Photo cutline: An 800 year-old Promontory moccasin constructed in a Subarctic style. Credit: Dr. J. W. Ives.
New research by Lakehead University anthropologist Dr. Jessica Metcalfe and colleagues provides direct evidence for long-distance connections among precolonial Dene peoples from northern Canada to the southern United States.
About 800 years ago a group of highly successful hunter-gatherers spent several decades living on the north shore of Great Salt Lake, Utah. Archaeological evidence suggests that these ‘Promontory people’ were Dene ancestors whose moccasin styles indicate an origin in the Canadian Subarctic, more than 1,500 km to the north.
Dr. Metcalfe’s research shows the Promontory people also made at least one journey even farther into the south and/or east, bringing back a scrap of leather that they incorporated into one of their distinctive moccasins.
“We can take a tiny piece of leather and determine if it has chemical signatures that are typical of the place where it was found, or if it came from somewhere else,” said Dr. Metcalfe, Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Lakehead University.
“Most of the Promontory materials were obtained close to the site, but this piece of leather came from far away – probably hundreds of kilometres to the south or east.”
Use of these cutting-edge techniques in archaeology is growing, but Dr. Metcalfe said this is the first time past human migrations have been reconstructed using chemical traces in footwear.
This research contributes to a longstanding archaeological puzzle: how and when did the Dene language family spread from the Canadian Subarctic into the American Southwest?
During the colonial period, these populations were seen as geographically separate and thought to have no direct connections with one another. However, Dr. Metcalfe’s research suggests that Dene groups travelled great distances to gain and utilize landscape knowledge. This likely facilitated the gradual migration of Dene ancestors from the Subarctic to the Southwest.
Recently, Dene people from northern, southern, and coastal nations have gathered at workshops and conferences held in Tsuut’ina territory (southern Alberta) to share their interconnected languages and cultures and to chart directions for the future.
The research of Dr. Metcalfe and her colleagues, along with genetic, linguistic, and oral history evidence, demonstrates that Dene connections are not a recent phenomenon – long-distance migrations and meetings of Dene peoples have been occurring for many hundreds of years.
Dr. Metcalfe’s research was published in the premier North American archaeology journal, American Antiquity, available here: https://doi.org/10.1017/aaq.2020.116
Other members of the research team include Dr. John (Jack) W. Ives and Jennifer Hallson (University of Alberta), Dr. Beth Shapiro and Sabrina Shirazi (University of California, Santa Cruz), Dr. Kevin P. Gilmore (HDR), Dr. Fiona Brock (Cranfield University), and Dr. Bonnie J. Clark (University of Denver).
The research was supported by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) grants awarded to Dr. Metcalfe and Dr. Ives.
Contact
To learn more about this research project, please contact:
Dr. Jessica Metcalfe jmetcal1@lakeheadu.ca Assistant Professor Department of Anthropology Lakehead University
Inuit midwives Cas Augaarjuk Connelly (left) and Rachel Qiliqti Kaludjak pose after a birth at Rankin Inlet’s birthing centre in 2012. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Rachel Qiliqti Kaludjak and Cas Augaarjuk Connelly)
IQALUIT, NUNAVUT — Cas Augaarjuk Connelly and Rachel Qiliqti Kaludjak never wanted to stop working at a Nunavut birthing centre, but they say years of mistreatment, racism and a lack of support from their government left them no choice. Both are nationally certified midwives, the first Inuit in Canada to hold such credentials, and for the last six years were the only ones to offer labour support full time in Rankin Inlet.
“It was our dream and our passion. I really had visions of retiring from the birthing centre when I’m old and grey,” Kaludjak said. In January 2020, Connelly resigned and Kaludjak left in August. Connelly had worked at the centre since 2008; Kaludjak since 2003. The Nunavut government then shuttered birthing services in Rankin Inlet, forcing expectant mothers there and in surrounding hamlets to leave home to give birth.
“It was a very emotional decision. We felt like we were failing ourselves and failing our fellow Inuit women. That made me very, very sad,” Kaludjak said. “And I felt very guilty about that. And I still do. The system doesn’t allow for us to succeed. “The women deserve an explanation. A real concrete one.”
When Connelly and Kaludjak started at the birthing centre, which opened in 1993, there were two other full-time midwives. But for the last six years, they were the only two. The remaining positions were filled by a revolving door of southern midwives who would fly up for a few weeks. Connelly and Kaludjak were essentially running the centre on their own.
“We were constantly orienting new staff. And often we had no casuals. We’d have blocks of time where we didn’t have enough staff. We’d be on call for weeks and weeks at a time,” Connelly said. Nunavut’s health-care system relies heavily on southern providers. And the most recent figures from Statistics Canada show that the territory has the highest birthrate in Canada at 22.6 live births per 1,000 people — more than double the national average of 10.1. Some 840 babies were born to Nunavut mothers in 2019. Connelly and Kaludjak provided Nunavut Inuit with something rare: health care at home in their first language.
“Women were able to speak their own language. It was so rewarding,” Kaludjak said. “We’re related to half the community, so you’re taking care of your family as well,” Connelly added. At times, she said, they were burned out, worried for their patients and felt like they had all of the community’s maternity care on their shoulders. Yet when Department of Health staff needed information or had questions about the birthing centre, they turned to the southern, non-Inuit staff, the women said. “In their eyes, there were the Aboriginal midwives and then the midwives. We’d do births together and we’d be supervised by people who don’t even do births. We were always made to feel less,” Connelly said.
“We were questioned on things like overtime and mirroring our southern colleagues, who were there at the exact same time doing a birth together. Our southern colleagues were never questioned,” Kaludjak said. One Nunavut government employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said the two women were constantly brushed aside by management.
“You would have somebody from the south come up, who’s literally been there a week, and the manager wanted to meet with that person … instead of asking Inuit that have been there for a decade,” she said. Kaludjak was acting manager at the birthing centre for three years. She said when the position was posted, she interviewed for the job and was rejected. She said she was told she would need to train her replacement, but no one was hired. Joan Margaret Laine, a midwife who worked with the two women, said the government failed them.
“There were so many instances of racism and aggression. It was really disheartening to work there.” She said she was in a group of midwives who offered to work full time in Rankin Inlet to give Connelly and Kaludjak some relief. But jobs were never posted. The Department of Health did not respond to requests for comment about the jobs or Connelly and Kaludjak.
Health Minister Lorne Kusugak, who was moved into the role after Connelly and Kaludjak left, said he’s working with his department to review the birthing centre’s operations. “Since Day 1 of my first meeting with senior staff, that was one of the top priorities that we brought forward, to ensure the centre runs again and we don’t run into the same issues that may have been highlighted by previous staff.” Kusuagak said he is “very aware” of the situation at the centre.
“We have to make sure that the work environment is one that is equal to everybody that is there. The goal here is to have women give birth in a very safe and peaceful environment.” Martha Aitkin, the birthing centre’s director from 2006 to 2009, also worked as a locum midwife in Rankin Inlet in 2017. She said Connelly and Kaludjak experienced “a long list of microaggressions” by the government. “It can only be described as anti-Inuit racism. The view from the southern people above them in the government hierarchy was that they weren’t good enough, that they weren’t as qualified,” said Aitkin, who is from Ontario.
Connelly, Kaludjak and other midwives said they brought their issues to the government over the years, but nothing was done. They said that’s partially because there is a high turnover in departmental staff. “I don’t think there’s anyone in one position long enough to make change,” Connelly said. “The whole dream that the government has of homegrown professionals, I don’t know how that’s ever going to be if they don’t support it,” Kaludjak said.
The territory’s Arctic College ran a midwifery program from 2006 to 2014, but it never continued. Fiona Buchan-Corey, director of the college’s Kitikmeot campus, said federal government funding was not renewed.
Kerstin Gafvels helped develop the program and worked with Connelly and Kaludjakt. She said she was disappointed when she heard the program was no longer running and that Connelly and Kaludjak had left the birthing centre.
“No one coming in temporarily from the south would ever understand or have the knowledge that they carry by being part of the community, of actually living there.” Connelly and Kaludjak still live in Rankin Inlet with their families.
“The government leaves people hanging with no explanation and too many empty promises and I don’t want to be a part of that,” Connelly said. “This is not just a government-bashing discussion. It’s mainly for the women to have answers and for the government to step up and make the necessary changes.”
My home community is mourning the loss of two special Elders who were deeply loved and admired by so many in Attawapiskat. My Aunt Theresa Kataquapit was a kind matriarch to her family and encouraged and supported those around her quietly with openness and love. My Uncle John Paulmartin was a highly respected hunter and trapper who raised his family to become strong capable individuals and he taught so many of us to be good and hard working through his quiet example. Neither Elder Theresa or Elder John held major political positions in the community but they greatly influenced so many lives in Attawapiskat during their lifetimes.
My aunt Theresa was born and raised in the Iahtail family. Her parents Joseph Iahtail and Mary (Wabano) Iahtail raised their traditional family along the banks of the Ekwan River system north of Attawapiskat. Theresa grew up learning all the skills of survival on the land. Aunt Theresa was also a very spiritual person who followed the Catholic religion and understood the similarities those beliefs held to our traditional and cultural beliefs.
She raised her family in Attawapiskat with her husband Gabriel and she followed her children as they pursued their secondary education in Timmins. Gabriel was my father Marius’ brother. She was there for her boys every day and in every way as a rock of strength, wisdom and love they could always count on in unfamiliar lands while going to school and working. It must have been difficult for her to leave her husband Gabriel for long periods of time while he kept the homestead afloat in Attawapiskat. They realized it was a good thing to do in the name of education and the results are proven in the eight boys that have grown into strong, kind and capable men. Their sons Robert, Brian, Steve, Jeffery, Ron, Eric, Norman and Lindy carry all of the kindness, good humour, openness and strength of their parents and they all have good knowledge of their language, culture and traditions. Aunt Theresa took the time in Timmins to become connected to so many Indigenous programs and services that helped other young people from the James Bay coast and northern Ontario.
In everything she did, she shared our unique form of Cree humour and plenty of laughter and at one point was featured as part of a cast of Cree puppeteers dedicated to language teachings. Her husband, a traditional James Bay fiddle player, shared that same sense of fun and I can imagine all the times they must have shared around the jigs and reels they played when they were young.
My uncle John, who is an older brother to my mother Susan, was born and raised on the Nawashi River further north of the Ekwan River to a strong and proud Paulmartin family. The Paulmartin clan was a tight knit group of hard working individuals headed by their parents Xavier Paulmartin and Louise (Chookomolin) Paulmartin. The Paulmartin men were excellent hunters and trappers and John became famous in our community as one of the best of all the men in his generation. His skill was so great that he was known to many as ‘Meeheegun’, the Cree word for wolf, an animal being that every hunter respected and honoured.
He married his wife Mary Louise who was part of the Koostachin clan from Lakitusaki (Lake River) and they raised their children Margaret, Clara, Bessie, Linda, Steve, Norbert, Laurette, Michael, Terry and Hubert to become as equally talented and capable as their parents. However, their son Paul died as a child. This was another family that for a time separated their parents for the father to hold their house in Attawapiskat and their mother to guide their children in Timmins.
Uncle John worked all his life, whether it was out on the land with traditional pursuits or taking on modern technology as an electrical technician in the community. He was a quiet man who reminded me of his father, our grandfather Xavier Paulmartin. When Uncle John did share his stories, he was a library of knowledge and history about his family and our people. He shared and passed on much of this vast knowledge to his children, grandchildren, great grand children and other young hunters and trappers.
Both Aunt Theresa and Uncle John were the same in many ways. They quietly influenced so many individuals over their lifetimes that their contributions helped to shape our home community. They led by example through their constant work ethic, their connection to their faith, their respect of the land and for the love of their families, their community and anyone else that came into their lives.
Although they are gone, I know they will still be around in the hearts and minds of all their children and their many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Kitchi-Meegwetch Toosis Tenes nesh-tah Nookoomis Chon, Kee-sah-kee-eh-tee-nan.
The BC Nurses’ Union (BCNU) recognizes that colonization, racism and systemic discrimination have profoundly impacted the lives of Indigenous peoples and their ability to access holistic, culturally safe health care. The recent publication of In Plain Sight: Addressing Indigenous-specific Racism and Discrimination in B.C. Health Care has merely confirmed that these factors remain endemic to our care systems, while reminding us of the work that must be done to remedy the many harms done to Indigenous people.
To this end, BCNU is committed to fostering Indigenous cultural safety, through cultural humility, and eliminating Indigenous-specific racism throughout our organization. Our commitment is framed through an ongoing undertaking to establish a genuine and just process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
One aspect of this commitment is the establishment of a $1,500 bursary to be awarded annually to an Indigenous student enrolled in a post-secondary nursing program in British Columbia.
The BCNU Provincial Indigenous Student Nurse Bursary is an initiative of BCNU’s Indigenous Leadership Circle and reflects the Union’s support for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action, and in particular, the call to increase the number of Indigenous professionals in health care.
The bursary recipient will be announced on National Indigenous Nurses Day, which is commemorated during National Nurses Week, May 10-16, 2021.
As we strive to create a more equitable union, we will continue to draw on the expert knowledge of Indigenous members – nurses and health care workers – to help inform the actions we must take and the paths we must pursue. BCNU is committed to ending racism and discrimination wherever it is encountered. We recognize that this work must be ongoing—within the union as well as in our workplaces and our communities.
In Memory of Alicja Rozanska and Three Sisters Corn, Beans and Squash
Every time I would go back to Six Nations and visit my elders Alice and Lehman, they would say: “What’s new in Toronto, Danny? Are you fighting more environmental issues? Are things getting better or worse over there?” Alice would say: ”Go out in the garden, Danny, and eat some fresh rhubarb.” Our elders knew how to keep happy and make others happy just by sharing food and good ideas and honoring Creation all around them. Our elders have been taught by their elders the traditional native culture and that the natural world would take care of them if they took care of all natural life around them. Many of our elders have spent their life in the forest living a good life of hunting and gathering and some still do, and they were also able to work in the cities and earn a living building structures and high-rise apartments that housed mostly non-native Europeans. Many of our people maintained farms and kept growing food while working in cities doing construction. This continued for many years, and many Indigenous people were able to take time to go hunting and fishing for their families throughout the year because they knew they had to eat real food and maintain Sacred Thanksgiving ceremonies to the life-giving forces. Ceremonies were maintained on many reserves even during first contact, but it became harder up north, as the new people coming had their own ways of life that were not Indigenous to Indigenous territories. All of this information must be kept alive and preserved, because our younger generations are now struggling to protect the old hunting grounds and rivers where our ancestors fished for food. Even our medicines and berries are in danger of being killed from urban sprawl and resource extraction. Our old way of life, when our elders were happy from sharing, is hard now, because natural life is not what it used to be once you enter the cities. We have survived colonization, we have survived residential school, now we have to survive Global Warming, Climate Change and Infectious Virus. Nothing has been easy for Indigenous people in Canada or the USA, but we are still trying to protect Mother Earth and keep our way of life going, hunting, fishing and farming.
We all are living a Human Experience of learning, building, teaching, seeing, feeling, creating, and sharing what we have experienced with the community, with the world around us, with life, with our thinking, with work, words, art, dance, song, everything that is going on around us we learn from and communicate and grow like a garden in the world. As native people, our elders and leaders teach us how to communicate and be connected to all the natural world and life around us, even when we dream at night, we can hear life talking to us through our relatives. We also have our own instinct and intuition like an animal hunting in the forest. We too are hunters and seekers, gathering experiences, teachings, lessons that will bring us peace, harmony, health and the ability to share and help others. Our people have always been builders and organizers, but in our way of life our work never destroyed life around us. Our communities were also farmers, and in Canada and North America Indigenous people shared and traded in order to have a better life, and things were very good until the fur trade and gold rush created greed. At the same time, alcohol came into our communities, and our healthy communities soon were sick from the new poisons. Later, Indigenous people began the return and restoration of their healing culture, but things have not been the same; they never will, but we never stop trying to heal.
Our elders know what is happening on Sacred Mother Earth. They have spent their whole adult life in ceremonies and council with Great Creator and Life-giving forces. Our people on Six Nations are holding the original instructions just like all native communities across Turtle Island for Natural Life. Only some people have got lost in all the inventions and foreign ideology. Because Indigenous Culture is one of healing and harmonizing, we all need to focus and balance ourselves in the messages and teachings of our sacred ancestors and Indigenous Values and Thinking. Just start by talking about what needs to be done to achieve justice and healing for Mother Earth and society at the breakfast table. Even writing our ideas down can help share the dreams we each carry and hold in our minds, body and spirit. Do not get sucked into negative thinking or action. Our elders have said peace and gentleness is our greatest strength! Tom Porter says we need to arrange ourselves like a bouquet in the Garden of The World.
Lehman Gibson, Mohawk Six Nations Haudenosaunee, Speaks Out
“This struggle has brought unity to the community”, said Lehman Gibson, a Mohawk Farmer and Traditional Elder of the Six Nations Territory. “I have never experienced such unity and strength of our people up until now. The elected council is supporting our old traditional government of our Clan Mothers as equals. Everyone has come together for peace here. Everyone has come to defend the protestors and our original territories. Our homeland. We are finally united as a People, as a Nation. For our Sacred Traditional Longhouse values, the Way of the Good Mind, where our Clan Mothers are respected as leaders. At this time we are being respected as a Nation. But who knows for how long… There are 350 police ready at the airport.”
John Gibson, Mohawk Six Nations Haudenosaunee, Speaks Out
Ultimately we want to leave a legacy for our future generations by thinking ahead. Its all about our future generations, the unborn, our family, showing them that we made a commitment to the environment, to the land. We fought for it. That is how we got here in the first place. That is why we have been here- camped along the Grand River for the last 200 years. This has affected every human being on the planet. We need to harmonize ourselves, to live in peace. All the principals that the Iroquois Confederacy stand for, all the laws we stand for, are about keeping the great peace.
That is why when we talk about the environment we are talking about everybody’s rights. The vast majority of people, including non-native people support what we are doing, they understand the struggle has always been going since day one. The media are selling newspapers because of the violence, the confrontation. I think people are not stupid because they realize how important it is to protect the environment, our Sacred Mother Earth. Its not just the Grand River, it is everywhere; there is a problem of land theft all over the world.
They cannot break that bond that we have, it is something that we are tied to. There is nothing they can force upon us. The Canadian government cannot violently impose laws and regulations on us. They beat us up and it did not change things. We are still here and we are more determined to protect our children’s future. We are still fighting, we are not done and we might never be done as long as there is Mother Earth. My dream is world peace, people living in harmony with natural justice. People doing what is right, living by what is right. People living with the truth. There is justice and karma out there that comes back to bite you.
This is happening now. Mother Earth is wounded, she cannot do what she used to. All we have to do is watch the weather, the universe is speaking on behalf of Indigenous Peoples. If we do not change our ways and stop polluting the planet, it is going to destroy Mother Earth. Mother Earth is suffering, there are too many people taking from her. Millions of people are immigrating out this way, immigrating to the green lands, we are losing the agricultural base here. New subdivisions are piling up, people are piling up on top of each other. This is not a harmonious way to live in the country. It is adding to the pollution of the air, everything is getting polluted by overpopulation. Over population is polluting Mother Earth. To us the fight is not with ourselves, it is with the power to understand that you cannot eat money and that money is not everything. You have to look at our lifestyle, you have to look at the way of life for all humans. In Canada, the people can be the catalyst for the environment, but it is not happening, because they are not listening to the Aboriginal People here, the Native people here. We are the heartbeat of the environment.
My family have been here, in Six Nations, seven generations along this Grand River. Everybody has seen the development, we have been pushed and pushed and pushed. Now we are on a little patch of territory. We have been pushed back to a tiny patch. We can no longer hunt and do what we need to along this river which was our sustenance. The river is heavily polluted with all the cities dumping their sewage into the river, You cannot eat any of the fish anymore.
After all the years of pollution along the Grand the fish are heavily contaminated. It all goes back to the Great Lakes, the contamination is affecting everyone, not just Native people. Everyone should be speaking out. What happens to Six Nations People happens to everyone.
One day there will be no land here, there will be no water, only sand, it will be made into a desert, barren, no trees, no nothing. We have been ignored, our pleas have been ignored, we have been asking the government to be accountable to the people and to the environment, to Mother Earth. But we have been ignored. That is why there is an explosion of all these forces, it died down this winter but spring is back and we are organizing. We want to be heard, we have been sleeping outside on the roadblock for a year. Real issues are affecting all of our children’s future. Hopefully, more people will understand our plight and be enlightened.
Chloe Crosschild (Iitapii’tsaanskiaki), RN, graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a Bachelor of Nursing (BN) in 2014 and a Master of Nursing (MN) in 2020, and won the uLethbridge School of Graduate Studies Silver Medal of Merit – Master of Nursing.A talented Blackfoot nursing scholar, Chloe is committed to research and practice that supports Indigenous health and well-being. Her thesis included a unique Indigenous methodology based on Blackfoot Ways of Knowing, providing potential roadmap for future health research with Blackfoot peoples. Since completing her MN, Chloe has been working as an Indigenous advisor to the Nursing Education in Southwestern Alberta (NESA) BN programs and has started her Nursing PhD program at the University of British Columbia.
What is your most memorable uLethbridge experience? “Sitting on the Graduate Students’ Association Council as the Indigenous Representative was very important in making my graduate experience because I was able to learn from students, faculty and staff in other disciplines throughout uLethbridge community.”
Did anyone at uLethbridge help shape your uLethbridge journey? “My mentor, role model and thesis supervisor, Dr. Peter Kellett was an important influence in my uLethbridge experience. I met Peter while completing my undergraduate degree and he has been there to support and guide me in my professional journey. Through his mentorship, I gained the confidence I needed to push past my own expectations. I am forever grateful for Dr. Kellett.”
What is the most important lesson you learned? “The most important lesson I learned was to be true to myself in everything I do, including my research and academic work. Despite being an Indigenous woman, I was primarily trained and educated in a colonial system. It was in my graduate school journey that I was able to fully embrace the importance of my background and identity and draw on my Blackfoot values to guide me in my school work. I found myself in a unique position to explore how two worlds collide in health care, especially when Western and Indigenous ways of being clashed.”
What are your plans for the future? “My plans are to complete my PhD in nursing. I hope to find opportunities throughout my career to work alongside Indigenous Peoples and communities toward health equity.”
What advice would you give to students about to begin their post-secondary education? “My biggest piece of advice for students is to be open-minded to different worldviews and perspectives and try to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. We aren’t expected to know everything when we start our academic journeys, so it’s okay to be wrong or feel challenged because that is the only way we can grow as students and scholars.”
Marion Crowe is a citizen of Piapot First Nation and the Chief Executive Officer of the First Nations Health Managers Association (FNHMA).
Imagine if a pandemic had swept the earth, and the only people who could save you were also known for discriminating against you.
Ginew Wellness Center in Manitoba
When a system is strained, it often snaps at the point of existing fractures. As we move past the one-year anniversary of the pandemic, cracks in Canada’s healthcare system related to First Nations healthcare have become even more painfully evident. There is hope, but the failings of healthcare as it relates to First Nations have become increasingly concerning.
Is there doubt our existing healthcare system harbours anti-Indigenous sentiment? Hard ‘no’! Heartbreaking individual cases are well documented and alive. Consider the now well-known death of Joyce Echaquan, who, last fall arrived at a hospital in Quebec requiring medical treatment. Instead of care, Echaquan was insulted by those from whom she needed help. She was called “stupid” and told she would be “better off dead”. Tragically, Echaquan did die. And, while media exploded with shock at the cruel acts caught on camera, others in the First Nations community were dismayed but not surprised. Unfortunately, her experience is not new, nor one of a kind. Her experience encountering racism in the healthcare system has been shared by many others in our community.
Indigenous people continue to feel excluded from their own healthcare system. With no power to make decisions on how healthcare is delivered, with low representation in the field, with a lack of cultural competency from those who provide services, is it any surprise?
We have: Joyce’s Principle; Jordan’s Principle; the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Calls to Action (specifically 18 to 24); Anti-Indigenous Racism movements; In Plain Sight, Addressing Indigenous-specific Racism and Discrimination in B.C. Health Care Addressing Racism Review December 2020 Data Report (Nearly 85% of Indigenous participants indicated they had faced discrimination in the healthcare system); and numerous other reports that show a failing system. Discrimination in healthcare seems to be a simple fact of life for many Indigenous people.
But progress is being made, and we are working together with Canada to make things better. The lack of infrastructure, funding and capacity in First Nations communities is no secret; in that context, the government of Canada aimed to provide those communities some of the country’s first COVID vaccine doses. The federal government, in their fall budget, also put aside $15.6-million for new Indigenous health legislation related to fighting anti-Indigenous racism in the healthcare sector. If delivered and developed as hoped, the legislation will support bringing control back to First Nations people over the delivery and development of our own health services. How this approach rolls out will be an important metric in measuring just how serious Canada is about reconciliation.
We have thousands of battles to fight. Infrastructure countrywide needs to be improved; systemic racism rooted out; cultural competency & humility spread to service providers; resources and power put back in the hands of First Nations. But just as hard times bring to light the weak spots in our healthcare system, they also underscore just how strong First Nations communities are. We do more with less. The First Nations state of healthcare is one of resilience against heavy odds. We fill in gaps by acting as a community. We draw strength and knowledge from our beliefs, traditions and inherent knowledge to lift those in our community who need help the most. At our best, we work together as a community, weaving western and traditional practices and medicine into treatment. Our blended approach is one of respect, stories, dance, and consistency in culture that provides a mental and spiritual backbone against anxiety in uncertain times.
As we move to healthcare delivery by us and for us, there are heartwarming stories that are too precious not to share. Nations are weaving western PPE care packs with cedar, sweetgrass and sage medicines to double the protection. Nations have developed helplines for the biggest epidemic of our time in the fight against suicide, overdoses and racism. We have seen a huge resurgence of our practices, languages and ways of healing. There is hope. That is what we want our next seven generations to know.
At FNHMA, we have numerous activities underway to support First Nations health. We continue to grow new health leaders while supporting and strengthening existing health leaders who will take over our own health systems through the FNHMA certification and training programs that we offer. FNHMA also started a Virtual Town Hall to keep people connected and informed on Covid -19. Now, over 150 Indigenous radio stations, not to mention multiple websites and social media, brings credible, relevant and timely information from trusted sources and experts. These are encouraging first steps, but only first steps, to what is needed in developing an inclusive healthcare infrastructure for First Nations. There is much to be done, and the marathon to improve our healthcare system continues.
We lift you all, especially those working tirelessly on the front lines, ensuring the safety and protection of our nations. We thank you and stand united in all the work that you do.
“The revitalization of our cultures includes language. Offering these translations is a way of acknowledging and respecting the culture and traditions of Indigenous Peoples,” said Dean Assinewe, one of the people profiled.
The free guide features first-person stories from 12 Indigenous leaders working in the forest, conservation and parks sectors and green career fact sheets.
“It’s important to reach people in their first language, and we hope the guide can also be used as a learning tool for others who are trying to learn their language,” said Assinewe, a member of Sagamok Anishnawbek.
In fact, it is already a best management practice in industries like forestry to put notices out in Indigenous languages as well. And there are many initiatives within communities to reconnect younger generations with their language. For example, the Aamjiwnaang First Nation used the cultural activity of making maple syrup to teach Anishinaabemowin vocabulary with a YouTube documentary, Ziidbaatogeng.
Assinewe, who now works as PLT Canada’s Indigenous Opportunities Advisor, said activities like this connect us to the land. His love of nature was influenced by his father, who was a trapper in his youth.
“We spoke quite a bit about his experience and his spiritual relationship with the land. In our culture, we’re all connected,” he said.
Assinewe was working for a pharmaceutical company in Toronto, but he found himself wanting to go home and be outdoors. So he switched gears and pursued his Registered Professional Forester (RPF) designation.
One of the goals of A Guide to Green Jobs in Canada: Voices of Indigenous Professionals is to inspire Indigenous youth to pursue green careers. PLT Canada has placed more than 500 Indigenous youth from over 80 different Nations into high-quality green work experiences—many of whom found placements in their own communities.
“If First Nations can help take a lead in how development happens, Canada and the rest of the world will be better for it,” said Assinewe. “We have to draw careful connections between our environment, our culture and traditions, and how we develop our natural resources.”
National Chief Perry Bellegarde speaking from Ottawa at the virtual general assembly. Photo: APTN
The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) blasted systemic racism and laid out his lobbying plans for the remainder of his term during the organization’s annual general assembly on Tuesday.
An emotional Perry Bellegarde held back tears as he mentioned Rodney Levi, Chantel Moore, Joyce Echaquan, and all those who died in 2020 at the hands of authorities charged with their protection.
“To all those who have been lost, to all of those who’ve been taken from us I say: We love you,” said Bellegarde, who paused, overwhelmed with emotion, before continuing. “We value you. We remember you. And you will continue to motivate us to create the change we all want and we need.”
First Nations chiefs normally travel to Ottawa in Algonquin territory for the December gathering but went online this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the leaders in the afternoon and fielded a series of questions from the chiefs.
“We’ve made tremendous progress in just a few years. But if this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that there is much more to be done. I hear you when you say that the status quo isn’t good enough,” said Trudeau.
“I hear you when you say, to quote National Chief Bellegarde, that this pandemic exacerbates the already dire circumstances in which too many live. I hear you and I agree.”
Prime Minister Trudeau answered questions from his office during the general assembly. Photo: APTN/File
Bellegarde announced Monday that he won’t seek another term when chiefs cast their votes for a new AFN head in July. His speech touted progress First Nations made over his six-year tenure as national chief and called for immediate action to stamp out institutional racism in Canada’s policing and health-care systems.
“Cultural safety must be integrated into national health-care standards. Failure to meet these standards must have real consequences, and our people need a safe way to report mistreatment and abuse that will produce results,” said Bellegarde. “No one wants the death of Joyce Echaquan to have been in vain.”
Echaquan, 37, an Atikamekw Nation mother of seven, recorded health-care workers taunting her with racist insults before she died in a Quebec hospital in September.
Levi and Moore, who were both First Nations, were shot and killed by police only days apart in New Brunswick.
Reforming policing in Canada
On that subject, Bellegarde said the country needs to make First Nations-led policing an essential service and deliver on RCMP reform, which Trudeau promised to do.
Bellegarde stressed the urgency by accusing the RCMP of betraying the Mi’kmaq as they exercised a constitutionally-protected treaty right to fish in Nova Scotia.
“We witnessed the racist backlash that followed. The overtly racist actions of the commercial fishers was disheartening but not entirely surprising,” he said. “What was shocking was the betrayal of the local RCMP officers who ignored the mounting tensions and allowed this violence to erupt. This is what we mean by systemic racism.”
Had the roles been reversed, the Mounties never would’ve allowed the attacks to escalate as they did to floating blockades, boat chases, mob vigilantism, assaults and arson, Bellegarde added.
Trudeau also condemned these instances of death and violence.
“No one should face threats while exercising their treaty right to fish. No one should face violence at the hands of police and no one should face fear about what may happen or has happened to a mother, sister or daughter. That is unacceptable.”
Pandemic recovery
Like the rest of the country, First Nations spent the bulk of 2020 dealing with the potentially deadly pandemic. Communities made use of stringent lockdowns, travel bans and checkpoints to weather the first wave.
But the second wave landed hard in some First Nations.
“There is an opportunity to build back better,” said Bellegarde, echoing language Trudeau used to describe Canada’s pandemic recovery plan.
“But more than that, I would say that Canada must build back better – and must be better and do better as a country.”
This means addressing the gap in the quality of life that exists between First Nations and non-Indigenous communities, said the national chief. He pointed to a lack of access to health care, the housing crisis and lack of potable water on reserves.
During the height of the second wave, Neskantaga First Nation members had to be evacuated from their northwestern Ontario homes after an “oily sheen” tainted the community’s water supply.
Residents of Shamattawa in northern Manitoba highlighted the housing crisis on their reserve not long before positive coronavirus cases skyrocketed and military aid in the form of the Canadian Rangers had to be deployed.
“That gap amplifies every threat and every harm from this pandemic – from this risk of infection to the stress of lockdown,” said Bellegarde.
The opening song was broadcast online instead of played live in a crowded room as usual. Photo: APTN/File
The Liberal government recently admitted they would not fulfill their promise to end all long-term drinking water advisories on First Nations reserves by March 2021.
Trudeau said they did manage to lift 98 long-term advisories and prevent 171 short-term ones from becoming long term. The Liberals proposed to invest $1.5 billion for water as well as $1.8 billion over seven years for infrastructure during their fall fiscal update.
Many of the chiefs’ questions centred on the difficulty communities face in navigating the federal Indigenous bureaucracy in order to quickly obtain funds for clean water, housing, health services, education and more.
“I think your bureaucrats are not doing you justice in terms of the things that you are trying to do, and I say that respectfully,” Chief David Monias told the prime minister.
Trudeau replied that “a whole series of interconnections” need to happen before cash that Ottawa pledges actually gets into people’s hands to make a difference.
“These are all things that we need to work on together, and folks in Ottawa don’t always know how they best fit together,” he admitted.
“Ottawa can’t drive these. You need to drive these and we need to be there to support you with the money and the resources and the capacity to develop that. It takes a little longer, and sometimes it’s frustrating, but ultimately it is what will best serve you and your community to be in charge of your own future and that’s the work we are doing together.”
Lack of MMIWG action plan and a proposed UNDRIP action plan
The national chief voiced support for Chief Connie Big Eagle and the AFN women’s council as First Nations push governments to act on the recommendations of the national missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) inquiry.
Another missed deadline, the Liberals promised to deliver an action plan to implement the inquiry’s calls to justice on the final report’s one-year anniversary. Trudeau re-committed to accelerating the work.
“It’s now a year and a half later, and still there is no plan,” said Bellegarde. “The families who poured their hearts into that inquiry deserve action.”
But the Trudeau administration did meet one deadline, a promise to table legislation by end of 2020 that would help align federal laws with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
Justice Minister David Lametti introduced Bill C-15 in the House of Commons last week. The new statute, if passed, would affirm that the declaration applies to Canadian law and create a framework to implement UNDRIP’s 46 articles, which lay out global human rights standards for the survival and well-being of Indigenous peoples.
Bellegarde said there would have been “no hope” four years ago for such legislation or the Liberals’ other two reform laws they say they designed with UNDRIP in mind: the Indigenous Languages Act and the Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis Children, Youth and Families.
The proposed UNDRIP act would require an as-yet undesignated cabinet minister to lead development of an implementation action plan, with annual reporting on progress made, not make UNDRIP itself a law.
The prime minister referred some questions to his cabinet ministers, who are slated to answer queries later tonight.
The general assembly is scheduled to wrap up Wednesday evening.
The Indigenous Student Success Cohort (ISSC) program at the University of Lethbridge (UofL), is a well-recognized, successful first-year program that provides a solid academic foundation and skill set to enable Indigenous students to succeed in their degree of choice. Key to the success of the ISSC is the bridging of Indigenous and Western cultures, the creation of community, a culturally relevant, highly interactive, learning and supportive environment, and attention to Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Learning (IWKL). When the Covid-19 Pandemic hit, schools and universities suddenly closed in March, and we scrambled to go online in a matter of days. This had a negative impact for many students, but particularly Indigenous students, many who had to move back to community and complex situations. There was little time to plan and there were many challenges in completing courses. It was stressful for all. It soon became evident that this was going to be the “new normal” for post-secondary education for the 20/21 academic year. As the Coordinator of the ISSC, I know first-hand the struggles and challenges Indigenous students experience with the Western way of learning, particularly in transitioning into mainstream university education at the best of times, so deciding how to deliver the entire program online was a deep concern.
Most ISSC students didn’t have a reliable laptop computer or internet so the first issue to address was technology. In Spring 2020, just before Covid hit, the UofL had partnered with the philanthropic Master Card Foundation (MCF) in a 5-year renewable commitment to increase Indigenous academic achievement across all levels of education and into first year university, with a specific focus on the ISSC program. As part of the commitment, students have their tuition fees and books paid for and are provided with a computer. However reliable connectivity for many still remains an issue.
In the ISSC, students take a core set of courses (mathematics, library science, writing and Quest for Success I) in the fall semester and a smaller core (Interdisciplinary studies and Quest for Success II and 2 or more mainstream electives from our approved list) in the spring semester. This enables the students to get a strong academic foundation in the first semester and then build on that foundation in the second semester while feathering into mainstream larger class sizes with the supports of the program.
One of the courses I teach in the program is the year-long course, Quest for Success (Q4S I & II). In the “Old Normal” we met Monday and Friday at noon over a meal. Sharing a meal is in keeping with Indigenous ways of building relationships and is a great way to disrupt barriers of shyness and difference. During the course we cover a variety of topics focused on enabling Indigenous academic success by bridging cultures and ways of knowing with mainstream education. This is a critically important course to the program, as it creates a community that is foundational to developing the supportive network needed as students continue through their degree. Creating that same environment online has been challenging this term and students have commented often that they feel disconnected from their cohort, the program, and university in general. “It’s just not how we are”, said one student. I hear often, “I can’t learn this way” and others have spoken to increasing anxiety in trying to work in the unfamiliar online space. “There are too many things to get around and I never know if I’m doing it right,” said one student. “Everything takes so long online,” is a common statement. With the pandemic situation now moving into its ninth month, it is beginning to feel like it will never end. For many it is discouraging, and it is getting harder to stay positive and focused and to stay the course.
Marathon runners have a term called “hitting the wall”, the point when you have no fuel left and you feel like you just can’t go on and if it is severe enough, you can’t finish. For many of us dedicated runners, this is devastating. Many students, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, are beginning to experience what I call Hitting the Pandemic Wall Syndrome. How do we get over this and make it to the finish line? is a central question. In the Q4S we have shared extensively in virtual talking circles (Figure 1) and have had numerous presentations and sessions from experts and elders on physical, mental, and spiritual health and wellness; about how to stay positive and develop our own tools for overcoming The Pandemic Wall Syndrome. The following are some of the outcomes of our Q4S sharing that might benefit others.
Figure 1: ISSC 0524 Quest for Success Class – Online: The New Normal
Understanding the New Normal It takes time to adjust to new ways of working and being and it is important to acknowledge that your work may be impacted. While that doesn’t mean one should give up, letting go of high, and maybe unrealistic, expectations at this time can help us find balance and a new normal. Without our normal routines many have struggled with finding a new rhythm and are finding it difficult to focus and be motivated. This leads to frustration, anger, and anxiety, and we often take it out in negative ways. It is important to develop some sense of a “new normal” routine – get up at the same time every day, get ready, do your work at the same time, and finish as you normally would. Having a routine will give structure to what seems to be an endless amount of empty time and space. It will also give you a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. Try to focus on the immediate and have micro goals rather than looking too far into the future. If it seems never-ending then it is easy to get discouraged.
Stress and Resilience We often think of stress as the enemy, but how we perceive our stress dictates how we experience that biologically. If we think stress is bad for us, then it can have negative consequences such as depression, anxiety, and even physical illness. If we think stress isn’t bad for us (i.e. that it motivates us) then we can use it to benefit us. Some call this resilience – changing how we perceive something. So, while we are in this Pandemic Crisis, think about how you might change your negative perceptions into more positive ones so you might build your own personal Resilience Toolbox.
Self-care – What does this mean? Self-care is about taking care of our own mental and physical wellbeing. It means Cultivation of Self and is focused on nurturing our personal needs; allowing ourselves to relax, regenerate, and recharge in meaningful ways. Everyone knows what works for their own self-care but often we put that aside in our care for others, in the stress of the situation, or because we lack the energy. Often the attitude “what’s the point” prevails especially when we can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel and are discouraged. But if we don’t care for ourselves, then we aren’t able to care well for others, or care about the things that are important to us.
I use the Medicine Wheel (MW), which is foundational and sacred to many Indigenous cultures, in much of my teaching as it can represent a multitude of concepts: the seasons, the four directions, personal well-being, the stages of life, et cetera. By its circular nature, the MW illustrates the continuity and inter-relatedness of its components. Figure 2 is a Self-care MW compiled from our talking circle conversations about the things we do for our own self-care. Beginning on the right and moving clockwise the components of self-care are physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual.
Figure 2: Medicine Wheel of Self-care
Physical – Eating well and staying hydrated are key components of your physical well-being. Prioritize sleep. Making sure to get some exercise and fresh air every day. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise and it gets you out in nature breathing in fresh air which helps us calm down. In terms of your own workspace, think about light. Try to have your workspace in a location where there is good natural light. Natural light is easier on the eyes and makes us feel brighter and lighter.
Emotional – Recognize and accept that stress can make you emotional and everyone suffers from some level of anxiety and depression in stressful situations. The challenge becomes when anxiety and depression are prolonged and extreme, and they impact our relationships or our ability to perform our normal tasks. If that happens, then it is important to seek professional help such as your doctor for medical intervention, an elder or counsellor for someone to talk to, or a combination of both. Seeking professional help, is not a sign of weakness but rather it is being proactive about one’s self-care.
Intellectual – You might think being in school is intellectual enough, but it is important to have something outside of that. Having conversations with someone about important and Non-Covid and interesting topics or the latest book you read, or Netflix show you saw over a Zoom-coffee can be refreshing and intellectually stimulating – a breath of fresh air.
Spiritual – What is good for your soul and your inner being. What are the things unique to you that ground you but also lift your spirit? Perhaps they are smudging, praying, talking with elders, ceremony, etc. For me, it is running in the coulees. I love the beauty of nature, the animals, the river, and the fresh air. I feel grounded to Mother Earth, the Creator and my inner self where I can think and reflect. I call it running meditation. It is important to find your “thing” that fulfills you spiritually.
Building Your Resilience Toolbox Each person’s toolbox will be different because we are each unique. Sometimes we need only one tool to handle a situation and other times we might need the whole set before we find one that works. Some key tools for your toolbox are:
Figure 3: A Resilience Tool Box
a) Respect your mental health. We each have different responses depending on where we are in our own mental health. The key is to let go of things you can’t control. Maintain an optimistic outlook. We all know the adage “every cloud has a silver lining”. Can you turn a negative into a positive? Practice the attitude of gratitude and joy through laughter. We often hear, “laughter is the best medicine”. It is true. Take breaks during the day or when you are feeling stressed and just breathe. Breathing is one way to reset our anxiety.
b) Create social connections. Develop a strong supportive network of friends, family, and cohorts. People who are experiencing the same situation or who have been through something similar are valuable resources. Knowing that we are not the only one who feels a particular way is helpful as it normalizes our feelings. A student in the ISSC said in a sharing circle, “It makes me feel better to know I’m not the only one who feels this way, not that I want anyone to feel this way. It’s just helpful to know I’m not the only one”.
c) Make every day meaningful. At the end of each day, review your accomplishments and then set your priorities for the following day. Sometimes lists are beneficial but don’t make them so long that they are daunting. Address concerns about deadlines and deliverables early so that you aren’t stressed. The news and social media can be great sources of stress as they tend to sensationalize the news and report more on the negative than the positive. This can be a great source of anxiety for many people. Try to minimize the number of times you engage with the news and social media including responding to emails.
d) Set boundaries. It is important to make a distinction between school and the rest of your life. Take time away from school. Celebrate successes and acknowledge your efforts, even if they seem small. Be proactive; don’t ignore issues as they can get out of control quickly, and know that your situation can improve if you actively put energy and attention into it.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: Practice self-compassion. It is a difficult time and being kind to yourself will go a long way to handling the challenges we are all facing. We will reach the finish line.
