report - Winston Churchill Memorial Trust

The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust of Australia
Report by Dr Noritta Morseu-Diop
2011 Churchill Fellow
To Explore Indigenous-specific Healing Initiatives in Canada &
United States of America
Dr Noritta Morseu-Diop
Lecturer, School of Social Work and Human Services,
University of Queensland
I understand that the Churchill Trust may publish this Report, either in hard copy or on
the internet or both, and consent to such publication.
I indemnify the Churchill Trust against any loss, costs or damages it may suffer arising
out of any claim or proceedings made against the Trust in respect of or arising out of the
publication of any Report submitted to the Trust and which the Trust places on a
website for access over the internet.
I also warrant that my Final Report is original and does not infringe the copyright of any
person, or contain anything which is, or the incorporation of which into the Final Report
is, actionable for defamation, a breach of any privacy law or obligation, breach of
confidence, contempt of court, passing-off or contravention of any other private right or
of any law.
Signed: _________________________________________ Dated: 9th October, 2012
Dr Noritta Morseu-Diop
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Table of Contents
Declaration by author……………………………………………………………………………………………...1
Introductions & Acknowledgements ………………………………………………………………………4
Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................................6
The Ways of Believing – Words of Chief Luther Standing Bear ...…………………………………..7
Program: United States of America and Canada……………………………………………………...8
United States of America…………………………………………………………………………………………….8
Canada………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………9
Background: The Australian Context ……………………………………………………………………11
Project Description/Introduction: My Journey in North America…………………………….12
San Francisco, California, USA……………………………………………………………………………….16
Robert Owen Greygrass, Storyteller Da’White Dog Productions………….……………………...16
Vancouver Island, BC, Canada………………………………………………………………………………..17
Cate M’shkeegamin Pitawanakwat, Program Director…......………………………………………...18
The Victoria Native Friendship Centre………………………………………………………………………18
William Head Institution…………………………………………………………………………………………..19
The Big House………………………………………………………………………………………………………….21
The Royal British Columbia Museum………………………………………………………………………..23
Pacheedaht Reservation…………………………………………………………………………………………..24
Seattle, Washington State, USA: ……………………………………………………………………………25
Seattle University College of Arts and Science……………………………………………………………25
Tulalip Reservation and Shawn Middleton……………………………………………………………….26
Aunty Anna Hansen, Aboriginal Elder, Bainbridge Island…………………………………………..26
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada…………………………………………………………………………………..28
Esquao Awards………………………………………………………………………………………………………..28
Darlene Auger, Program Provider....………………………………………………………………………….29
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Stan Daniels Healing Centre…………………………………………………………………………………….32
Vicky Whalen, Aboriginal Elder......……………………………………………………………………………33
Nechi Training, Research and Health Promotions Institute………………………………………..34
Creating Hope Society of Alberta………………………………………………………………………………37
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Saskatchewan………………………………..38
Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA…………………………………………………...41
Dr Molly Tovar, Director, Kathryn Buder American Indian Studies Center………………….41
Bellport, Long Island, New York…………………………………………………………………………….42
Janine Tinsley-Roe, Executive Director, Shinnecock-Sewanaka Society……………………....43
DWI County Jail, Suffolk County, Long Island, New York…………………………………………….43
Poospatuck Reservation…………………………………………………………………………………………...44
Shinecock-Sewanaka Shamrock………………………………………………………………………………..45
Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, DC…………….45
Leah Osuntuyi, School Counsellor, Eleanor Roosevelt High, Maryland………………………..45
Lessons I have learnt……………………………………………………………………………………………..46
Recommendations…………………………………………………………………………………………………48
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..50
References……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..51
Table of Figures……………………………………………………………………………………………………..52
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Introduction & Acknowledgements
This report will summarise the findings of my Winston Churchill Fellowship research project
from the period of 10 May, 2012 to 21 July, 2012. I visited 11 cities and towns in Canada and
United States of America and explored the benefits of Indigenous-specific healing programs in
the First Nations communities. The key healing programs & Indigenous-specific initiatives
identified are;
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Da’White Dog Productions, Wellness Coaching and Storytelling, San Francisco
First Nations Healing Programs, Bainbridge Island, Seattle
Poundmakers Lodge Treatment Centre, Nechi Research and Health Promotions Institute, Alberta
Wîwîpˊson Indigenous Therapeutic Swing, Edmonton Canada
Oskiyak Awakening The Spirit, Nechi Institute
Stan Daniels Healing Centre, Edmonton
Native Counselling Services, Alberta
Sweat Lodge Healing, William Head Institution, Vancouver Island
Victoria Native Friendship Centre, Vancouver Island
Reclaiming and Restoring Aboriginal Families, Creating Hope Society, Edmonton
Positive Parenting Program for young Aboriginal women, Creating Hope Society Surrounded by
Cedar Child Safety Program
The Big House, Songhee Cultural Centre, Victoria, Vancouver Island.
Sundance Ceremonies, Alexis Reservation & Poundmakers Reservations
Acknowledgements: To the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, I wish to respectfully express my
utmost gratitude and thanks for believing in me and for your incredible support and kind generosity in
funding this project, Kari Nerkep Lam, Au Esoau [From my heart, a big thank you].
To the School of Social Work and Human Services, University of Queensland, & Professor Howard Karger,
Professor Jill Wilson & Dr Peter Westoby, I respectfully acknowledge and express my utmost thanks and
appreciation to you all for your immense support to this project, Kari Nerkep Lam, Au Esoau.
I wish to humbly honour and pay my respect to the First Nations Peoples, Ancestors, Elders and
Traditional Custodians of United States of America and Canada, without your guidance, words of wisdom,
generous hospitality and kindness the success of this project would not have been possible, Kari Nerkep
Lam Au Esoau [From my heart, a big thank you]. I wish to respectfully acknowledge;
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Mr Robert Greygrass and Carmel Waller of Da’White Dog Productions, Wellness coaching,
storytelling, Vallejo, San Francisco. Thank you so much Robert and Carmel for your kindness and
generous hospitality
Ms Cate M’shkeegamin Pitawanakwat of Victoria, Director, Victoria Native Friendship Centre,
Vancouver Island, British Colombia, Canada. Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity,
thank you for your time, driving me around and organising my visits, accommodation, and for
basically looking after me while I was there in Victoria, Kari Nerkep Lam Au Esoau.
Staff of Victoria Native Friendship Centre, Vancouver Island, BC Canada
Ms Laura Hynds of Victoria, thank you so much for opening your heart & home to me and for your
wonderful and generous hospitality, your kindness will never be forgotten Laura, Kari Nerkep Lam,
Au Esoau.
The Songhee Nation, Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada. To the Songhee People of Victoria,
thank you so much for making me feel welcomed at your gathering and for your generous
hospitality.
Mr Lloyd Haarala, Elder, National Aboriginal Advisory Committee, Canada Correctional
Service/Healing Program Provider, William Head Institution, Metochin, Vancouver Island, BC
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and knowledge with me Lloyd, it is greatly appreciated.
Mr Kim Rempel, staff and People in custody at the William Head Institution, Metochin, BC, thank
you so much Kim for showing me around the Centre and for organising my talk.
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Aunty Anna & Uncle Gary Hansen, Bainbridge Island, thank you for sharing your knowledge and
wisdom with me and for welcoming me into your home, it is greatly appreciated, Kari Nerkep Lam
Au Esoau.
Shawn Middleton & Annie & members of the Tulalip Reservation, Shawn, thank you for
sharing your knowledge and for driving me to the Tulalip Reservation, it is humbly and sincerely
appreciated. Thank you members of the Tulalip Reservation for welcoming me into your country,
Kari Nerkep Lam Au Esoau.
Dr Ted Fortier, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Department of Sociology, Seattle
University, Washington, USA, thank you for sharing your knowledge with me Ted, it is greatly
appreciated.
Dr Madeline Lovell, Associate Professor, Sociology and Social Work, Seattle University,
Washington, USA, thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge with me Madeline, it is
greatly appreciated.
Darlene Auger, Cree Nation, Wholistic Practitioner / Facilitator, Wîwîpˊson Indigenous
Therapeutic Swing, Edmonton Canada. Darlene, my sister, words can’t describe the gratitude I feel
for your immense support to me, for providing a shelter for me, being my driver and simply taking
care of me while I was there in Edmonton, Kari Nerkep Lam, Au Esoau. Thank you so much Fawn
for welcoming me into your home.
Dr Maggie Hodgson, Carrier Nation Elder, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Thank you so much
Maggie for your guidance and words of wisdom, Kari Nerkep Lam, Au Esoau.
Nechi Institute Healing & Treatment Center, & Dr Josie Auger, Chief Executive Officer, Nechi
Institute, Edmonton, Canada. Thank you so much Josie and the Staff of Nechi, I am so humbled to
have walked amongst you all, thank you so much for your welcoming hospitality and generosity,
Kari Nerkep Lam, Au Esoau.
Elder Dave Belleau, Healer, Program Provider, Poundmakers Lodge Treatment Centre, Nechi
Institute, Thank you Dave so much for sharing your knowledge and words of wisdom with me and
for making me feel welcome in your country, it is sincerely appreciated.
Elder Vicky Whalen, Stan Daniels Healing Centre, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Thank you so
much Vicky for all of your support and for welcoming me into Stan Daniels Healing Centre, It is
greatly appreciated.
Brenda St. Germain, Mellow Star Consulting, Thank you so much Brenda for taking the time out
of your busy schedule to take me to Stan Daniels Healing Centre, your support is gratefully
appreciated.
Staff of Stan Daniels Healing Centre, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Bernadette Iahtail, Creating Hope Society, Edmonton, Canada, I honour your work Sister.
Members of the Alexis Reservation and Stony Nation, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Suzanne McLeod, Thank you so much Suzanne for your kind hospitality & for welcoming me into
your home, it is sincerely appreciated and thanks so much for the Eagle feather.
Facilitators, Commissioners and Residential School Survivors at the Truth & Reconciliation
Commission Hearings, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Elder Campbell Papequash, Author/Residential School Survivor, Norquay, Saskatchewan, it was
such an honour and a privilege to meet you. Thank you so much for giving me your book, ‘The
Yearning Journey…” Kari Nerkep Lam, Au Esoau.
Dr Molly Tovar, Kathryn Buder American Indian Studies, George Warren Brown School of Social
Work, Washington University. Thank you so much Molly for your support and words of wisdom, it
is greatly appreciated.
Ms Janine Tinsley-Roe, Shinnecock, Sewanaka, Poospatuck Nation, Long Island, New York, Sister
Janine, thank you so much for generosity and kindness and for welcoming me into your home, it is
greatly appreciated, Kari Nerkep Lam, Au Esoau.
Members of the Shinnecock Nation & Poospatuck Reservation, Long Island, New York.
Staff and People in custody at the DWI County Jail, Long Island, New York.
Due to the limitation of this report I am unable to name everyone; to those people, I express my
utmost thanks and acknowledge your input into this project, Kari Nerkep Lam, Au esoau.
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Executive Summary
Dr Noritta Morseu-Diop,
Lecturer, School of Social Work and Human Services,
University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD. 4072, Australia
Telephone: 617 3365 1841 or 0459 508 460 / Email: [email protected]
The aim of my project was to examine the benefits of culturally appropriate healing and rehabilitation
programs within the Correctional Facilities and grassroots Indigenous Communities in Canada and the
United States of America. To learn from and collaborate with Indigenous Healers and Program Providers
who are delivering culturally-specific healing programs within the Correctional Centres and also within
the grassroots communities. In the United States of America, I travelled across 7 states [California,
Washington State, Missouri, Illinois, Washington DC, New York and Maryland] from the west coast to the
east coast. I walked with, observed and listened to the stories of Indigenous healers, storytellers,
community workers, social workers, custodial officers and academics from San Francisco, Seattle, St.
Louis, Baltimore, Washington DC and New York and visited the Native American Reservations such as the
Tulalip Reservation in Seattle and the Poospatuck Reservation in New York. In New York, DWI County
Jail, I presented to approximately 30 incarcerated people about my life story, my work and my Winston
Churchill project in the United States of America.
In Canada, I observed and learned from the works of Indigenous counsellors, healers and program
providers in Alberta, Edmonton in Canada, namely at the Nechi Institute of Training, Research and Health
Promotion and the Stan Daniels Healing Centre and Aboriginal social workers in Saskatchewan. I was
invited to participate as a dignitary in the grand entry at the Nechi Journey of the Spirit Honouring our
2011-12 Graduates Ceremony.
I presented a 2 hour presentation to approximately 50 staff and
incarcerated people at the William Head Institution in Vancouver Island, British Colombia, Canada. In
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, I was invited to be an Honorary Witness at the fourth National Event of the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, “For the child taken, For the parent left behind”. I also
visited the Pacheedaht, Alexis, Poundmakers and Blackfoot Reservations.
Major Lessons & Conclusions
The First Nations Peoples of Canada and the United States of America have practiced traditional and
holistic healing methods to address the social, cultural, spiritual and emotional well-being of their people
for decades. They have established their own Indigenous-specific healing & treatment centres and
correctional facilities. Their service delivery utilises traditional medicines and ceremonies based on the
ancient philosophies, lores and knowledge handed down by their ancestors. Learning from them will not
only assist in enhancing our own Indigenous-specific intiatives here in Australia, it will provide an avenue
for further networking, sharing and knowledge exchange globally.
Dissemination, and Implementation:
It is envisaged that the findings and information gathered from my Winston Churchill project will assist in
highlighting the importance of utilising Indigenous Knowledge Systems when dealing with incarcerated
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in custody. It will assist our goal and vision to develop and
implement more Indigenous-specific healing programs in prison and in the community. This approach
targets the spiritual, cultural, social, psychological and emotional health and well-being of individuals,
families and communities.
The knowledge and skills gathered from the project will contribute directly to addressing the gross overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the criminal justice system. It will assist
in incorporating a culture-as-rehabilitation and healing-in-justice approach in terms of prevention and
diversion from the criminal justice system thereby, creating safer and whole communities. Furthermore,
it is envisaged that the knowledge learnt from this project will assist in the establishment of an
Indigenous Wellness Centre to assist in the holistic healing of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
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To honour the First Nations Peoples of North America I will begin the next section by
sharing the words of Chief Luther Standing Bear – Teton Sioux;
The Ways of Believing
From Wakan Tanka, the Great Spirit, there came a great unifying life force that flowed in and
through all things – the flowers of the plains, blowing winds, rocks, trees, birds, animals – and was
the same force that had been breathed into the first man. Thus all things were kindred, and were
brought together by the same Great Mystery.
Kinship with all creatures of the earth, sky, and water was a real and active principle. In the
animal and bird world there existed a brotherly feeling that kept the Lakota safe among them.
And so close did some of the Lakotas come to their feathered and furred friends that in true
brotherhood they spoke a common tongue.
The animals had rights – the right of man’s protection, the right to live, the right to multiply, the
right to freedom, and the right to man’s indebtedness – and in recognition of these rights the
Lakota never enslaved an animal, and spared all life that was not needed for food and clothing.
This concept of life and its relations was humanizing, and gave to the Lakota an abiding love. It
filled his being with the joy and mystery of living; it gave him reverence for all life; it made a place
for all things in the scheme of existence with equal importance to all.
The Lakota could despise no creature, for all were of one blood, made by the same hand, and filled
with the essence of the Great Mystery. In spirit, the Lakota were humble and meek. “Blessed are
the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” – this was true for the Lakota, and from the earth they
inherited secrets long since forgotten. Their religion was sane, natural, and human (Nerburn &
Mengelkoch, 1991:43-44).
Figure 1. Location: Fire Island, New York, Photographer – N.Morseu-Diop, July 2012
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Program: United States of America and Canada
Great Spirit – I want no blood upon my land to stain the grass. I want it all clear and pure, and I
wish it so, that all who go through among my people may find it peaceful when they come, and leave
peacefully when they go (Ten Bears, Yamparika Comanche cited in Nerburn and Mengelkoch, 1991).
My research project extended over a period of 10 weeks from the 10th of May, 2012 to
the 21st of July, 2012. It is important to point out that although my Winston Churchill
research journey began in San Francisco, USA, I travelled back and forth between United
States of America and Canada and visited 7 States and 3 Provinces throughout the 10
weeks. Listed below are the key organisations and people that I collaborated, liaised
and network with during my research journey in North America, also called Turtle
Island by many Indigenous Nations.
United States of America
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Mr Robert Greygrass, Healer/Storyteller Da’White Dog Productions, Wellness coaching,
storytelling, Vallejo, San Francisco.
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Mrs Anna Hansen, Therapist, Future Focus Counselling and Consulting / Trainer,
Teacher / Psychologist, Bainbridge Island, Seattle
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Mr Shawn Middleton, Social Worker/Community Worker, Seattle
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Elders and members of the Tulalip Reservation
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Associate Professor Ted Fortier, Anthropology and Department of Sociology, Seattle
University
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Associate Professor Madeline Lovell, Sociology and Social Work, Seattle University
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Clinical Professor Mary Kay Brennan, Director, Social Work Program, College of Arts and
Sciences, Seattle University
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Associate Professor Charlotte Coté, American Indian Studies, University of Washington,
Seattle
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Marlla Mhoon, Council Member, City of Covington, Washington State.
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Bernie Hall, African American community member, Seattle
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Laura Gonzales, Criminal Justice Social Worker, Seattle, Washington State
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Dr Margo Smith, Director and Curator, The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection,
University of Virginia [collaboration in Seattle].
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Dr Molly Tovar, Director, Kathryn Buder American Indian Studies Center, George
Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University, St. Louis
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Staff and students of the Kathryn Buder American Indian Studies Center, George Warren
Brown School of Social Work, Washington University, St. Louis
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Ms Janine Tinsley-Roe, Psychologist/Program Provider, Shinnecock & Poospatuck
Nation, Long Island, New York
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Elders, Aunty Martha and Uncle James Tinsley, Shinnecock Nation, Long Island, New
York
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Uncle Leroy, Elder Shinnecock Nation, Long Island, New York
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Members of the Poospatuck Reservation, Long Island, New York
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Travis and Kerwin, Seneca Nation
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Staff and People in custody at the DWI County Jail, Long Island, New York
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Ms Leah Osuntuyi, Torres Strait Islander Social Worker/School Counsellor, Eleanor
Roosevelt High School, Greenbelt / Bowie, Maryland
Canada
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Mr Lloyd Haarala, Elder, National Aboriginal Advisory Committee, Correctional Service /
Healing Program Provider, William Head Institution, Vancouver Island, British
Columbia, Canada
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Mr Kim Rempel, Librarian, William Head Institution, Vancouver Island, British Columbia,
Canada
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Mr James Henry, Person in Custody, William Head Institution, Vancouver Island, British
Columbia, Canada
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Staff and People in Custody, William Head Institution, Vancouver Island, British
Columbia, Canada
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Ms Cate M’shkeegamin Pitawanakwat of Victoria, Director, Victoria Native Friendship
Centre, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
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Staff and Students of Victoria Native Friendship Centre, Vancouver Island, British
Columbia, Canada
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Mickey Cook, Elder/Addictions Counsellor, Victoria Native Friendship Centre,
Vancouver Island, BC
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Barb Sylvester, Aboriginal Health Outreach Worker, Victoria Native Friendship Centre,
Vancouver Island, BC
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Ms Laura Hynds, Artisan/Horse Whisperer, Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
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Darlene Auger, Cree Nation, Wholistic Practitioner/Facilitator, Wîwîpˊson Indigenous
Therapeutic Swing, Edmonton Canada.
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Dr Maggie Hodgson, Carrier Nation Elder, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Nechi Training, Research and Health Promotions Institute & Poundmakers Lodge
Treatment Centre, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Dr Josie Auger, Chief Executive Officer, Nechi Training, Research and Health Promotions
Institute, Edmonton, Alberta
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Mr Dave Belleau, Healer, Program Provider, Poundmakers Lodge Treatment Centre,
Nechi Training, Research and Health Promotions Institute, Edmonton, Alberta
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Ms Vicky Whalen, Elder/Healer, Stan Daniels Healing Centre, Edmonton, Alberta
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Ms Sharon Baptise, Life Skills Trainer/Instructor/Program Provider, Nechi Training,
Research and Health Promotions Institute, Edmonton, Alberta
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Staff of Stan Daniels Healing Centre, Edmonton, Alberta
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Creating Hope Society, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Ms Bernadette Iahtail, Executive Director & Founder, Creating Hope Society, Edmonton,
Alberta, Canada
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Members of the Alexis Reservation and Stony Nation, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Members of the Pacheedaht, Poundmakers and Blackfoot Reservation
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Suzanne McLeod, Anishinabeikwe, Mental Health Coordinator, Siksika Health Services &
University of Calgary, Consultant, Aboriginal Interests, Health, Education, Human Rights,
Culture.
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Facilitators, Commissioners and Residential School Survivors at the Truth &
Reconciliation Commission Hearings, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Raven Sinclair, Aboriginal Social Worker, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Elder Campbell Papequash, Author/Residential School Survivor, Norquay,
Saskatchewan, Canada
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Mr Bob Pringle, Children’s Advocate, Children’s Advocate Office, Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan.
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Bernadene Harper, Onion Lake Health, Saskatchewan,
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Karen Schofield, First Nations community member, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
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Background: The Australian Context
In order to understand the reason why I chose North America for my Winston Churchill
research project, it is important to bring to light some of the core social, emotional and
political issues impacting on the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in
Australia.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are Australia’s most
disadvantaged people. They are a disenfranchised group of people who are underrepresented in decision-making positions, particularly in terms of autonomy,
sovereignty and self-determination as First Nations people. Furthermore, the ongoing
impact of colonialism both past and present have resulted in widespread unresolved
and intergenerational trauma, loss and grief. Many people are experiencing what could
be described as ‘soul wounding’; their spirits have been broken (Morseu-Diop, 2010).
In addition, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are over-represented in the
mental health sector and suffer from multiple mental health problems and mental
illness due to past and present government policies (Purdie, Dudgeon & Walker,
2010). These policies have impoverished and dispossessed Indigenous Australians
from their lands and homelands causing widespread cultural disruption &
intergenerational mental health problems. All of which has brought a vast majority of
Indigenous Australians into the mental health systems both in the hospitals, prisons and
community health services throughout Australia.
There has been an outcry within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
across Australia for the need to implement more healing initiatives to address the social,
emotional, psychological, spiritual and cultural needs of individuals, families and
communities. However, current government initiatives have taken a more “ambulance
at the bottom of the cliff” approach; primarily targeting the symptoms rather than
addressing the cause. As noted above, this has resulted in widespread social
disadvantage and psychological problems within the Indigenous Australian
communities and another major issue is the over-representation of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples within the criminal justice system.
Despite the 339 Royal Commission Recommendations into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
in 1991, the endemic recidivism rates, continual deaths in custody and the gross overrepresentation of Indigenous people in the adult prisons and youth prisons throughout
Australia continues to be a major concern today (Morseu-Diop, 2010). In some
Queensland prisons, 50 to 80% of people in custody are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander descent and up to 60% of the young people in the Brisbane Youth Detention
Centre are Indigenous and most if not all of these children will have a parent,
grandparent, sibling, cousin, aunt or uncle in the adult prisons (Morseu-Diop, 2010).
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The findings of my 2010 PhD research advocated for the implementation of more
Indigenous-specific healing programs to assist in the rehabilitation, reintegration and
restoration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who come out of custody and
for those in prison and for those who come before the criminal justice system. The
utilisation of ‘culture-as-rehabilition’ to address the gross over-incarceration and
recividism of Indigenous people is the key to bringing healing into the criminal justice
system.
My role as a social worker in the field is to advocate for and to assist the disadvantage
with empathy and compassion and to stand against social injustices in all its forms as
proposed by our Australian Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics,
(2010). Therefore it is imperative for me to continue to learn about ways in which to
enhance the work that I am doing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients
particularly in the field of social, emotional, psychological, spiritual and cultural healing
and well-being. The development and implementation of Indigenous-specific mediums
for healing individuals, families and whole communities is pivotal. It is from this
standpoint that I begin my journey in Turtle Island/North America.
Project Description/Introduction: My Journey in North America - 10th of May to 21st
of July, 2012
During my 10 weeks journey in North America, I kept a daily journal, took hundreds of
photographs of individuals, groups, organisations and places. I also video-taped
cultural events and activities. In saying this, I would like to point out that due to the
limitations of this report, I will only share those pictures and journal entries that
directly relate to the particular events and stories documented in my report.
As noted above, I walked with, observed and listened to the stories of Indigenous
healers, storytellers, Elders, Chiefs, community workers, social workers, custodial
officers, librarians, anthropologists, psychologists and academics. My purpose was to
examine the effectiveness of Indigenous-specific healing programs which addresses the
intergenerational issues of loss, grief, trauma and healing. I was also interested in
programs that addressed issues of self-esteem, self-awareness and social, emotional,
physical, psychological and cultural well-being/wellness.
The towns and cities I visited in the United States of America were San Francisco,
Seattle, St. Louis, Collinsville, Baltimore, Bowie, Washington DC, Long Island and New
York City. At the Tulalip Reservation in Seattle, it was such an honour and a privilege to
be invited to attend a Pow Wow [traditional dance ceremony] involving people from all
age groups displaying their colourful regalia whilst dancing to the beat of their
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traditional drums and by the sound of songs from ancient times. In Long Island, New
York, it was a humbling learning experience to walk the streets of the Poospatuck
Reservation to raise some funds for the Shinnecock Nation’s initiative to establish a
Cultural Centre. In Canada, the towns and cities that I visited were Vancouver Island,
Alberta, Calgary and Saskatoon. My research journey in Canada also took me into
Aboriginal Reservations such as the Patcheedaht Reservation, Alexis Reservation, The
Poundmakers Reservation and, Blackfoot Reservation.
My gatekeepers or contacts in the United States of America and Canada, wholeheartedly
welcomed me and introduced me to their peers and colleagues. They also organised
meetings for me with key individuals, and organisations within the First Nations
communities in USA and Canada, hence, my connections and networks expanded. In 10
weeks, I was able to establish respectful partnerships and networks with numerous
individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds and Nations.
In my doctoral thesis I call this process ‘Webbing’, as outlined;
“Webbing is about the intricate nature, the scope, the breadth and the depth of building
relationships with individuals, families and groups within community. A major component
of building relationships not only involves gaining respect and entry into a community … it
is also about being ‘invited’ to enter into the lives of individuals and families within that
community” (Morseu-Diop, 2010:98,99).
Figure 2. Photographer: Noritta Morseu-Diop, cited in (Morseu-Diop, 2010:98)
Firstly, I would like to point out that although, the amount of time spent with each
person, people or organisations varied from a few hours to a whole day or two to three
weeks, the information that I received and the lessons learnt from each informants were
of great significance. Secondly, this new knowledge not only assisted in raising an
awareness about the core issues impacting on the day to day lives of First Nations
Peoples and it also guided my Winston Churchill research project and steered me in the
right direction.
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Thirdly, a core element of learning was the awareness that although there are many
similarities amongst the First Nations Peoples of the United States of America and
Canada, there are vast differences also in terms of the different languages, customary
and spiritual practices and ways of being. Therefore, the learning that I will share in
this report will be from the voices of those individuals and communities that I visited
and communicated with only.
It is important to reiterate that the many lessons learnt from my Winston Churchill
project in North America, barely ‘scratched the surface’. The healing practices and
worldviews of First Nations People from the west coast, the Midwest and to the east
coast of North America, could not be learnt or achieved in 10 weeks, nor accomplished
in my lifetime. There is so much more to learn in terms of the historical context, the
current socio-political situation, societal norms, spiritual beliefs, traditional and cultural
ideologies and the Indigenous worldviews of the First Nations Peoples. In saying this, I
am extremely grateful for and humbly acknowledge the tremendous value, significance
and essence of the knowledge and teachings that I did receive whilst walking with and
listening to the stories of Indigenous Peoples in the United States of America and
Canada.
Every time elders talk, they tell us we were given responsibility to look after Mother Earth. That’s
our job, the Anishinaabe people (Mark Thompson, 2000, cited in the Smithsonian, Native American
Museum, Washington, DC, 2012)
Anishanaabe Universe
Figure 3.1 & 3.2. Source: Smithsonian Native American Museum, Washington DC, July 2012
The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada and the Native American People’s way of being is
deeply rooted in spirituality and based on the philosophy of respect for Mother Earth
and all living things which includes the trees that many refer to as ‘standing people’, the
mountains, rivers, animals, streams and winds.
14
Another example of this can be seen in the ‘Anishanaabe Universe’ depicted above;
Anishanaabe People embrace the Seven Teachings which were gifts from the Seven
Grandfathers. These teachings were centred on the moral philosophies of ‘honesty,
love, courage, truth, wisdom, humility and respect and is represented by a different
animal’, as seen in this statement,
“The animals that represent the seven teachings are spiritual animals. We can look on
Earth at the habits of the wolf or the bear and get our teachings and learn from them. But
when we talk about the wolf giving us humility, it’s not really the animal, the wolf. It’s the
spirit animal, the wolf (Wilson Scott, 2000, cited in the Smithsonian Native American
Museum, Washington DC, 2012)
For the Anishanaabe Nation, the adherence to these teachings leads to “a path of
physical, emotional and spiritual well-being”(Gary Raven, 2000, cited in the
Smithsonian Native American museum, Washington DC, 2012).
Native healing modalities can also be seen in the medicine wheel or medicine circle
(Phillips, 2003), the medicine wheel symbolises their philosophy for healing: the four
directions; north, south, east and west and the four races of the human family; red,
white, black and yellow and the four parts of our being; spiritual, emotional, physical
and mental well-being (Darlene Auger, Cree Nation, personal communication,
Edmonton, June, 2012). The medicine circle dates back to ancient times and has been
adapted for “contemporary Native wellness … in Canada and the United States”
(Phillips, 2003). Allan Jacob, (cited in Phillips, 2003:141) describes the medicine circle
like this,
The medicine circle contains many layers including the four directions – north, south, east
and west; the four sacred healing herbs – sage, cedar, sweetgrass and tobacco; and the
four parts of our being – the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual. There are many
more levels to the wheel, but that is basically what it is. It means that when we are well, all
four areas of our being are in balance…
Lakota Universe
Figure 4.1 & 4.2. Source: Smithsonian, Native American Museum, Washington DC, July 2012
15
Hence, the medicine wheel is highly significant to Indigenous healing and encapsulates
wholeness of body, mind, soul and spirit. It is a traditional symbol for wellness and
healing and guides Native intervention strategies and healing programs in USA and
Canada. As noted previously, the Indigenous Nations of North America have practiced
holistic healing modalities since time immemorial.
These healings modalities have been practiced through their traditional ceremonies
accompanied by songs, stories, dances, incantations, prayers and fasting with the
utilisation of medicinal plants and herbs. There are four main plant medicines that First
Nations people use in their in healing ceremonies, these are sage, sweetgrass, tobacco
and cedar.
Some of their traditional ceremonies include the smoking of the peace pipe, sweat
lodges, burning of the sweetgrass and smudging of the sage plant and prayers, fasting,
dances and vision quests. The Sun Dance Ceremony is an important religious ceremony
that is practiced in both USA and Canada. The Sun Dance ceremonies varies across the
different Nations, each group have their own lores, customs, protocols and practices
during the Sun Dance. An example of a Sun Dance ceremony will be presented later in
my journal entry from my visit in Edmonton, Alberta dated Sunday, 10 June, 2012.
San Francisco, California - 10th May – 15th May, 2012
Da’White Dog Productions: In 1998, Robert Greygrass was invited by our healing
group as a guest speaker to present at our “Stories and Songs of the People, Indigenous
Voices of the Land” conference in Brisbane. It was at the Origins First Nations
Conference in London last year, that I met Robert again after 14 years. He was still
“walking the good red road” and sharing the healing stories of his Ancestors” and
bringing hope and inspiration globally to people from all walks of life.
So, this is why I went to San Francisco to spend some time with Robert Greygrass,
Lakota Nation and learn about his work as the Director of the Da’White Dog
Productions. Robert is a dynamic storyteller, actor, Sun Dancer, Wellness Life Coach,
cedar flute player, singer and runs a wellness program in the 4 prisons in Oregon and 3
prisons in Washington. He raises awareness about the plight of Native American people
since colonisation. He spoke about the ‘blood quantum system’ utilised by the American
government to classify Native people’s identity.
My visit with Robert, his partner Carmel who is originally from Mexico and their family
was a wonderful learning experience. It was fascinating to sit with them and to share
stories as Indigenous Peoples of North America and Australia. I was able to see and hear
firsthand our similar stories of struggles, challenges and triumphs as dispossessed and
colonised peoples. It was also very interesting to hear Carmel’s story as an Indigenous
16
person from Mexico whose lands and homelands were colonised by the Spanish. When
I arrived in San Francisco, Robert was in Omaha, so I waited for a couple of days before
seeing him, here is an excerpt from my journal;
Journal Entry – San Francisco
Saturday, 12th, May 12 - Robert is back from Omaha, I was invited for dinner/barbeque with Robert’s family at
Vallejo today. I spent time with the family talking about the social issues in the Native American communities
and his work, using his stories and songs as medicines for healing. He also shared his experiences about the
impact of government policies, blood quantum and how Natives identify themselves. I also shared with them
about the situation for my people in Australia. … I had long discussions with them in the morning and also with
Terry. Terry’s people are Karok, they are related to the Yurok people of the California area. … Robert also
presented me with two of his CDs about his program as a Life Coach titled “Whole Self Wellness: Inspirations for
your Physical, Intellectual, Emotional and Spiritual Health”.
Vancouver Island, British Columbia – 16th May to 24th May, 2012
Vancouver Island in British Columbia is the traditional territory of the
Kwakwaka’wakw, Nuu-chah-nulth and Coast Salish Nations. It is also the home of many
other First Nations people (Cate M’shkeegamin Pitawanakwat, personal
communication, October, 2012).
I met First Nations People from diverse backgrounds and it was fascinating to hear and
learn about their stories. Some of these Nations are Chemainus, Comox, Cowichan,
Esquimalt, Saanich, Snuneymuxw and Huu-ay-aht. The Huu-ay-aht First Nations
Peoples are a part of the larger, Nuu-chah-nulth speaking people of western Vancouver
Island (Bridge, 2004).
Barkley Sound lies south of Ucluelet and north of Bamfield on the west coast of
Vancouver Island and extends across approximately 800 square kilometres and
includes many tiny islands, so small, they are no bigger than 2 kilometres across.
Barkley Sound is the home of the Huu-ay-aht First Nations People and many other tribes
including the Toquaht, the Tseshaht, the Ucluelet, the Uchucklesaht, and the Hupacasath
(Bridge, 2004).
I arrived in Vancouver Island, around 12am in the morning and my friend Cate
M’shkeegamin Pitawanakwat picked me up from the airport and took me to the home of
her friend Laura Hynds who kindly offered to accommodate me while I was in Victoria.
Laura is an Anishaanabe woman, but has basically grown up in Victoria. She is an
artisan and horse whisperer, and lives with her daughter Rowan, three cats, two birds,
two frogs, a rat and a rabbit, so staying at her place was very interesting. Whilst there, I
assisted in caring for her animals when she was away on the farm with the horses.
17
Cate M’shkeegamin Pitawanakwat: Cate is an Anishaanabe/Ojibwe woman originally
from the Great Lakes / Wikwemikong Unceded Territory in Ontario. She currently
resides in Victoria, Vancouver Island and was my ‘gatekeeper’ into Victoria and
Metochin. Cate was instrumental in the success of my project in Vancouver Island.
Retrospectively, I met Cate in 2009 when I was a PhD student at the University of
Queensland in Brisbane and she was an International student studying abroad. As an
Aboriginal woman from Canada, Cate was invited by the Director of the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit at that time to utilise the resources of the unit whilst
studying at the University of Queensland. It was during this time, that I met Cate and
kept in contact with her over the next couple of years.
The Victoria Native Friendship Centre: Cate Pitawanakwat is the Director of the
Career, Employment & Education Resources Division at the Victoria Native Friendship
Centre in Victoria.
Figure 5.1 & 5.2. Location: Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, Photographer: N.Morseu-Diop & Cate Pitawanakwat, May 2012
The Victoria Native Friendship Centre in Victoria is one of the largest Indigenousspecific community centres in Victoria. It proactively engages with the local grassroots
community and provides a variety of programs which caters for the diverse needs of
Aboriginal community members. Some of these programs are;






Aboriginal Early Intervention Team, At Risk Youth & Families
Awakening The Warrior Within, Career, Employment & Education Resources [CEER]
Culture & Community Relations, Elders, Family Services, Health Services,
Little Paws Preschool, Slaheena & Aboriginal Parenting
Victoria Youth Custody Centre, Youth Department
Wellness Clinic, EAGLE Project – [Exploring & Acknowledging Guidance & Leadership through
Employment]
I visited this centre with Cate who shared with me about the success of their youth
programs including the ‘Surrounded by Cedar” Program and the EAGLE Project. I also
met students and staff members, and attended a graduation ceremony to honour the
young people who completed the EAGLE project’s traineeships, where the students
18
carved a large totem pole, which was erected at the front of the Centre. I felt very
humbled and honoured to be invited to participate in this event.
William Head Institution: The William Head Institution is a low security centre and is
situated at the southern tip of Vancouver Island in a place called Metchosin in British
Columbia. The institution was opened in 1959 and although it has the capacity for
housing up to 140 people, there are currently 94 people in custody at William Head and
there are 101 staff members. There are four groups of four duplexes that have the
capacity to house five people.
One of the employees that I went specifically to meet was Mr Lloyd Haarala, it was an
honour and privilege to meet Lloyd, who is a respected elder and member of the
National Aboriginal Advisory Committee in the Canada Correctional Services. At
William Head Institution Lloyd conducts Aboriginal Healing Programs.
A significant healing program conducted by Lloyd is the sweat lodge ceremony. The
sweat lodge is a place for spiritual refuge and for seeking answers and guidance from
Creator and Mother Earth. It is a place for spiritual, mental and physical healing. The
entrance to the Sweat Lodge usually faces to the east. The Sweat Lodge ceremony and
rituals involves the offering of tobacco and the smudging/burning of sage, sweetgrass or
cedar as a part of ritual cleansing and prayers.
Figure 6.1 & 6.2. William Head Institution, Metchosin, Vancouver Island, May,2012
Being a former employee of the William Head Institutions, it was Cate who consulted
with Mr Lloyd Haarala and organised my visit to the William Head Institution in
Metchosin, Vancouver Island, as seen in my following journal account;
19
Journal entry – Metchosin, Vancouver Island
Wednesday, 17th May 2012 - Today, Cate took me to the William Head Institution. On the way, we stopped at
Goldstream Provincial Park. Cate wanted to show me the creek/stream where the salmon come to spawn. She
explained the story of the significance of the salmon to the people of this area and in many parts of Canada. We
then went to the William Head where I met Kim Rempel, the librarian and Lloyd Haarala, the program provider.
Lloyd runs the healing programs with the men, he brings them back to the old ways, he does sweat lodges also
with the men. Kim gave Cate and I a tour of the prison and shared the history and showed us old photos of the
prison when it was a quarantine station including the nearby islands for people with leprosy. William Head is like
a prison farm like Numinbah prison, the men live in self-contained units they call ‘huts’, they do carving and make
jewellery and other woodwork, lead lighting etc. The prison farm sits on the sea point overlooking the bay, very
picturesque. Many of the inmates are lifers; some have been incarcerated for over 30 years and will probably
never be released. I was taken to a big round room in the Salmon House where we all sat in a circle to give my
talk. I started off by singing a blessing song to acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Ancestors of the land
that we were meeting on. I then spoke to the staff and inmates about the situation in the prisons and criminal
justice system in Australia and the reason for my Winston Churchill Project in North America. I started off with
the history of colonisation and its impact on our family, social and cultural systems. I spoke about the disruption
to our roles as men and women and the unresolved and intergenerational loss, grief and trauma from the impact
of colonisation and the need for more culturally sensitive prison programs. My talk went for about two hours with
another hour for questions from the floor. The feedback I received from inmates and staff was very positive. …
Figure 7. Presentation Flyer at William Head
20
The Big House: The First Nations Peoples and traditional custodians of the Victoria
area are the Coast Salish People of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations. On my first day
in Victoria, Cate’s friend Laura Hynds spent the day with me and showed me around the
business district of Victoria. During our walk Laura explained at length, the historical
aspects of Victoria; the local Indigenous and non-Indigenous history. Along the way
Laura introduced me to many Native people including elders selling their wares along
the pier at Inner Harbour. Many of them were pleasantly surprised to meet an
Indigenous Australian.
Having lived in Victoria for many years, Laura knew many of the local Native people and
it was clear to see that she was respected by them and had a good rapport and had
established meaningful relationships with them.
Laura also pointed out and explained the meaning behind some of the historical land
marks and the traditional totem poles. As noted above, this was my first day in Victoria
and although, I found the information about the local history very fascinating, thoughtprovoking and informative, it was also very overwhelming.
It was basically too much information for my mind to process all at once, but it all
became clearer and started to make sense when Cate arranged for me to visit the Big
House with the Songhee Nation in downtown Victoria depicted below;
Figure 8.1 & 8.2. Location: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada – Photographer: N. Morseu-Diop, May 2012
21
I spent the whole day in the Big House with the First Nations People, as outlined in my
journal entry;
Journal entry – Victoria, Vancouver Island
Friday, 18th of May, 2012 - Cate took me down to the Big House, the traditional meeting house of the local
Indigenous people. … The Big House reminded me of the Māori Marae, but there are vast differences. It has a
big open space in the middle with seats around the sides and a dirt floor, where they have brought the earth from
Nations around Canada, so everyone will have a place in the Big House.
There is an open fire that is kept alight throughout the whole ceremonies by Fire keepers who are men, usually
young men. There is a square smoke hole at the roof to let the smoke through. Elders, men and women and
young people give speeches about life’s meaning and lessons for the youth and wisdom of the elderly. There is
song and dance and afterwards, feasting where the table is laden with food, such as fry bread and salmon, salad
and drinks. The leftover food is then shared equally amongst all who came so that nothing is wasted and it
keeps with their tradition of caring and sharing. I learnt sooo much today.
I sat down with an elder called Melba, she is non-Native, but is married to a Native, and has been involved in
their ceremonies for a long time and has a good understanding of their culture. Another lady called Linda, sat on
the seat below us and also shared with me. Melba shared her blankets with me, cause it was pretty cold that
day and I didn’t have a blanket. Cate introduced me to some of the workers and I also went up at the beginning
and introduced myself to the elders, the chiefs and the women elders who were all happy for me to sit in and
participate. They also acknowledged me at the beginning of their speeches and invited me to come and dish out
my food first when the food was being dished out for the elders and children. It was such a huge honour and
very humbling ….
They danced their dances and sang their songs and celebrated the stories and songs handed down from their
Ancestors. It was such a privilege and inspiring to observe their connection with their land, animals, mother
earth, the four winds. They have a symbol depicting the colours of the four people of the planet, the Red, Black,
Yellow and White. At the beginning of the ceremony, the chief’s little son came dressed in his traditional clothes,
through the beating of the drum, which is carved to honour the Sisu, the two headed serpent and songs by the
chief and the other men, the little boy danced around the fire anti-clockwise, following the path of the sun and
scattered eagle down feathers to cleanse the space where we were gathered. I am so privilege to have been a
part of this today.
Figure 9.1 & 9.2. Location: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada – Photographer: N. Morseu-Diop, May 2012
22
The Royal British Columbia Museum: On Saturday, 19th May, 2012, Cate organised for
me to visit the Royal British Columbia Museum. I went on a tour of the museum with
Leslie McGarry, the great granddaughter of Chief Kwakwabalasami, Jonathan Hunt, a
Kwakwaka’wakw chief from Tsaxis (Fort Rupert). At each exhibits, Leslie told the
stories of her people and explained about their traditional way of life before
colonisation. A significant part of the tour was when Leslie took us to the Big House, the
ceremonial/traditional house of her great grandfather, Chief Kwakwabalasami which is
displayed at the museum. Leslie’s family are the ‘keepers’ of the Big House; her family
maintains the ceremonial rights to the Big House. The photograph below shows the
inside of the Big House;
Figure 10.1 & 10.2. Source: Royal British Museum of Columbia, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
My time spent with Leslie and her husband Michael at the museum and listening to her
stories, helped me understand the ceremony at the Big House that I attended the day
before, I was extremely grateful for this valuable lesson. The ceremonies at the Big
House are greatly significant to their sense of cultural, spiritual, social and emotional
wholeness and well-being. Leslie also explained about the significance of ‘totems’ in the
lives of First Nations Peoples;
Figure 11.1 & 11.2. Location: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, Photographer: N. Morseu-Diop
23
One thing that I learnt from Leslie McGarry is about the use of the word ‘totem’, the
name ‘totem’ is not the correct term. An explanation is presented by Dr. Martha Black,
Curator of Ethnology, at the Royal British Columbia Museum;
Totem pole is a commonly used but deceptive term. These monumental carvings are not
totems; they are concrete manifestations of the owner’s family histories and rights. The
images displayed are crest figures, many of which represent supernatural beings, or
ancestors who encountered supernatural beings, from whom hereditary rights and
privileges were obtained. These rights include lands, resources, house designs, images,
names and ceremonies, including the songs, masks, dances and regalia that are shown in
the ceremonies. Poles proclaim and validate a person’s lineage and importance. There are
several different kinds of poles. … Each language group and community has its own
stylistic and oral traditions; working within those strict traditions, each artist has his own
style. …
Pacheedaht Reservation: One of my visits with Cate was to a community meeting at
the Pacheedaht Reservation on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island near Port
Renfrew. As the Director of the Career, Employment & Education Resources Division at
the Victoria Native Friendship Centre in Victoria, Cate keeps abreast of the local social
issues within the Indigenous communities and networks extensively with communities
on the ground. Pacheedaht means ‘people of the sea foam’. The Pacheedaht Nation is a
part of Nuu-chah-nulth-aht cultural and language group.
Figure 12.1 &12.2. Location: Pacheedaht Reservation, Vancouver Island, Photographer: Cate Pitawanakwat
As an Indigenous Australian, it is always humbling to enter onto Native reservations and
territories; their stories are very similar to the stories of my people. Despite their
treaties, they are still struggling for recognition and sovereignty as First Nations
Peoples. It was interesting to sit in on their meetings and to hear discussions about
some of the local issues impacting on them. This enabled me to gain a better
understanding about the diversity of the First Nations peoples living in Vancouver
Island and of the myriad social, political, economical and environmental issues faced by
them within their own territories.
24
Seattle, Washington State, USA – 25th May to 6th June, 2012
My journey to Seattle in the state of Washington was to meet up with Aunty Anna
Hansen who is an elder, therapist, psychologist, cross-cultural educator, teacher/trainer
and conducts healing programs in the community. She resides in Bainbridge Island in
Seattle. The other person that I was planning to visit was Shawn Middleton, who is a
Social Worker and does healing work in the community. They were recommended to
me by a close friend, colleague and Indigenous researcher, Gregory Phillips, a Wanyi and
Jaru man from Queensland, Australia. One of my initial plans was to visit Dr Karina
Walters, who is a social worker/ educator and Indigenous grief & loss specialist at the
School of Social Work in Washington University, but was unable to make contact with
her.
When I arrived in Seattle, Aunty Anna was leaving to conduct her healing programs in
the Islands up north, so I wasn’t able to see her until just two days, before I left Seattle
to travel to Edmonton, Canada. So I tried to contact Shawn, but he wasn’t answering so I
left a message for him. I then made contact with the College of Arts and Science,
Anthropology, Sociology and Social Work at Seattle University and made an
appointment to meet with some of their academics.
Seattle University College of Arts and Science: The academics that I met at the
College of Arts and Science, Anthropology, Sociology and Social Work at Seattle
University were Associate Professor Ted Fortier, Anthropology and Department of
Sociology, Associate Professor Madeline Lovell, Sociology and Jacqueline who is a
Criminologist. I was interested in talking to the academics in the School of Social Work
to learn about the current social justice issues and socio-economic situation for First
Nations People.
My first meeting was with Professor Madeline Lovell and Jacqueline. It was interesting
to talk to them and hear their stories, and they were also very interested in hearing
about my Winston Churchill Project, so the morning was spent sharing information. At
the end of our meeting Professor Madeline Lovell and Jacqueline suggested that I meet
with Associate Professor Ted Fortier in the Anthropology and Sociology Department.
My meeting with Associate Professor Ted Fortier was very interesting because of his
life’s work and research over many years around Native American People. For over an
hour, he was able to share with me about the different language groups, the different
Nations across North America and some of his work with them and the things that he
learnt from them and how they have impacted on his life journey. He also spoke about
some of the challenges impacting on their lives and livelihood as the First Peoples of
North America. He was made an honorary member of one of the tribes also, a very
interesting and knowledgeable man.
25
His teaching and research Interests are Anthropology of Native America, Human Rights
and Indigenous issues, Psychological Anthropology, Religion and Shamanism, Cultural
Shamanism, Cultural memory, Epistemology and Culture Change. The time in
collaboration with Associate Professor Ted Fortier was very informative and thoughtprovoking.
I also met a Mexican social Worker, Laura Gonzales who was very interested in hearing
about my Churchill Project and invited me for morning tea at her house and dinner at a
nearby restaurant. Laura works extensively with incarcerated people in the prisons in
Seattle. She shared stories about the type of work that she was doing and about the
high rates of incarcerated Native Americans, African Americans and Hispanic people.
My time spent with Laura was very interesting and informative and assisted in shedding
a light on the current criminal justice system in the USA.
Tulalip Reservation and Shawn Middleton: I finally made contact with Shawn
Middleton and his partner Annie Avery and their children, Della and Anasthasia. Shawn
and Annie are actively involved in the local Native American community to ensure that
their children grow up and learn the ways of the old people and grounded in traditional
Native culture. They graciously invited me to attend a traditional Pow Wow at the
Tulalip Reservation with them.
The Pow Wow is a cultural celebration, where Native People perform their traditional
dance, accompanied by drumming and song. During the Pow Wows, Native artisans sell
their traditional crafts and food. At the Pow Wow, I met elders and many First Nations
people who wholeheartedly welcomed me onto their land and country.
I felt very humbled and honoured to participate in such an event and to witness their
traditional dance, songs and drumming firsthand. From my observation of the Pow
Wow dance ceremony, I saw the Pow Wow as a ceremony of life that brings all the
different age groups and genders together to dance, to compete, to sing, to drum in
harmony and unity and to celebrate their Native Identity and cultural pride. It
embraces and blends their ancient traditions with modern life and unifies the
community as one big family.
Being a part of this event gave me a unique opportunity to experience firsthand the
living vibrant and beautiful culture of Native peoples. It also enabled me to see the
survival and practice of a thriving traditional culture and it was an honour and a
privilege to be a part of it and something I will never ever forget or take for granted.
Aunty Anna Hansen, Sechelt Nation: Aunty Anna arrived back from up north and after
a few days of rest and recuperation from her intense work with individuals and groups,
she called me to come and visit her at home in Bainbridge Island. The trip from Seattle
to Bainbridge Island took just 35 minutes across the Puget Sound, the scenery is
breathtaking.
26
I spent nearly 2 days with Aunty Anna and her husband Uncle Gary at their home in
Bainbridge Island. Aunty Anna Hansen is a gentle natured First Nations woman, with
ancestral lineage extending from the Sechelt Nation in Sechelt, British Columbia, and to
the Island of the Philippines through her father’s lineage. As a dynamic trainer and
teacher, Aunty Anna is actively engaged in raising awareness in her community to
address the human rights and social justice issues impacting on the lives and livelihood
of her people on all levels of society. As a respected elder, therapist and psychologist,
her counselling and healing work in the community extends from USA to Canada. Aunty
Anna is often called upon to run cross-cultural training and healing workshops with
both Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants. She spoke extensively about the
intergenerational trauma and pain that is still quite prevalent amongst Native American
people and people in North America generally.
I talked extensively with Aunty Anna and we shared information about the work that we
are both doing and the similarities between our work in the community in Australia and
North America. She also shared her life story with me and showed me important
landmarks from her childhood days. Her one roomed family home still stands near her
current home in memory of her parents and her childhood years.
Aunty Anna has lived on this land since childhood and shared many beautiful memories
of her parents and grandparents. The time spent with Aunty Anna reinforced four very
important things;
1)
2)
3)
4)
The need for healing; healing oneself, healing one another and healing Mother Earth.
The need for respect; respecting oneself, respecting others and respectful processes.
The need for hope; being hopeful and building hope in others and never losing hope.
The need to thankfully celebrate life and the immense beauty displayed before us, around
us and within us.
The lessons I learnt from my journey in Seattle and from the time spent with Shawn
Middleton and Annie Avery reinforced these four philosophies handed down by my
ancestors also;
1)
2)
3)
4)
The importance of family and nurturing of children
The importance of passing traditional knowledge to the children
The importance of culture and connection to country
Being respectful to Mother Earth and all living things.
The time spent with Aunty Anna, Shawn and Annie reinforced the teachings of my own
grandparents and ancestors about the importance of walking humbly and gently on the
planet and with one another.
27
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: 7th June to 25th June, 2012
I arrived in Edmonton and my colleague Darlene Auger picked me up at the airport. My
journey to Edmonton was to visit the Nechi Training, Research & Health Promotions
Institute, Darlene Auger, Psychologist, Wholistic Practitioner and Facilitator, Wîwîp´son
Indigenous Therapeutic Swing and the Stan Daniels Healing Center. I was hoping to
visit the Native Counselling Services of Alberta too, but the Director could not find a
suitable time to meet with me, nevertheless, I did meet a couple of counsellors from the
Native Counselling Services of Alberta.
Esquao Awards: Upon arrival in Edmonton, I was invited by Darlene Auger and
Bernadette Iahtail to attend the Esquao 17th Annual Awards Night. Bernadette Iahtail is
the Co-founder, Executive Director and Program Manager of the Creating Hope Society
of Alberta.
The Esquao (a Cree word that means “women”) Awards is held annually to honour the
achievements of Aboriginal women in Canada and their commitment to bringing about
change for the betterment of their communities. The Esquao Awards is best described
by two key women in the community in Alberta; these are the words of the Muriel
Stanley Venne, President and Founder of the Institute for the Advancement of
Aboriginal Women;
… it is our love and appreciation for the women that bring us together on this wonderful
occasion. Families and friends of our recipients, Indigenous leaders, corporate
representatives and dignitaries are all here to celebrate the seventeen fantastic women
making positive changes in our communities… (2012:5)
These are the words of the Honourable Alison M. Redford, QC, Premier of Alberta;
…Tonight’s ceremony serves as a reminder of the impact one individual can have on the
health and well-being of a community. The honourees are major players in sectors such as
science and research, health and medicine, arts and culture, education and business.
Despite the varied backgrounds and specialties of the women here tonight, they all share
one thing in common – an unfaltering dedication to their communities… (2012:4)
Being a part of this auspicious event enabled me to gain an insight into the valuable
work that Aboriginal women are doing and their tremendous contribution to all sectors
of Canadian society. It also enabled me to see firsthand their unique customary
practices and cultural traditions.
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Journal entry - Esquao 17th Annual Awards - Friday, 8th June, 2012:
I went with Darlene to the Esquao 17th Annual Awards night to honour the achievements of Aboriginal women,
what an awesome night that was, I felt very privileged and humbled to be there. I was a guest of Darlene and
Bernadette Iahtail of the Creating Hope Society of Alberta. Creating Hope Society is an organisation in
Edmonton that has a mandate to provide support to those who were part of the 60’s scoop in Canada; a taking of
Aboriginal children by government from and placed into non-Aboriginal homes or adopted out to foreign
countries. The Esquao Awards honours and acknowledges the outstanding achievements of Aboriginal women
who have worked tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of their people in First Nations communities on a
local and national level across Canada. During the awards night, I was able to make contact and network with
some amazing women from a variety of human services organisations in Canada and others were singers /
songwriters, bringing the voices of their people through their songs. One of the most memorable meetings on the
awards night was with Aboriginal Elder Aunty Lillian Shirt. Aunty Lillian told me that she had had a dream about
a woman named ‘Noritta’, and when she met me she was very excited because she already knew who I was.
She sat with me after the event and shared at length about the stories of her people, what an honour and a
privilege it was to meet Aunty Lillian.
Figure 13.1 & 13.2. Event: Esquao Awards, Edmonton, Photographers: Noritta Morseu-Diop and Darlene Auger
Darlene Auger Cree Nation, Edmonton: One of the highlights of my journey in Canada
was the time I spent with Darlene Auger. Darlene is of the Cree Nation, originally from
Wabasca in Alberta with ancestral lineage to the Wolf Clan and Iroquois Nation of
Eastern Canada. She was my ‘gatekeeper’ into the First Nations community in
Edmonton. She also graciously offered me accommodation for my 3 weeks stay in
Edmonton, for this I am eternally grateful. Meeting Darlene at the airport was the first
time to see her after 13 years.
The last time I saw Darlene was when our healing group invited her and Dr Maggie
Hodgson to Brisbane to conduct healing workshops with us in 1999. It was wonderful
to touch base with her again and to see how her life has progressed since the past 13
years.
Darlene is a Wholistic Practitioner, Facilitator and Healer and conducts the Wîwîpˊson
Indigenous Therapeutic Swing throughout communities in Canada. Darlene’s ‘swinging’
has taken her into many communities and Reservations throughout Canada. The need
for Native people to be ‘swung’ has been in great demand.
29
Many of the people who come to her for the therapeutic swinging are survivors of the
Residential Schools. Many never felt the love, hugs and nurturing of their parents
because they were taken away from their families and parents when they were very
young around the age of 8 and stayed there until around the age of 16. Over 150,000
children were sent to Residential schools, many died at the school and never to be seen
or heard of again (The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2012).
Darlene conducts her therapeutic swings around ceremonies with prayers, song,
smudging/burning of the sage, sweetgrass, cedar and offering of tobacco. She erects a
traditional swing with the use of ropes, blankets and thick wooden sticks and she wraps
the participant snuggly, so that they feel nurtured and safe and she gently swings them
for up to 2 hours. This swinging works miracles for many people providing a ‘nurturing
experience’ as stated by Darlene.
Whilst spending time with Darlene I was also privileged to be given the opportunity to
experience being swung in her therapeutic swing. I can vouch for the tremendous
feeling of peace, warmth and healing when one is being swung. This is my description
from the feelings I felt when I was being swung in the Therapeutic Swing; it takes you
on a journey into another space; a safe space, a nurturing space and, a peaceful space. It
is a place where you feel a sense of freedom and lightness in your body, mind, heart and
spirit. It is an experience like no other that I have ever experienced in my life. Darlene’s
Therapeutic Swing is a beautiful healing tool and is beneficial for the whole community.
Figure 14. Darlene Auger in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Photographer: N. Morseu-Diop
30
This is an excerpt from Darlene’s own words cited in the Synchronicity Magazine
(2007:28);
There was a time when the people were well. The grandmothers were gently teaching the children
right from wrong and the mothers were busy cooking, sewing, gathering foods and medicines,
while men were out hunting and ensuring that all the needs of the village were met. Everyone had
their role and responsibility. Children, like Elders, were revered and respected. Then it happened
that the people lost their children and the village fell apart because everyone lost their role. The
children were forced to adopt a whole new way of life that was foreign to them. They were not
allowed to see their parents and their parents were not allowed to visit them. The elders were
forgotten as they had on-one to share their wisdom with. No-one knew what to do. Alcohol became
the antiseptic to numb the pain of the broken hearts and the wounded spirits all across the nation.
… When the children finally came back, there was no home, no cultural foundation on which to
stand. They in turn had children but had learned no parenting skills. Today we see many of our
youth in jails, group homes, foster homes and the like. It is time to wake up the people, a wise man
said to me, when I asked why the grandmother told me that the people need to be swung. …
Darlene is a highly spiritual person and has been gifted with a vision and a passion for loving and
helping people to health and wellness. She travels all over Canada utilizing the Aboriginal
traditional baby swing for the nurturing and spiritual welfare of entire families including adults,
children, youth and Elders, invoking people to remember their ancestral wisdom that lies within by
sharing teachings that have been passed down to her.
I would like to acknowledge Darlene’s effort in making my Winston Churchill project a
success in Alberta and Saskatchewan. I am so grateful to have Darlene Auger as my
Gatekeeper and Cultural Adviser into the Aboriginal communities in Alberta. Darlene’s
support made life a lot easier as I would have had to track down people myself and rely
on public transport to attend meetings and make connections with the community.
Darlene was incredibly supportive of my project, organising meetings and taking me
there. She did everything wholeheartedly and with a smile, words can’t describe the
gratitude I feel.
It is important to note here too that Indigenous Peoples around the globe have an
unwritten ‘memorandum of understanding and respect’ for each other’s plight as
colonised peoples, that we all seem to rally around and support each other if and when
the need arises, this has been my personal experiences from networking with other
Indigenous peoples globally. Darlene also took me to another important event that I
felt humbled and privileged to attend, the Sun Dance ceremony at the Alexis
Reservation as noted in my journal;
31
Journal Entry – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Sunday, 10th June, 2012 - Went with Darlene to the Alexis Nation Reservation where the Sun Dance ceremony
was taking place, it was such an honour and a privilege to be involved in the Sun Dance to observe and to
participate. The Sun Dance ceremonies are where men and women dance and fast for four days, without food
or water. An arbour is created shaped like a tipi that houses the dancers and is where their prayers are offered
to the Creator and homage given to their Ancestors. During the Sun Dance people bring gifts to offer to the
Sacred Tree that has been cut and erected at the centre of the lodge for the Sun Dance and to the Ancestors,
families and those who are sick. The gifts offered to the tree are blessed through prayers and songs and then
shared amongst all of the people who are present at the Sun Dance and those who are gathered at the front of
the arbour. Being present at the Sun Dance, I also received some gifts that I will take home with me. Families
erect their tents and fireplace where they cook and feed the workers, volunteers and the Sun Dancers at the end
of the fourth day of the Sun Dance when their fast has ended. They also stay overnight to assist and support
those all those involved in the Sun Dance, including the children of the Sun dancers.
Stan Daniels Healing Centre - Wednesday, 13th June, 2012
Today, I visited Stan Daniels Healing Centre, where I met with Aboriginal Elder, Vicky
Whalen. I was taken to the Stan Daniels Healing Centre, by social worker and Indigenous
Community Facilitator and Consultant, Brenda St. Germain. The Stan Daniels Healing
Centre holds 72 beds and has a community correctional centre section. The residents of
the Healing Centre are either ‘conditionally released (day parole or full parole
/statutory release with residency) or residents who are categorised as ‘inmates’. The
programs at the centre are guided by the directions of the Elders and according to the
needs of the residents.
Figure 15.1 & 15.2. Stan Daniels Healing Centre: Photographer, N. Morseu-Diop
Under the administration of the Native Counselling Services of Alberta, the Stan Daniels
Correctional Centre operates effectively on the philosophy that Aboriginal residents
need Aboriginal programs to cater for “their social, educational, emotional, physical and
spiritual needs, and that cultural, familial, and social experiences contribute to their
development” (Source: Stan Daniels Healing Centre, June, 2012). Some of the programs
they provide are;
32
o
Personal development programs that addresses issues of;
- loss and grief
- relationships
- family violence
o
In Search of Your Warrior / Violent Offender Healing Program – The “In Search of Your
Warrior…” program has been adapted for women and is called “Spirit of A Warrior” and
is provided in the institutions for women.
o
Oskipi Matsui Program (means ‘new life’) - The Oskipi Matsui program is instrumental
to the service provision at the Centre and provides participants with the skills and
knowledge to deal with issues of life holistically and in a culturally appropriate manner.
o
Addictions Program - The Stan Daniels Healing Centre also provides an addictions
program to address the addictions issues of residents and to ensure successful outcomes
in their journey of healing.
Some of these programs are offered in-house during the winter months and in a ‘bush
camp’ situation during the summer. Businesses have donated their old computers to
Stan Daniels Healing Centre for the men to utilise. Many of the Indigenous programs
provided by Stan Daniels and the Native Counselling Services of Alberta are also utilised
in institutions across the provinces of Canada.
Vicky Whalen, Aboriginal Elder: On my second visit to the Stan Daniel’s Healing
Centre, I spent half a day with Aboriginal Elder Vicky Whalen. She showed me around
the centre and introduced me to some of the staff members. Vicky is a unique elder,
with a wealth of wisdom, deeply spiritual and is highly respected amongst her peers and
her people in the community. She has travelled extensively and has conducted healing
programs in local Indigenous communities. I wanted to learn more about the type of
work that she was doing at the Stan Daniel’s Healing Centre. Vicky shared with me
about some of the work that she has done over the years in terms of the delivery of
cultural programs in Canada and abroad, including Australia. Spending time with Vicky
and listening to her stories exemplified the importance of ceremonies, customary
traditions, and culturally-specific practices in program delivery with Indigenous
peoples.
One wonderful healing practice that I observed and was invited to participate
in during my visit with Vicky Whalen at the Healing Centre was their smudging
ceremony with sage in the morning. The sage is brought to the office of each staff
member and they smudge themselves with the smoke from the burning sage before
starting their day. I have never witnessed a ceremony like this in a workplace before, it
was such a honour and a privilege to be a part of this, I gave thanks to the Ancestors.
During my visit, I was also invited to stay for lunch with the Centre staff, this gave me
the unique opportunity to further observe and listen to the dialogue around the lunch
33
table. My time with Vicky Whalen was very informative and uplifting and taught me
these lessons;
1)
2)
3)
4)
To never forget the healing effects of our ceremonies
To be still and listen to the wisdom of the Elders and to never take their words for granted
To hold sacred the knowledge handed down by the Ancestors
To be respectful and open up your heart and mind to new knowledge
Nechi Training, Research and Health Promotions Institute – Thursday,
14th June, 2012.
Nechi Institute is situated on 1 Poundmaker Road in St. Albert, Alberta. It was built on
the grounds of a former residential school. According to Dr Betty Bastien (2012-2013),
a Nechi Board member, the Nechi Training, Research and Health Promotions Institute
was established in 1974, by a small group of people who were concerned about the
health and well-being of members in their community and who were committed to
bringing healing, hope and change to Indigenous people in a culturally appropriate way.
In her description of the services provided by Nechi, Dr Bastien (2012-2013:18) further
states that,
Internationally recognized as one of the finest Indigenous training, research and health
promotions centres in the world. Nechi Institute is a powerful resource for Indigenous
people and communities addressing issues such as mental health issues, historical trauma,
drug and alcohol misuse, gambling problems, family violence and prescription drug abuse.
Nechi’s logo succinctly describes Nechi’s core vision, it states “Nechi, where Healing and
Education meet” (Field notes, June, 2012). When inquiring about the success rate of
their drug and alcohol treatment programs, a worker informed me that Nechi has a 99%
success rate. Nechi Institute is deeply committed to “holistic healing and healthy
addictions-free lifestyles”, (Nechi Course Calender 2012-2013:16). Below is an outline
of Nechi’s core philosophy and beliefs;
Philosophy – Nechi’s philosophy is founded upon the spirituality of all Aboriginal peoples:
for our collective well-being. It is through the Aboriginal way of knowing, healing and
learning, that Aboriginal people master our challenges and determine our destinies.
Beliefs – The vision and spiritual development of Nechi’s staff and Board of Governors are
rooted in the well-being of the collective Aboriginal community. Each person has the
ability to make a commitment to personal well-being which is a natural state of being.
Every person is a teacher, a learner and a healer… Our approach to training, research and
health promotions must be holistic and balanced, focusing on the physical, mental,
emotional and spiritual dimensions of the individual. The people we serve will be
honoured. People know what they need and must be able to contribute to their own
healing (Nechi Course Calender 2012-2013:16).
34
Training at Nechi Institute includes the utilisation of many creative and cultural
mediums and a strong emphasis is based on experiential learning, where students are
encouraged to ‘learn through doing’ (Nechi Course Calendar, 2012-2013).
Figure 16.1 & 16.2. Source: Nechi Training, Research and Health Promotions Institute
Below is an excerpt from my journal about my visit to Nechi;
Thursday, 14th June, 2012 - I went to Nechi today with Darlene, wow!! What an amazing place, I met, Teresa, who I have
been corresponding with on Facebook since I sent my first email to them about my hope to visit Nechi. Teresa and Darlene
took me around the centre and introduced me to all the Nechi Staff members. Nechi is the Aboriginal Health and Training
Institute, the logo on their car reads, ‘Nechi, where Healing and Education meet’. Here at Nechi, I met the Executive
Director, Dr Josie Auger and a couple of the trainers, Sharon and Treanna. We had lunch with Nechi staff and some of their
students and then we were invited to sit-in on a training program conducted by Treanna. In the workshop, Treanna’s
training was about how to submit proposals for funding to conduct a series of healing workshops for members of the
community. Treanna did the training utilising the traditional knowledge of First Nations people, which includes the Seven
Teachings; the gifts of the Seven Grandfathers, which are honesty, love, courage, truth, wisdom, humility and respect.
In retrospect, Nechi is a place that I have been interested in visiting since I first heard about the Institute in 1994 when I was
a delegate at the 2nd World Indigenous Healing Our Spirit Worldwide conference in Sydney. I was a young social worker,
recently graduated from the University of Queensland, so I was very open and eager to learning new things. One of the
things that impressed me and captured my interest was the success of their drug and alcohol treatment program at
Poundmakers Lodge. At that time I was working as a Drug and Alcohol Counsellor at an Indigenous Alcohol and Drug
Rehabilitation Centre and I was concerned about the high relapse rate of clients dating back several years, so Nechi’s
philosophy on rehabilitation & healing appealed to me.
My second meeting with Nechi people was when we invited Nechi staff members, Dr Maggie Hodgson and Darlene Auger to
our healing conference in Brisbane in 1999. During their visit with us, my family and I invited them to have dinner at our
house and we cooked traditional food for them. After the dinner they presented me with a beautiful blue glass mug with the
Nechi emblem on it. I placed the mug on my kitchen shelf and vowed that I would not drink from this mug until I pay a visit
to the Nechi Institute in Edmonton. My third encounter with Nechi people was in 2002 at the 4th World Indigenous Healing
Our Spirit Conference in Albuquerque in New Mexico, USA. The meeting with Nechi staff over the years continued to spark
my interest in their healing programs and is the reason why I chose to do my Winston Churchill project in Canada. This
project was a continuation of a long journey of inquiry and a fulfilment of my goal and vision spanning almost 20 years.
Darlene Auger took me to Nechi on the invitation of her cousin Josie Auger who is the
Executive Director of Nechi Institute. Josie invited me to attend the graduation
ceremony of the students and to be part of the dignitaries in the grand entry into the
Pow Wow after the official graduation ceremony, where I was able to present gifts from
Australia which included a copy of my PhD thesis.
35
Prior to attending the graduation, Darlene and I left home early to attend a Pipe
Ceremony with Aboriginal elders in the tipi. The Pipe Ceremony was very humbling; to
sit in the tipi with elders and to smoke the pipe with them was a great honour and
privilege.
Figure 17.1 & 17.2. Source: Nechi Institute, Graduation Ceremony/Pow Wow, Edmonton
Another memorable event at Nechi was when I was invited by Dr Josie Auger to conduct
a wellness session with the staff of Nechi on their staff wellness day. I conducted my
aromatherapy workshop with footbaths and essential oils. I also conducted facial and
hand massages with the staff members. I received positive feedback from the staff
members, again, I felt very honoured and privileged to be given the opportunity to
conduct a workshop at Nechi.
The lessons I have learnt from my time spent at Nechi Institute is about the importance
of;
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Healing the spirit; so many people in the Indigenous communities globally have a broken
spirit from historical trauma that needs healing.
Walking your talk; practicing what you preach, being aware of your actions, how you
treat yourself and how you treat others. Having integrity, being addictions free if you are
going to work with people who are dealing with their addictions.
Respectful processes; being mindful of doing things in a respectful way in all areas.
Having a humble heart; being open to learning new things and stay grounded in
whatever you do. Teachers are students and students are teachers.
The need for cultural healing; there is so much healing that needs to be done in the
Indigenous community and this healing needs to be done in a way that suits our individual
cultural needs.
Need for culturally-specific methods; the need to respect our own Indigenous ways of
knowing and doing. Validating Indigenous Knowledge.
Honouring your ancestors; paying homage to those who have gone before us and paved
the way for us. It is on the shoulders of these giants that we stand here today.
36
o
o
o
o
Honouring Mother Earth; walking gently on our planet and being gentle with one
another. Giving thanks for what the universe brings, honouring all living being and their
space and place here.
Celebrating our healing ceremonies; the importance of cultural ceremonies and its role
in healing body, mind, heart and spirit.
The importance of Self-Care; taking care of your body, mind, heart and spirit, in order to
take care of people, you need to first take care of yourself.
Practicing kindness; being generous, help when help is needed, by giving you will receive.
Being gentle in your deeds and words, be forgiving.
Creating Hope Society of Alberta: I visited the Creating Hope Society on the
invitation of Bernadette Iahtail, who asked Darlene and I to speak to the young women
who were participating in programs at their centre. We spoke to the girls about our life
stories as women and mothers and how we were able to tackle some of the challenges
and struggles we faced over the years and on a day to day basis and what helped us to
get to where we are today. I also spoke about my Churchill Project and the reason I was
in Canada. We received some positive responses from them.
I was impressed with the name ‘Creating Hope Society’ from the moment I heard the
name from my friend and colleague Darlene Auger, who was a contract worker with the
agency. Their service is based around their goal to ensure “An Aboriginal Home for
Every Aboriginal Child in Care by 2025”. The Creating Hope Society of Alberta was
founded by Bernadette Iahtail of the Attawapaskat First Nation, Sharon Gladue of the
Thunderchild First Nation and Sharon Shirt of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation. The
organisation was registered in March, 2006. These women were concerned that it was
now the 3rd generation of Aboriginal children being caught up in the child welfare
system and they wanted to set up mechanisms to assist in breaking the cycle; hence the
establishment of the Creating Hope Society of Alberta. These are the words of Cofounder, Bernadette Iahtail, from their 2006-2007 Annual Report;
The Creating Hope Society was established to “create hope for the future” for our
Aboriginal children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. We anticipate that this will
be accomplished as we continue to work towards:




Halting the cycle of child welfare.
Being a voice for the third generation of Aboriginal children now in care
and those entering the child welfare system.
Facilitating healing and reconciliation.
Having an Aboriginal home available for every Aboriginal child by 2025.
We cannot forget what Elder Lillian Shirt said: “The children are waiting…”
37
The Creating Hope Society provides a vital service at a grassroots level to young mums
who have lost the custody of their children. They run parenting programs to help the
young women get back on track in order for them to regain custody of their children.
They also run other life skills and wellness programs, some of these programs are;
o Reclaiming and Restoring Aboriginal Families - a 12 session program for youth,
Elders and families that focuses on health, social services, education and
awareness.
o Broken Hearts Program - informing parents and young people about their rights
and responsibilities whilst under the Child Welfare System.
o Circle of Understanding - A study to explain the reasons behind the Sixties Scoop
of children into the welfare system and its impact.
o Renewing a Man’s Spirit - one day workshop focussing on the traditional and
current role of fathers with the family.
o Kinship Care - A program that provides support to grandparents.
Figure 18.1 & 18.2. Source: Creating Hope Society, Alberta
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Saskatchewan
National Event – June 21-24 Saskatoon, Praireland Park.
While in Edmonton, an Aboriginal Elder, Dr Maggie Hodgson, recommended that
Darlene and I attend the National Truth and Reconciliation conference in Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan. This conference provides the opportunity and platform for survivors of
Canada’s Residential Schools and their children to tell their stories. It provided a forum
38
for all those who have suffered as a result of the residential schools legacy and overall
Canadian government policies regarding Aboriginal people. As noted by the Truth and
Reconciliation Commissioners,
… We acknowledge the seven First Nation Member communities of the Saskatoon Tribal
Council, whose traditional territory this event is taking place on. TRC Events provide an
important forum for those affected by the legacy of the Indian Residential School system to
share their experiences with the Commission. TRC Events also serve to educate and enrich
broader Canadian public about Canada’s 130-year history of Residential Schools, and
today’s legacy for Aboriginal communities and Canadian society in general. In preparation
of this event, the Commission held public Hearings in eight communities throughout
Saskatchewan … During the Hearings in Saskatchewan, Survivors shared many personal
and emotional stories, as well as hope for change and reconciliation (Commissioner Marie
Wilson, Justice Murray Sinclair, Chair and TRC Commissioner Chief Wilton Littlechild, June,
2012).
The hundreds of delegates in attendance at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Event came from all over Canada; from the many Aboriginal Nations to the nonAboriginal people who represented different disciplines and organisations. The event
created a safe environment and espoused a healing space of love, nurturing, caring,
sharing and support in a quest to instil in the Residential School Survivors and their
loved ones a sense of hope and wellness in body, mind, heart, soul and spirit.
Words can’t describe my feelings when one of the Survivors asked me to sit with her
and her family as an honorary witness as she gave her testimony to the Commissioners.
It was a deeply humbling and emotional experience and such an honour and a privilege
to be a part of this.
Tur
Figure 19.1 & 19.2.Truth and Reconciliation Commission Gathering, Saskatoon, Sasketchewan, June, 2012, Photographer: N. Morseu-Diop
39
These words are from a survivor of the Residential Schools, Marius Tungilik (2010:149150), he states;
We were told that we were Eskimos. We did not amount to anything. The only way we
could succeed was to learn the English way of life. So in that sense it was psychologically
degrading as well. We were made to hate our own people, basically, our own kind. We
looked down on them because they did not know how to count in English or read or any of
those things… Being made to feel inferior or superior with your own kind is psychological
abuse in a very bad way… You could see the manifestations of dysfunction everywhere.
They were people who tried to escape reality by drinking or doing drugs, through violence,
misplaced anger, confusion, crime… The signs were everywhere. But no one talked about
it. … I tried talking to psychologists as far back as the seventies about the problem … No
one took it seriously. No one knew what I was talking about … It became clear to me that
no one in the professional field knew what it was like to be in an institutionalized situation
and to have dealt with physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual abuse of that
magnitude. It became very clear that there was a great gap between knowledge and what
was actually taking place; the trauma. No one had the language. Healing was not part of
our vocabulary until all this came out…
Many of the residential school children never came back home to their families and
thousands died because of the immense neglect and tremendous cruelty and abuse they
experienced by the hands of those who were supposed to be their ‘carers’ and ‘teachers’
(Jordan-Fenton & Pokiak-Fenton, 2010). Some of the abusive acts meted upon them
included cultural genocide and language imperialism (Morseu-Diop, 2010), where the
children were prevented from practicing their cultural traditions, and from speaking
their own language/s (Papequash & Fraser, 2012).
The 130 years history of the impact of the residential schools has resulted in many of
the social, psychological and emotional problems occurring within the Aboriginal
communities in Canada today. Similar to the legacy of Australia’s Stolen Generations
(Morseu-Diop, 2010), the legacy of the Residential Schools is a very sad and traumatic
one and for many has resulted in the unresolved intergenerational trauma, loss and
grief still impacting on the lives of Aboriginal people and Nations in Canada today.
The words written on the writing wall below not only illustrated the ongoing pain and
trauma still experienced by the residential school Survivors and their loved ones, it also
demonstrated the resilience of First Nations Peoples to stand strong together in support
of each other in their healing journey.
40
Figure 20.1, 20.2 & 20.3. Truth and Reconciliation Commission Gathering, Saskatoon, Sasketchewan, June, 2012, Photographer: N. Morseu-Diop
The lessons I learnt from participating in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
gathering brought a clear message to me as an Indigenous Australian to always have
hope, to keep on believing and to never forget; learning from the past provides the
guidance, courage and the strength to continue on in the struggle.
Kathryn Buder American Indian Studies Center, St. Louis, Missouri –
26th – 30th June, 2012
After leaving Canada, I travelled to St. Louis, Missouri, USA where I visited the Kathryn
Buder American Indian Studies Center in the George Warren Brown School of Social
Work at the Washington University. The purpose of this part of my journey was to
network with the Native American social workers and students in the American Indian
Studies Center to learn from them about the history of their people in the United States
of America from a social work context.
The Kathryn Buder Center was founded by Kathryn Buder to provide scholarships for
Native Americans. It is one of the most respected centers in the USA for academic
achievement and for the study of Native American issues relating to social work. At the
Buder Center, I met with Dr Molly Tovar, the Director and her student Jackie Edwards.
They introduced me to some of the Native American students and shared the story
about Kathryn Buder and her work for the betterment of Native American educational
initiatives.
41
As noted below,
The founder of the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies respected and
admired American Indians from childhood. Kathryn Buder believed education is a key
factor in restoring American Indians' self-esteem and her commitment to an education
that honors the American Indian culture led her to establish a center in 1990… (Source:
Kathryn Buder Centre for American Indian Studies, Washington University in St. Louis,
USA)
21.1 & 21.2. Kathryn Buder Center for American Indian Studies at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University of St. Louis,
Missouri, USA
Dr Molly Tovar and Jackie Edwards took me to the Cahokia Museum and Cahokia
Mounds State Historic Site. The Cahokia Mounds is situated in Southern Illinois
between East St. Louis and Collinsville. It is a national historic landmark and one of the
21 World heritage sites within the USA. The Cahokia museum was a very interesting
place to visit; it held the stories of the many warriors and Nations that lived in that area
pre-colonisation and the lives they led, their hunting and ceremonial grounds.
It opened my eyes to the degree of devastation to Native cultures and communities. I
believe that it is important to learn about the past history in order to understand the
present situation, hence enabling and assisting in one’s preparation and plan for the
future. Listening to the stories of the Native Americans of the mid-west helped me to
‘join the dots’ so to speak enabling me to gain a better understanding of the colonising
of North America and its impact on the First Nations Peoples.
Figure 22.1 & 22.2. Cahokia Mounds and Cahokia Museum exhibit, Photographer: N. Morseu-Diop
42
Janine Tinsley-Roe, Bellport, Long Island, New York – 1st – 19th July
From St. Louis, Missouri, I travelled to Bellport, New York to visit my colleague, Ms.
Janine Tinsley-Roe of the Shinnecock, Sewanaka & Poospatuck Nations of New York.
Janine is the founder and Executive Director of the Shinnecock-Sewanaka Society
Incorporation in Bellport, New York. As an Indigenous woman of North America, Janine
has a close affiliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia.
I first met Janine when she came to Brisbane as a Clergy in 2008 and spoke to us about
the struggles of her people and her fight for social justice and human rights. I have been
interested in the stories of her people and the valuable work that Janine has been doing
within the Native American communities since our first meeting five years ago. I was
both encouraged and inspired by the wonderful work that she was doing both in her
local community and nationally in the USA.
Janine and her family also graciously hosted a few of us in New York whilst on our way
to Washington DC to attend the inauguration of President Obama in January 2009.
During this time, Janine took us to the Shinnecock Reservation in Southampton, where
we met some of her relatives and heard the stories of her people and their struggles.
It is important to point out that the Shinnecock Nation was officially recognized by the
USA government in June, 2010 after a long 30 years battle in court. The final
determination for their tribe’s recognized status was issued by George Skibine, the
Acting Principal Deputy Assistance Secretary of Indian Affairs.
I saw Janine as a true grassroots community organiser / community development
worker, working voluntarily to bring changes into her local community. A major part of
Janine’s commitment to her community includes working at the Suffolk County fire
station as a volunteer fire fighter and working as a volunteer counsellor in the local
County Jail.
DWI County Jail, Suffolk County, Long Island, New York
One of the highlights of my trip to New York was spending time with the people held in
custody at the DWI County Jail in Suffolk County, Long Island. Janine works on a
volunteer basis as a counsellor in the DWI County Jail in Long Island. She extended an
invitation to me to visit the jail with her to talk to the people in custody. Approximately
40 men serving time or on remand for Driving while Intoxicated attended our session.
They were all very interested and listened intently as I shared my story about my life,
work experiences in the prisons in Brisbane and about my Winston Churchill project
and the reasons I was in the USA. The men expressed that they felt encouraged and
inspired by my story and it gave them a sense of hope for their future.
The lessons that I learnt from Janine is to never, ever give up, if you believe in a
particular cause and you are passionate about something, keep pushing on and things
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will eventually fall into place, often when you least expect it. And find people that
support you, seeking help when you need it.
Despite the many challenges, Janine has been working extensively to establish a cultural
centre for the Shinnecock/Poospatuck Nation in Bellport which has been a work in
progress for approximately 10 years. Janine wanted to establish this cultural centre not
only to preserve the stories and crafts and artefacts of her people, but to educate the
locals about the true history of Long Island and the Indigenous Nations that were
dispossessed of those lands.
Janine holds a depth of knowledge about the stories of her people and I wanted to take
the opportunity to sit with her and to learn from her as an ‘Insider’. I wanted to hear
her stories firsthand in particular about some of the mechanisms utilised by her people
to bring healing and hope into her community.
Janine is very passionate about her work and with great enthusiasm she has held
regular fundraising events to raise some much needed funds to build her cultural
centre. My arrival in New York was timely; it enabled me to lend a helping hand to
Janine and her family and community in their fund raising efforts.
Poospatuck Reservation, Long Island, New York
A major fundraising initiative was to sell raffle tickets at the Poospatuck Reservation.
Janine and I spent half a day walking the streets of the Poospatuck Reservation selling
raffle tickets to the smoke shop owners. The Poospatuck Reservation is a small
reservation situated in a picturesque part of Long Island. It was interesting to see the
numerous smoke shops all selling predominantly tobacco and a few Native trinkets,
crafts and commodities. I was also surprised to see the large numbers of non-Native
Americans living on the Reservation. Some even questioned our presence on ‘their
Reservation’, being a Poospatuck Native on the land of her ancestors, Janine was able to
set the record straight so to speak.
Figure 23.1 & 23.2. Poospatuck Reservation Community Center and Pow Wow Grounds, Photographer: N. Morseu-Diop
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Our fundraising at the Poospatuck Reservation proved to be very fruitful; we were able
to sell lots of tickets. Spending time at the Poospatuck Reservation enabled me to
compare both the similarities and differences between the Reservations in Canada and
the United States of America.
Shinnecock-Sewanaka Shamrock – Bellport, Long Island, New York
Building partnerships and friendships with the local Irish community, Janine and her
family hosted a fundraising dinner/event called the “Shinnecock-Sewanaka Shamrock.
Janine’s family and supportive friends have held the Shinnecock-Sewanaka fundraising
event for over 10 years. Approximately 80 people attended the Shinnecock-Sewanaka
Shamrock of 2012. This community initiative provides the opportunity and platform to
raise awareness about the local Indigenous Nations of Long Island. The fundraising
event this year was a successful one where Janine was able to build further networks of
support for their future community initiatives.
Figure 24.1 & 24.2. Shinnecock-Sewanaka Society Fundraising Event, Shinnecock Shamrock & signs for the event, Photographer: N. Morseu-Diop
Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Washington
DC – July 2012
Whilst in New York, I decided to travel to Washington DC to visit the Smithsonian
National Museum of the American Indian. Museums hold many secrets and stories that
are often untold and therefore I felt it necessary to visit this museum. On the way, I
travelled to Bowie in Maryland to visit Leah Osuntuyi, a Torres Strait Islander school
counsellor working at the Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Leah Osuntuyi: Leah has lived in the United States of America for the past 14 years, so
it was very interesting to hear the stories from Leah’s perspective as an Indigenous
Australian woman living in America. She spoke about some of the multifaceted social,
economical and political issues impacting on the lives of those in the local community
and in the wider American society. When I arrived in Maryland, Leah was on her
summer break from school so she and her family graciously took the time to drive me
down to Washington DC to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. I
would like to acknowledge Leah Osuntuyi here as I am extremely grateful to Leah and
her family for their overwhelming kindness and generous hospitality.
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The Native American Museum is such a valuable repository for the preservation of
ancient knowledge, ancestral stories, cultural beliefs and craftwork of the First Peoples
of North America. The process in which the colonisers came and took over the land,
established reservations and imposed their own regulations and hegemonic structures
is clearly displayed. As an Indigenous person, I felt sad and overwhelmed as I reflected
on our similarities in terms of the colonising of Australia. Overall, my visit to the Native
American museum was very informative, interesting and thought-provoking; it further
enhanced my learning and understanding about the plight of the First Nations Peoples
of North America and the many challenges facing them today. It was also overwhelming
to learn about the stories of the hundreds of Indigenous Nations and brought home the
stark reality of my miniscule knowledge of the people of this vast continent that many
Native Americans call “Turtle Island”.
Figure 25.1, 25.2 & 25.3. Source: Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Washington D.C., Photographer: N. Morseu-Diop, July 2012
To capture the stories of the First Peoples of North America and to gain an
understanding of their struggles and challenges cannot be achieved in ten weeks. In
saying this, I feel very privileged and humbled for the opportunity to capture just a
small glimpse into their lives.
Lessons I have learnt:
Retrospectively, the ten weeks spent with the First Nations Peoples of Canada and the
Native American Peoples of the United States of America has taught me things “I didn’t
know, I didn’t know”. As noted above, in ten weeks I barely “scratched the surface”; the
lessons that I needed to learn cannot be achieved in my lifetime, nor in ten more
lifetimes! I have so much more to learn. In saying this, the lessons that I did learn was
both valuable and humbling.
To learn about their struggles of the Native Peoples of North America since the
colonising of their lands over 500 years ago and to hear of the multifaceted challenges
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facing them in the 21st century has been both confronting and challenging for me as an
Indigenous Australian with a much recent history of colonisation.
To be given the opportunity to see firsthand some of the healing programs and cultural
tools utilised by them to bringing healing, wholeness and wellness into their
communities has been truly humbling, inspiring and encouraging. It brings hope for me
as an Indigenous social work practitioner that there are many avenues for utilising ones
cultural traditions and customs in our day to day practice and within the workplace. It
verified the importance of ‘culture’ in practice particularly when dealing with
Indigenous clientele.
To hear and see the high rates of successful outcomes of the Nechi Training, Research
and Health Promotions Institute in their Poundmakers Lodge Drug and Alcohol
treatment programs was truly astounding. It also confirmed and clarified some of my
own perspectives and beliefs about incorporating creative mediums for enhancing wellbeing, utilising the ways of our Ancestors to bring about wellness and healing to
individuals, families and communities.
A core learning experience was when walking with Darlene Auger and to observe
firsthand her utilisation of the Wîwîpˊson Indigenous Therapeutic Swing and to hear the
successful stories from those who have participated in her healing program. This
experience highlighted the pivotal importance and value of cultural-specific work with
Indigenous Peoples. To be given the opportunity to visit Reservations in Canada and the
United States of America, and to hear the stories of both the positive and negative
impact of the Treaties on the sovereignty, autonomy and self-determination of First
Nations Peoples of North America.
This experience has certainly opened my eyes to my own lack of understanding about
the myriad issues surrounding the lives of those who live under the Treaties. This
research project also enhanced my understanding about status and non-status Natives
and about those Tribes who have been fighting for recognition of their sovereignty and
Indigenous rights. I saw the lack of basic infrastructure in terms of access to vital
services on the Reservations, good roads, lighting and housing in the reservations.
Figure 26.1, 26.2 & 26.3. Source: Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Washington D.C., Photographer: N. Morseu-Diop, July 2012
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I met many people from all works of life, professions, occupations and organisations,
who taught me many things along the way, and to all of these people, words cannot
express the gratitude I feel and unfortunately, due to the limitations of this report, I am
only able to include the words and wisdom from just a few of them. Outlined below are
some of the key things that I learnt from personal communication with some of the
healers, counsellors, social workers, psychologists, leaders, Elders and community
workers within the Indigenous communities in North America. The similarity in their
words and thoughts clearly illustrates the powerful oral weaving of information and
sharing of the stories, songs, dances and ceremonies of the many strong and proud
Indigenous Nations across North America pre-dating colonisation;
o Dave Bellear – The importance of preparing the space / creating the environment
for teaching and learning, set the scene.
o Darlene Auger - paying homage to Mother Earth and all living things and walking
gently with one another with a humble heart.
o Bernadette Iahtail- never giving up on your goals and ambition. Keep on fighting
for your rights in order to have a voice and to give a voice to the voiceless.
o Vicky Whalen – The importance of ceremony to start the day, the importance of
ceremony to keep you centred. Keeping close to Mother Earth in your life’s journey.
o Janine Tinsley-Roe- honouring the people of the land, never forgetting the
struggles of the Ancestors and upholding the memories of those who have gone
before us.
o Molly Tovar- honouring the land and keeping the sacred fires of the Ancestors
burning through education and acknowledging the struggles of those who have
fought for us. Going back to the Reservations to sit with the Elders and Learn from
them.
o Anna Hansen – preserving the memories of the past for future generations and
honouring the stories of the ancestors
o Cate Pitawanakwat - the importance of keeping the grassroots community close
and working with a humble heart.
o Robert Greygrass - you have to live your talk, keeping alive the stories of our
Ancestors.
o Dr Maggie Hodgson – the importance of persistence, perseverance, commitment
and dedication to community
Recommendations:
The diverse lessons and multidimensional experiences from my journey in North
America has provided me with the foresight and vision to continue to advocate for the
provision of Indigenous-specific mechanisms which are conducive to addressing the
social, emotional, spiritual and physical well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Australians.
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I sincerely hope that my recommendations will be considered carefully and seriously in
terms of creating culturally-appropriate healing pathways to address the multifaceted
social issues impacting on the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
Outlined below are my recommendations;
1) The establishment of more holistic healing programs and services in the
community and within the prisons that specifically target issues loss, grief and
trauma, culture and spirituality.
2) The establishment of a Wellness Centre/Healing Retreat that will provide healing
services/programs and training, including train the trainer. Program providers
will conduct healing and educational programs in the prisons and in the
community.
3) The delivery of Indigenous-specific prison programs centred around culture,
spirituality, ceremonies, stories, song, dance. Programs that draw on the teaching
and wisdom of the Ancestors. Department of Corrective Services needs to work
in collaboration with Indigenous Program Providers to ensure the accreditation
of these programs.
4) There needs to be the establishment of more services in the local community that
provide programs targeting self-esteem, self-reflection and positive
reinforcement. I call these ‘Heart Programs’ programs that target matters of the
heart; social, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.
5) Whilst programs must be culturally–specific, they must also be inclusive, as a
way of educating and raising awareness, because racism and discrimination
exists due to misinformation and ignorance.
6) The need for Indigenous people to run programs that addresses issues faced by
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
7) Train the trainer; keeping the trainer trained enhances professionalism and
raises awareness and provides skills and knowledge.
8) Physicians heal thyself; counsellors and program providers need to attend
programs that enhance their own healing, you have to heal yourself first before
you can assist others.
9) Bring ceremony back into program delivery; programs need to be inclusive of
cultural ceremonies and cultural healing modalities. Indigenous designed
curriculum built around ceremonies.
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10)Need to walk the talk – abstinence; those counsellors who work in the area of
alcohol and drugs must be addictions-free.
11)Need for Reflective Practice; this means respecting yourself, respecting others
and responsibility for your own action.
12)The inclusion and respecting of Elders for their guidance and direction. This will
assist in preserving the stories of the ancestors because we need to look at the
past in order to look to the future and live for today.
13)A matter of prime importance is the establishment of language schools or hubs to
assist in preserving the language, because language is the glue that keeps the
culture strong and the people together.
Conclusion:
My Winston Churchill project in North America was an incredibly interesting, thoughtprovoking and informative one. As mentioned above, I travelled to three provinces in
Canada and 7 states in the United States of America and met many people from all walks
of life and from diverse backgrounds both Indigenous and non-Indigenous.
To capture all of the learnings along the way and to indigenise the process, I decided to
write this report as a photographic journal of stories and included photographs and
excerpts from my journal entries to provide the reader with a unique insight into all of
the valuable teachings and lessons that I acquired along the way.
My journal entry below provides a tiny glimpse of my feelings as I left North America;
Journal Entry – Bellport, Long Island, New York
Thursday, 19th July, 2012 - As I leave Turtle Island, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all
my Native American Friends and Colleagues in the United States of America and my Aboriginal/First Nations
Friends and Colleagues in Canada … for your gracious hospitality and overwhelming kindness and immense
support as I journeyed across your great and majestic land. Your many lessons and words of wisdom will be held
in my heart with great respect and humility, you taught me things that "I didn't know, I didn't know", for this, I say
Kari Nerkep Lam, Au Esoau!!! From my heart, thank you very much!!! I wish you all the very best in your journey
of life as you continue the fight for justice, freedom, equal rights and sovereignty for your People, Community and
Land, I won't say goodbye, but I will see you again, Stay Well and Stay Strong!!! …
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References
Auger, D. (2007). Blessings from the Ancestors. Synchronicity: Living and Learning.
(pp. 26-28). Webster Galleries: Edmonton.
Bastien, B. (2012-2013). Our History. Nechi Course Calendar. (p. 18) Nechi: Alberta.
Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) 2010, AASW, Canberra
Bridge, K. (2004). Extraordinary Accounts of Native Life on the West Coast: Words from
Huu-ay-aht Ancestors. Altitude Publishing: Alberta.
Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women Publication (2012:5), 17th Annual
Esquao Awards, Edmonton.
Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women Publication (2012:4), 17th Annual
Esquao Awards, Edmonton.
Jordan-Fenton, C., and Pokiak-Fenton, M. (2010). A True Story: fatty legs. Annick Press
Ltd: New York.
Morseu-Diop, N. (2010). Healing in Justice: An International Study of Indigenous Peoples’
Custodial Experiences of Prison Rehabilitation Programs and the Impact on their
Journey from Prison to Community., University of Queensland Press, Brisbane.
Nechi Course Calendar (2012-2013:16). Nechi is an Aboriginal Movement committed to
holistic healing and healthy addictions-free lifestyles. Nechi: Alberta.
Papequash, C., and Fraser, M. (2011). The Yearning Journey: Escape from Alcoholism.
Seven Generation Helpers Publishing: Norquay, Saskatchewan.
Phillips, G. (2003). Addictions and Healing in Aboriginal Country: Aboriginal
Studies Press.
Purdie, N, Dudgeon, P & Walker, R (eds) 2010, Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing principles and practice, Commonwealth
of Australia, ACT.
Standing Bear, L. (1991). The Ways of Believing. In K. Nerburn, and Mengelkoch, L. (Ed.),
Native American Wisdom (pp. 43-44). New World Library: California.
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Native American Wisdom (pp. 43-44). New World Library: California.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2012). Canada, Aboriginal
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Table of Figures
Figure 1.1 Fire Island, New York, p7
Figure 2.1 Webbing – Building Relationships, p13
Figure 3.1 & 3.2 Anishanaabe Universe, p14
Figure 4.1 & 4.2 Lakota Universe, p15
Figure 5.1 & 5.2 Victoria Native Friendship Centre, p18
Figure 6.1 & 6.2 William Head Institution, p19
Figure 7 Noritta’s presentation flyer at William Head, p20
Figure 8.1 & 8.2 The Big House, Victoria, BC, p21
Figure 9.1 & 9.2 Totems at the Big House, p22
Figure 10.1 & 10.2 Royal British Museum Big House & Totems, p23
Figure 11.1 & 11.2 Totem Pole & Plaque, p23
Figure 12.1 & 12.2 Pacheedaht Reservation, p24
Figure 13.1 & 13.2 Esquao Awards, p29
Figure 14 Darlene Auger, p30
Figure 15.1 & 15.2 Stan Daniels Healing Centre, p32
Figure 16.1 & 16.2 Nechi Training, Research and Health Promotions Institute, p35
Figure 17.1 & 17.2 Nechi Institute Graduation Pow Wow Ceremony, p36
Figure 18.1 & 18.2 Creating Hope Society, p38
Figure 19.1 & 19.2 Truth and Reconciliation Commission Program and Forum, p39
Figure 20.1 & 20.2;20.3 Truth and Reconciliation Commission Forum, p40
Figure 21.1 & 21.2 Kathryn Buder American Indian Studies Centre/George Warren Brown School
of Social Work, Washington University, p41
Figure 22.1 & 22.2 Cahokia Mounds and Cahokia Native American Museum, p42
Figure 23.1 & 23.2 Poospatuck Reservation, p44
Figure 24.1 & 24.2 & Shinnecock-Sewanaka Shamrock, p45
Figure 25.1 & 25.2, 25.3 Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, p45
Figure 26.1, 26.2 & 26.3 Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, p47
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