shingwauk Hall.

The Shingwauk school was originally created by the great Ojibway Chief Shingwaukonse. His vision was a cross-cultural school that incorporated traditional Indigenous knowledge with European knowledge. It first opened in 1833 under this vision. By 1873 it had been changed to an Industrial home and later, in 1935, a residential school. Quite a departure from Shingwaukonse’s original vision.

The Shingwauk project began in 1979. It’s purpose is to:

“research, collect, preserve and display the history of residential schools; develop and deliver projects of ‘sharing, healing and learning’ in relation to the impact of the Schools and of individual and community cultural restoration; and accomplish ‘the true realization of Chief Shingwauk’s vision’.”

This project is a partnership between the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association, the National Residential School Survivors’ Society, Algoma University, the Anglican Church, the Shingwauk Education Trust and the Dan Pine Healing Lodge.

This project has created the Residential Schools Centre which works with the University’s library to store, catalogue and display residential school artefacts, photographs and documents.

Module #3 – Post #1 – Healing Through Creative Arts

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The document “Dancing, Singing, Painting and Speaking the Healing Story: Healing Through Creative Art” written by Linda Archibald with Jonathan Dewar, Carrie Reid, and Vanessa Stevens provides a summary of research conducted between 2009 and 2010. Commissioned by the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, the study emerged out of a desire to address the effects and legacy of the residential school system. The study was built upon the notion that research “points to evidence that cultural activities are legitimate and successful healing interventions,” perhaps even more so for a population that had for generations been largely robbed of its ability to maintain and connect with aspects of their cultural identity.

The core research question the authors posed was: “What happens when art, music, dance, storytelling, and other creative arts become apart of community-based Aboriginal healing programs?.” The research involved surveys and interviews with Aboriginal participants from across Canada, and also included an art-therapy workshop.

The premise of the research is also rooted in Western-based art therapy, with the notion that due to the impact of colonial practices on Aboriginal peoples in Canada, that they suffer from “historic trauma,” and a collective post traumatic stress disorder. By reconnecting Aboriginal groups with their language, traditions, spirituality and knowledge, the hope is that a process of healing can begin.

Check out the full details and findings of the research here.