Communities in

Transition…

The Realities

Before Contact with Europeans

• Aboriginal communities were self-sustaining and healthy.

• A social structure was in place to meet the people’s needs and to deal with conflicts.

• Over the past 300 years, lots of changes and forced movement of Aboriginal people.

Impact of Colonialism

• How First Nations govern themselves, their ceremonial and spiritual practices were disrupted by legislation (Indian Act 1876 & Civilization Act 1880) and the belief that Aboriginal people must be changed.

• Lands were taken, Aboriginal people were forced onto reserves and many other atrocities (very bad things) were committed against Aboriginal people in order to force them to adopt new ways of living and thinking.

Impact of Assimilation Efforts• The Negative – Today only 24% of Canadian Aboriginal

people can speak some of their Native language.• The Positive Changes:• First Voices Initiative – website to help preserve

and teach traditional languages. • Apps for learning languages.• Elders and Language Teachers in Public Schools

teaching language

Continued Impact of Assimilation• The traditional skills of Aboriginal People (hunting,

trapping, etc.) are not valued in most of today’s technological society.

• Today though that is starting to change:• Nunavut, NWT promotion of Hunters rights and

needs. • Art Napoleon’s TV Show Moosemeat & Marmelade• SFU Aboriginal Studies in Traditional Knowledge

and Biology Plant Courses in Traditional Plants and Healing.

Poverty

• Poverty is a very real issue facing many modern day Aboriginal families and communities (both on reserve – about 200 out of 638 bands have reserves in crisis – Attawapaskat, Ahousat, etc., and off reserve inner city – Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Downtown Eastside of Vancouver).

• Reporters, Documentaries, University Studies and many more are focusing on this issue and how to effect real change. Putting pressure on the politicians.

• Employment and Education Statistics are alarming. (only about 52% BC graduation rate province wide, some remote northern Canadian reserves 90 to 95% unemployment).

• Positives – 15 years ago it was only 35%. • Aboriginal Adults have a very high rate of College and

Post Secondary Attendance. • Most BC school districts have Aboriginal Enhancement

Agreements (partner with parents, youth, teachers, Aboriginal Bands and Aboriginal community groups) to make a change for the better.

• BC Education all subjects must include Aboriginal Knowledge and Topics (though not all teachers are confident teaching these topics or have the resources)

Unemployment 2011• National Picture — For all Canadians unemployment rate in

2011 was 7.5%, continuing a decline since a peak of 8.3% in 2009.

• Age — By age group in 2011, the Canadian unemployment rate ranged from 4.9% for individuals 65 years of age and over to 14.2% for youth aged 15 to 24.

• Aboriginal Peoples — In 2006, the unemployment rate for Aboriginal Peoples was 14.8% which was significantly higher than the Canadian average which at that time was 6.3%. (if they live on reserve the rate will be higher and if the reserve is remote the rate can be as high as 95% unemployment). Many BC Bands are starting economic initiatives bringing prosperty (Osoyoos, Nisga’a, Tsleil Watuuth, Squamish….)

Social Legacy• Attempted destruction of culture and traditional

beliefs (Today there is still Aboriginal Culture and knowledge of/interest in Traditional Beliefs)

• Today -- Single parent families are common in Aboriginal homes so less money for children, possibly more poverty. In traditional two parent families, each parent can help provide income and child-care support.

• Attempts to assimilate Aboriginal people wreaked havoc on lives and communities (alcohol, drugs, 1960s & 1970s scoop up of children, residential schools, language loss, …)

60s Scoop

60s Scoop – Welfare agencies judged FN parents as unfit, rounded up children and adopted them out to non-Aboriginal Families across Canada and USA. Sometimes busloads at a time.

Rules of Exclusion: Dividing Aboriginal People in Categories…

• Government legislation has led to divisions within Aboriginal communities—who gets the label?

• Who gets to be a “Status Indian”?• Who isn’t?• How does this determine their freedom to be

part of a community?

Bill – C31 (1985)• Women were discriminated against under the Indian Act

– (lost status if married non-Aboriginal) Bill C-31 has attempted to fix this issue, but still some women not given equal respect and rights on their home reserves. – Big Issue about the Fed. Gov’t imposing this bill (no consultation, 6

Alberta Bands took Fed Govt to Court).

• Who qualifies to be reinstated as a “Status Indian”? Who gets to vote in band elections?

• It becomes a fight over $, who gets Fed. Gov’t funding for their program or project? Divides on and off reserve Aboriginals. Different needs. Fighting over funding.

Hereditary vs Elected Chiefs

• Under the terms of the Indian Act (late 1920’s amendments), Aboriginal community leaders (chiefs, house leaders, Siems, etc.) were required to adopt a European model of gov’t.

• This shift completely changed the way FN communities made decisions and took care of business and community issues.

Namgis Hereditary Chief & Carver Beau Dick

• In many communities Traditional Aboriginal rules and protocols for self-government were completely undermined.

• Some communities still choose to elect their hereditary chiefs, some communities there is a power struggle between the two types of Chiefs.

Guujaaw, Haida Hereditary Chief, Carver

Health Related Struggles

• Diabetes – Extremely High Rates – over 50%. Shortens life expectancy. Kidney Dialysis and Proper medical treatment not available in or near most Aboriginal Communities that are remote reserves.

• Alcohol, Drugs – high rates inner city urban and for some reserves dealing with high rates of Residential School Effects

• Suicide Rates – high rates for children of Residential School Survivors (20% attempt rate)

• Infant Mortality Rates much higher, Life Expectancy about 5 years less.

• More likely to die in an accident or a house fire if living on reserve.

• HIV/AIDS – limited access to doctors, nursing, therefore limited access to safe sex methods, greater risk of spread of this disease.

Health Related Struggles -- Positives• Dr. Evan Adams, Sliammon First Nation, BC

Deputy Provincial Health Officer and Chief Medical Officer, First Nations Health Authority

• SFU Aboriginal Pre-Health University Program to increase # of Aboriginals enrolling in Health Care Programs

• First Nations Health Authority• Nanaimo Hospital – Aboriginal Liaison Nurse

– to help Aboriginal Families feel welcome and help them bridge difficulties they may encounter at the hospital

Positives Bringing About Healthy Changes

• Over 200 Aboriginal Agencies working together “Red Road” on issues of HIV/AIDS.

• Aboriginal return to traditional “country foods” or “traditional diet” movement to reduce diabetes. Aboriginal Food Guide.

• Aboriginal Health Initiative Program

How To Bring About Real Change?

• You have to know the facts, the past, the negatives, how the wrongs were started, their roots, to understand the deep hurt that many feel.

• Real change is happening. Often at the grassroots level. Elders, Youth, Universities, Community Groups, Business Associations, Computer Programmers, Twitter and Social Media Participants, and so many more are working to bring about real change. Learn from their examples and carry the change forward.