Quick! Have you heard of reconciliation in the past week?
If yes, then you’re probably living in Canada. Recent news has shown the unearthing of thousands of unmarked graves at former residential schools.
If you are not aware, residential schools have been recognized by many as a form of government sanctioned cultural genocide. In fact, the schools were created with the purpose to assimilate indigenous folks into society. This was done by removing any sense of their culture, language, and identity.
What many people may not know about residential schools is that you actually had better odds of surviving WWII as a soldier than you did as a student in this system.
Now, these schools may seem like they’ve been gone a long time.Though, you might have even lived near one: the last residential school was only shut down in 1996. That being said, the impact of the residential schools and the Indian Act are felt throughout generations.
You may be asking yourself, this is horrible; I can’t believe that this actually happened, but what can I do?
Well, in December of 2015 there was a report released named the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action. This report includes a number of important ways that individuals and businesses can make things right.
This is what inspired me to write this post. I hope that this can be a starting off point for your organization. To begin along the path of reconciliation and make things right with indigenous peoples.
First, please read call to action 92. This will be important for the rest of this post.
Now, be sure that your organization is free of systemic barriers for indigenous people. This doesn’t mean simply releasing a memo stating they are welcome. This means making active policy changes and measuring the impact of those changes in the demographics of your employees. Performative allyship is over. We as individuals and organizations need to do better.
You can also offer training to your employees about this topic. It’s important to keep in mind the calls to action and focus mainly on intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism. One training that I recommend very highly is one offered by Lluvia Nisayé called “Whose Land is it Anyways?”. Her training was fantastic, and it was definitely worth the time of my colleagues. Her perspective and ability to tell compelling stories is unmatched by other trainers I’ve had around this subject. Please check out her website at http://nisaye.com/ for more information on the training and where to contact her.
Second, research is key. You should know the relevant treaties that govern the land where your organization finds itself. You can find information on the subject by searching on https://www.whose.land/en/. Your research should include your responsibilities according to these treaties as well as the nations it has affected. Then, research their traditions and what their values are. Your research will ultimately help you out in building relationships since you will have made an effort to educate yourselves. That effort will not go unnoticed.
One thing that holds significance for a large proportion of indigenous folks in what is known today as north and south America is the importance of Tobacco.
Tobacco is one of four sacred herbs (the others being sweetgrass, cedar, and sage). This herb is held in very high regard as it is a gift from the creator. Indigenous peoples have been using tobacco in ceremonies since before European contact. For your purposes, it is most important to know that tobacco is not only given to the land as a thank you for what the creator provides for us all, but it is also given to those who provide us with guidance. Therefore, should your business look to meet and receive guidance from indigenous peoples, try and give an offering of tobacco. Ideally, you can purchase the special tobacco that is used for ceremonial purposes. See the Turtle Lodge Trading Post for their process on how to procure Semah. There is notably an approval process for purchasing Semah. That being said, if you’re in a pinch, you may also give cigarettes. However, this is less than ideal. You can also click this link to see a more detailed version of how and when to give an offering of tobacco.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge that by reading this post and by trying to apply what I am writing about, you are trying to make this first step towards reconciliation between your organization and indigenous peoples. But this cannot be your only step. It’s essential when meeting with indigenous folks you allow yourself to step outside your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid of discomfort, lean into it. If you’re feeling uncomfortable it’s probably because you should be.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I appreciate your time very much. Now I’d like to hear from you! Will you be taking the steps to make your organization more inclusive for indigenous folks? Will you be making an effort to learn about the treaties for the area you live in?
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or you’d like to connect to chat about this topic. I’d love to hear from you. I’m always available at [email protected].
Have a great day reader, I hope to see you again in a future post!