ohpikinâwasowin Growing a Child Implementing Indigenous Ways of Knowing with Indigenous Families
Edited by Leona Makokis, Ralph Bodor, Avery Calhoun, Stephanie Tyler
Fernwood Publishing Halifax & Winnipeg
Copyright © 2020 Leona Makokis, Ralph Bodor, Avery Calhoun, Stephanie Tyler All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Editing: Rhonda Kronyk Cover image: Chris Aquart Cover design: John van der Woude Printed and bound in Canada Published by Fernwood Publishing 32 Oceanvista Lane, Black Point, Nova Scotia, B0J 1B0 and 748 Broadway Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3G 0X3 www.fernwoodpublishing.ca Fernwood Publishing Company Limited gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts, the Manitoba Department of Culture, Heritage and Tourism under the Manitoba Publishers Marketing Assistance Program and the Province of Manitoba, through the Book Publishing Tax Credit, for our publishing program. We are pleased to work in partnership with the Province of Nova Scotia to develop and promote our creative industries for the benefit of all Nova Scotians.
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Title: ohpikinâwasowin : growing a child : implementing Indigenous ways of knowing with Indigenous families / edited by Leona Makokis, Ralph Bodor, Avery Calhoun, Stephanie Tyler. Other titles: Growing a child : implementing Indigenous ways of knowing with Indigenous families | Implementing Indigenous ways of knowing with Indigenous families Names: Makokis, Leona, 1945- editor. | Bodor, Ralph, 1954- editor. | Calhoun, Avery, editor. | Tyler, Stephanie, 1983- editor. Description: Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: Canadiana (print) 20200303341 | Canadiana (ebook) 2020030352X | ISBN 9781773632278 (softcover) | ISBN 9781773632490 (EPUB) | ISBN 9781773632506 (Kindle) Subjects: LCSH: Indigenous children—Canada. | LCSH: Indigenous children—Care—Canada. | LCSH: Indigenous children—Services for—Canada. | LCSH: Child care—Canada. | LCSH: Parent and child— Canada. | LCSH: Indigenous peoples—Family relationships—Canada. Classification: LCC HQ778.7.C2 O37 2020 | DDC 362.7/7897071—dc23
Contents About the Editors
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About the Contributors Acknowledgements
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Introduction: Entering the Circle Leona Makokis, Ralph Bodor, Avery Calhoun and Stephanie Tyler / 1 The Prophesy / 1 The Turtle Lodge Teachings / 4 Ceremony and Smudging / 7 About the Book / 8 About the Wisdom-Seeking Projects Our Book Cover / 12
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1 iyiniw tâpwêwin êkwa kiskeyihtamowin Leona Makokis, Ralph Bodor, Stephanie Tyler, Amanda McLellan, Ariel Veldhuisen, Kristina Kopp, Suzanne McLeod and Sharon Goulet / 13 Our Project’s Creation Story / 14 Ceremony / 16 Two Worlds / 19 Permission to Wisdom-Seek / 22 Storytelling and Creation Stories / 25 Language / 28 Multiple Truths / 32 The Challenge of Truth and Knowing/Doing Relational Accountability / 37 It Ends Here / 38 Where We Are Now / 40
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2 miyawâta Family Teachings on Turtle Island Carolyn Barker / 43 Setting the Context / 44 A Colonial View of Health / 48 An Indigenous View of Health: Living miyo pimâtisiwin / 50 The Project: Foster Care and Non-Indigenous Caregivers / 55 Wisdom for People Supporting Indigenous Children / 62 Implications for People Supporting Indigenous Children and Families / 67 Finishing This Part of the Journey / 68
3 kayiwatisi Indigenous Program Indicators Carol Turner and Ralph Bodor / 71 Historical Context: Human Services for Indigenous Peoples / 73 Central Components of Indigenous Indicators / 78 The Program Indicators: Centering the Indigenous Universe / 83 Conclusion / 90
4 ayahpatisi Practice as Ceremony Amber Dion, Stephanie Tyler, Christie Pace and Karen Delver / 92 Prologue: The Sundancer’s Story / 92 Introduction: This Chapter’s Stories / 93 The Background Story: Storytelling in the iyiniw Universe The Methods Story / 101 The Results Story / 105 The Discussion and Conclusion Story / 111 Epilogue: The Sundancer’s Story Continues / 112
5 tâpwêwin Foundations of wîcihtâsowin Angie Pinder and Avery Calhoun
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Introductions / 115 Colonization and Unbalanced Lives / 118 miyo pimâtisiwin / 120 Living miyo pimâtisiwin: The Teachers’ Stories / 122 The Seven Sacred Teachings: Foundations of wîcihtâsowin Conclusion / 153
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6 kîseyitamowin miyo ohpikinâwasowin: Igniting Spiritual Fires Kristina Kopp, Caleb Anacker, Angie Pinder and Bonda Thompson / 154 awîna kiyânaw — Who Are We? / 155 itâpatisiwin — The Purpose / 156 kîseyitamowin — Teachings of the Decision-Making Stage / 158 Envisioning a New Approach by wîcihitowin — Sharing / 159 Shifting Practices with kwayaskitâtisiwin — Honesty / 164 Implementation through sôhkeyihtâmowin — Determination / 170 Creating Good Relationships Starts (and Ends) with sākihitowin — Love and Kindness / 174 Stories of miyo ohpikinâwasowin Transforming Child Welfare in Our Region / 179 Conclusion / 180
7 ayawâwasowin pe kîwe Come Home: Indigenous Adoptee Re-Connection with Self, Family and Community Fran Kuefler Josey and Judy McRee / 182 Introducing Ourselves and Honouring Relationship / 183 nehiyaw Teachings / 186 Laura and Floyd’s Story: Coming Home to Family, Community and Culture / 192 Adoption: Worldview Implications / 195 Current Legislation and Barriers to Reunification / 198 Recommendations for Change / 205 In Closing / 207
8 kakehtawewin Bringing Ceremony Home: An Inaugural kiskinohamâkewin Stephanie Tyler and Avery Calhoun / 209 Tipi Teachings / 212 Bringing Ceremony Home: Project Background and Description Meanings of the kiskinohamâkewin for Participants / 214 Learning from the Participants / 215 Conclusion / 236
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Conclusion: Closing the Circle: wesakechahk and the Origin of Butterflies / 238 Glossary: English Meaning and Pronunciation of nehiyaw Words
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Glossary: English Meaning of nehiyaw Kinship Terms References Index
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This book is dedicated to the awâsis — small spirits on a human journey — that they will live their lives in the language, in ceremony and in community, as will their children and their children’s children for seven generations.
About the Editors Leona Makokis, EdD, is a member of the Kehewin Cree Nation and has dedicated her life to supporting the growth of programming that balances iyiniw language and worldview with contemporary experiences. Dr. Makokis was the Book’s nôcikwesiw, providing guidance to each project and to the team as a whole. Dr. Makokis is the former president of the University nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills. Her contributions were recognized by an Honorary Degree from the University of Calgary and, in 2012, by the Indspire Award, (formerly the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards) for outstanding lifetime achievement in the field of Indigenous Education. Ralph Bodor, PhD, RSW, is an Associate Professor with the Edmonton-based Central and Northern Region of the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. For the past nineteen years, Dr. Bodor has allied closely with the University nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills to develop and provide culturally relevant social work education and to design and implement numerous research projects and program evaluations using Indigenous methodologies. In 2010 Dr. Bodor was ceremonially given his Cree name, which demonstrates the extent of his contributions to and esteem within the iyiniw community. Specifically recognizing his contributions to Indigenous social work education, Dr. Bodor’s work was honoured through the Killam Trust Innovation in Teaching Award (2010) and the University of Calgary, Native Centre Chief John Snow Award (2017). Avery Calhoun, PhD, is an Associate Professor, Emerita, with the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary during this book’s creation. Retired in 2019, her academic career included roles as Associate Dean, Students (2002-2005) and Associate Dean of the Central and Northern Region (20082013), along with a focus on teaching research from a critical perspective. Dr. Calhoun’s research involved community collaborations in the areas of violence against women, restorative justice, social justice activism and Indigenous child welfare. Stephanie Tyler, MSW, RSW, is currently a PhD student at the University of Calgary and a sessional instructor at MacEwan University. She has been involved as a research coordinator/assistant in several of the projects discussed in this publication and was the managing editor for this publication.
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About the Contributors Caleb Anacker, MSW, RSW, grew up all over rural Alberta, raised by his French-Canadian mother from Southern Ontario and his American father from New England. He and his wife now call Ashmont, Alberta home, where they have lived since 2011. Caleb has worked in the Children’s Services field since 2007. Carolyn Barker, MSW, RSW, is a Registered Clinical Social Worker in private practice in Edmonton, Alberta. She has a particular interest in the assessment and treatment of trauma and transgenerational trauma. Karen Delver, MEd, BL&M, is a resilient nehiyaw iskwew from Saddle Lake Cree Nation and currently works for Alberta Government Children Services Ministry. Karen grounds her strength in her nehiyaw knowledge systems and is a strong believer in decolonizing education. This balance helps her live in the two worlds of nehiyaw and Western society. Amber Dion, MSW, RSW, is a member of the nehiyaw Nation and currently an assistant professor in the School of Social Work, MacEwan University in Edmonton. She has been involved in a number of Indigenous research projects and is a strong advocate for Indigenous Peoples. Sharon Goulet, MSW, RSW, is a Red River Métis and member of the Métis Nation of Alberta. Sharon has worked at the City of Calgary for the past 25 years in a variety of positions and is presently working as an Indigenous Issue Strategist in the Indigenous Relations Office. Her work has involved social planning, community development, research and advocacy on issues that concern the Indigenous urban community. Kristina Kopp, MSW, RSW, is a nehiyaw-Métis iskwew (Cree-Métis woman) from Edmonton, Alberta. Kristina’s social work education has been focused on learning the nehiyaw worldview and incorporating nehiyaw language and ceremony into social work education and practice. Fran Kuefler Josey, MSW, RSW, has been a practising social worker for over 30 years with a focus in the adoption and post adoption field where she has facilitated over 700 reunions of adopted persons with their families. Amanda McLellan, MSW, RSW, is a Métis social worker from Edmonton, xi
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Alberta. Inspired by the strength and wisdom of her mother and grandmothers, Amanda has dedicated her career to supporting Indigenous children and families through education, research, storytelling and ceremony. Suzanne McLeod, PhD (Candidate), is Anishinaabe from Sagkeeng First Nation, Manitoba. She is currently leading several projects related to Indigenous social, cultural and community development. She has extensive research and evaluation experience including with the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. Judy McRee, MSW, RSW, is a social worker with twenty-nine years of child welfare experience living and working in rural northern Alberta. She has been gifted with Indigenous teachings from both Métis and nehiyaw Knowledge Keepers. Christie Pace, is a Supervisor with the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society’s Practice as Ceremony Cultural Supports Services Program. She has been with the agency for over twenty years and is experienced in the areas of Child and Youth care, Healthy Families, Sacred Circle Family Intervention, and Kahkiyaw Children’s Services. Angie Pinder, MSW, RSW, has been a social worker in rural Alberta for the majority of her career, working in the Family Support for Children with Disabilities Program for ten years and then becoming a child welfare supervisor. Angie is now working as a Policy Analyst and Program Consultant with Alberta Children’s Services, Child Intervention. Bonda Thompson, MSW, RSW, is a Regional Director providing strategic leadership and direction for Alberta’s provincial and regional Children’s Services programs, initiatives and projects, including the effective use of staff resources and fiscal management. Carol Turner, BSW, RSW, is a Supervisor with The Family Centre serving children, youth and families. Carol has been gifted with a Ceremonial Cree name and has been involved with Indigenous teachings from nehiyaw Knowledge Keepers. Carol appreciates Indigenous knowledge and ceremonies and understands how culture plays an integral role in collaborating with children and families. Ariel Veldhuisen, MSW, RSW, is mother to three young and energetic children and worked as a student researcher studying the concept of truth from Canadian Indigenous perspectives.
Introduction
Entering the Circle Leona Makokis, Ralph Bodor, Avery Calhoun and Stephanie Tyler tawâw. Come in. You’re welcome. There’s room.
A
The Prophesy
long, long time ago — before the settlers arrived — when life was good and the Ancestors were happy, a prophesy was shared among the nehiyaw (Cree, four-dimensional) people. The prophesy spoke of omanitewak (visitors) who would come to this land. They were to be welcomed because they would bring gifts and responsibilities that would contribute to the four realms, the four dimensions: physical, spiritual, mental and emotional. It is these four realms that, when each is lived to their fullest, create miyo pimâtisiwin (a good life). The visitors would help complete these four realms for Mother Earth and for the people living on Turtle Island. The prophesy teaches that the Creator had a vision in creating the world, and when the Creator placed all the humans in their own homelands, each race was given both a responsibility and a gift by the Creator. The responsibility given to each of the groups was one of the four elements; earth, wind, water or fire; each would be the special learning of that group. The Creator’s gift to each race complemented their element. The Creator knew that, as the people honoured their gifts, they would receive an understanding of the gift’s power and wisdom. The gifts given were the spiritual, physical, emotional and mental abilities and understanding. It was the Creator’s intention that all these responsibilities and gifts would eventually be shared between all the races — and enable all to live miyo pimâtisiwin. 1
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The Red People (Spiritual and Land) The Creator’s vision of spirituality was given as a gift to the Red People. To keep the gift of spirituality, the Red People were granted the power to remember the laws of the Creator, to carry the teaching stories and to maintain the language of the heart. These stories contain the vision of the Creator. The Creator also gave the Red People the ability to nourish and nurture the spirit no matter what chaos, trouble or turmoil befell the people. There are, among the Red People, many who have made the commitment to carry this knowledge and wisdom to each generation by selecting the carriers of the spirit of the Red People. The responsibility of the Red People is the land. The land is theirs to steward; the animals, plant life, and their relationships to the earth were taught to the Red People through teaching stories. These stories are accompanied by vital seasonal ceremonies and rituals that serve to maintain a balance between the earth and sky. The Red People continue to preserve the balance between taking and giving back, based on need and use, on the land known as Turtle Island. In this area of responsibility, the Red People have learned the sacredness of our mother the earth. The Red People have been granted the responsibility to maintain the Creator’s vision on this land. The sacredness of this responsibility and the gift of this vision is heralded across the land, in the four directions. This was known to the Elders a long time ago, and the Elders said that in order to keep this land alive and in balance, the Red People had to perform their ceremonies in their own language.
The Yellow People (Emotional and Air) The Yellow People are the second youngest of the human beings. The Creator gave them the responsibility of the air we breathe. The Yellow People have learned to use air and breath for both health and vitality. Their traditions and teachings include discipline and the revitalization and flow of life’s energy. The gift given by the Creator to the Yellow People is the realm of emotions, as these are linked with the body and mind. The Yellow People of this tradition have navigated the teachings about the emotions and their relationship to the energy of well-being, vital life forces, health and meditations. From these traditions, we can understand and practice the steadfastness associated with attending to our emotional health.
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The Black People (Physical and Water) The Black People are the oldest of the human beings. The Creator’s gift to the Black People was that of the physical dimension and its relationship to the body. The Black People were given this gift in order to develop the skills and understanding of self-esteem, self-awareness and self-determination. The responsibility of the Black People is water and in learning how to use it for the benefits of life and to ensure that there is clean water for future generations.
The White People (Mental and Fire) The White People were given the responsibility of fire to learn and to control. The White People are the youngest of the human beings; however, they have developed their responsibility of fire with great thoroughness. Using the basic element of fire, they have developed motors, generators and electrical power. Other uses of this element have resulted in microwaves, lasers and atomic energy. The internal combustion engine is used in all aspects of home, work and leisure activities. These inventions have made life easier to live and life expectancy has increased due to the aid of technology. The White People were granted the gift of the mind by the Creator. They are to use this gift to develop communication skills and rational thinking. They are responsible for communication and understanding among all peoples because without effective communication we cannot share our gifts. However, the White People have developed their gift and responsibility with enthusiasm and have used rationality and fire as a tool to exploit Mother Earth and human beings. The mind is powerful but requires the balance of the heart. The vision of the Creator was that each human race would develop their gift and responsibility and, when they were ready, would come to the land of the Red People. Here, each race would create opportunities to share their gifts and the knowledge of their responsibilities. When each of the gifts have been shared and everyone is living the integrity of the four gifts and the four responsibilities, the Creator’s vision would be realized. The people would recognize that in unity they are stronger. This is the prophesy as shared by Leona Makokis.
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The Turtle Lodge Teachings The Turtle Lodge Teachings help us understand the nehiyaw teachings of life, life’s journey, the role of ceremonies and the teachings associated with each stage of the Turtle Lodge. The lodge itself is a domed Sweat Lodge, with seven curved willow saplings supporting the roof. Each willow represents a stage of the Turtle Lodge Teachings. As we enter and leave the lodge, we travel through each life stage. The Teachings describe the stages from pre-birth to passing on, the role of the Ancestors and the Grandmothers, and they convey the knowledge that we are all spirits on a human journey. An understanding of the Turtle Lodge Teachings allows us to link developmental stages to ceremonies, language to process, and teachings to meanings. This understanding helps us connect heart and mind. In the teaching we are sharing, it is understood that there are seven stages of life’s journey contained within the Turtle Lodge Teachings. Each stage, and the ceremonies associated with that stage, relate to specific events within our lives. Consequently, the stages are not determined by chronological age; instead, they are connected to our lived experiences. The stages are developmental and event-based rather than linked to specific ages. Children develop at different rates; an older child or a child with special gifts could be at an earlier stage than a younger child. Other events, such as a young boy’s first hunting kill and providing for the community, are dependent on the skill level, rather than age, of the specific child.
miyawâta (Happy Stage) A child being born into a healthy home, family and community would experience happiness because the entirety of their emotional, spiritual, mental and physical needs would be nurtured. The child is the focus of the parents, family and community. This stage grounds the child in a loving, caring and nurturing environment. In this stage, the important ceremonies and practices could include singing the child into the world, a spiritual naming ceremony, the mother using a mossbag to carry the baby and the father building a swing for the baby to rest in. There are teachings associated with each of the ceremonies that contribute to the health, happiness and development of the child. The ancestral Grandmothers prepare these spirits for their human journey — and we understand that, at the Happy Stage, children are more spirit than human. Consequently, there are teachings about how the child
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is treated to support its transition from a spiritual state to a human state. We also understand that spirits have chosen the family and the community they will come to. The spirits know that they will experience love and that the gifts they bring will be honoured.
kayiwatisi (Fast Stage) After the miyawâta stage, children begin to walk and run and build their physical selves. During this kayiwatisi stage, they discover the world around them. Children develop physically, become less attached to their caregivers and begin a more independent state. Ceremonies could include a Walking Out Ceremony, where children experience their first steps on Mother Earth and the community comes together to pledge support to the child and to the family. At this stage, the child is now more human than spirit.
ayahpatisi (Wondering Stage) In this stage, children are often developing their understanding of the family and the community and are very curious. They are wanting to know more about the world, so they are continually inquiring and asking questions. Language development is critical at this time so that the child can understand the teachings shared by the community and the family. As children find things to do, the family teaches them how to live in a good way. This is the stage where children learn how they are related to people and how to respect and listen. Children participate in community ceremonies and learn their role in the community and in ceremony.
tâpwêwin (Truth Stage) The Truth Stage starts when children have gone through their own experiences and have learned through observation and teaching. During tâpwêwin, girls and boys go through their respective rites of passage, after which they are no longer seen as children and are given adult responsibilities. Boys, upon making their first kill to provide for the community, are honoured, and what they have provided is shared with everyone in a feast and a ceremony. They are providers — and their responsibility is attached to being a provider. Boys at this age may have experienced a Vision Quest — either through a Fasting Ceremony or a Sundance Ceremony. They are seeking knowledge about themselves and the path they are going to travel.
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Girls go through a rites-of-passage ceremony when they experience their first moon-time. They are usually housed with female Elders for four days, and during that time they are taught about how to have healthy relationships and the importance of boundaries — both their own and others’. They are also taught about the importance of keeping the body in a balanced state, and they are taught various responsibilities such cleaning house, washing clothes, sewing, knitting or cooking. At this stage, boys and girls are taught many protocols — how to treat other people, animals, plants and the land, and how to build healthy relationships.
kîseyitamowin (Decision-Making Stage) After learning from many people, experiences and teachings, someone in the Decision-Making Stage will be able to recognize their individual gifts. In this stage we decide what we are going to do with our lives and how we can use the gifts we have been given to serve the community. We also would have been taught by the Grandmothers and the Elders the knowledge of what our purpose is in using our gifts. Knowing our gifts means we know our role. We can be responsible, accountable to the community, know our protocols and make up our mind in a good way and carry our knowledge forward. This stage also includes determining who our partner may be.
ayawâwasowin (Planting Stage) In this stage, we move into relationships, may have children and learn that it is our responsibility to raise children in the way we have been taught with all the protocols, teachings, ceremonies, relationships and responsibilities. We are deeply involved in numerous seasonal ceremonies and celebrations. Emphasis is given to stories, language and culture during this stage as they need to be learned well so they can continue to be passed from generation to generation.
kakehtawewin (Wisdom Stage) Having lived through all the stages, we have gained experience, and our role now is to share this with others. kisêyiniw is an old man who is caring, loving and nurturing. nôcikwesiw refers to an old woman; the word means that this woman has filled her home with love — children, grandchildren, great grandchildren — and that she has brought so many good
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experiences into her home that it is overflowing with love. It is so full that she sits beside the door of her home to make sure that it is protected. In this stage we are nurturing, kind and loving, and we carry on the gift of being able to recognize and nurture the gifts and responsibilities of the next generation. We honour the wisdom given to us over our journey, which means it is our duty to pass it along in a loving and caring way. It is not our knowledge to keep; the knowledge belongs to all of us. We become the storytellers to guide the next generation. When we pass on, we return to the ancestral Grandmothers and Grandfathers to help prepare new spirits for their human journey.
Ceremony and Smudging It is important to understand that ceremony is integrated into everything. As you read through the chapters, it will become clear how ceremony has this encompassing influence. Without ceremony, we lose our way. Ceremony in this context can be understood as somewhat similar to the beating of your heart. We are rarely conscious of the beating of our heart, and we do not have to make an effort to make our heart beat. Ceremony is like our heart and our heartbeat — it is there all the time, often not consciously, working hard to keep us alive. As the editors and authors of this book, we have been in ceremony since its beginning. We began the project with offerings and a Pipe Ceremony, and we participated in Sweat Lodges to ask the Ancestors to guide our work and the final results. We had a Smudging Ceremony, which is perhaps the most common ceremony, at the beginning of each meeting. We invite readers to Smudge before exploring this text. A brief explanation of the ceremony follows. Smudging is a cleansing ceremony that grounds us. It is used to begin ceremonies or other gatherings and it is used by individuals as part of their spiritual practice. The smudge can be sage, sweetgrass, fungus, cedar or other medicines. It is lit with a match and held in a shell, bowl or smudge pan. When the smudge is lit, the resulting smoke is regarded as a purifying agent for the mind, body, spirit and emotions, and each person is invited to use the smoke to cleanse themselves. It is recommended that all metal be removed from the body before beginning to Smudge as metal can hold on to negative energy. This includes eye glasses, earrings, necklaces, watches and rings that can be replaced when the Smudge concludes.
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If you are with others, all of you should stand or sit in a circle. It is also okay to do the Smudge individually. Each time a different area of the body is being smudged, cup your hands over the smoke and wave the smoke toward that area of the body. Smudging generally follows an order. Smudge the hands and ask the Creator that our hands do good work. Smudge the head and ask the Creator for a strong and clear mind. Smudge the ears and ask the Creator for good listening. Smudge the mouth and ask the Creator that only good and kind words be spoken. Smudge the body and ask the Creator for good health. Smudge the heart and ask the Creator for kindness, love and acceptance of others. After everyone has smudged, an Elder or Knowledge Keeper says or sings a prayer or blessing and asks the group to say a prayer together. If your group does not have this kind of leader, a group member can volunteer to sing or say the prayer or blessing. If you are alone, say a prayer yourself. When Smudging opens an event, it provides an opportunity for mindful preparation of a safe space and allows everyone to enter and leave the discussion in a positive way.
About the Book This book has its foundation in the editors’ and authors’ belief that child welfare with Indigenous Peoples must be iyiniw (First Peoples, people of the land) child welfare. iyiniw child welfare must evolve from the iyiniw universe. Centering the iyiniw universe leads to supporting and re-invigorating knowledges, practices and ceremonies related to children and families that have existed for millennia. We, the editors and authors, include people of nehiyaw, Métis and Western heritage who share a commitment to honouring iyiniw knowledge. Throughout the creation of this book, throughout each of the projects and in all the wisdom-seeking presented in this book, there has been a constant presence, teacher and guide. Dr. Leona Makokis, a nehiyaw iskwew, is that person. Her wisdom, humour, willingness to share, her fluency in the nehiyaw language, her stories and her teachings have directly guided all of us. We are extremely blessed to share her journey. We often call her
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our Elder, but she is very clear that is a “settler” term. Leona prefers to be our nôcikwesiw, which describes an older woman who has filled her home with so many people — children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren — and good experiences that the home overflows with love. It is so full that nôcikwesiw sits beside the door of her home to make sure that it is protected. Leona has sat by the door of this book, protecting our process and guiding our directions. We have, as much as possible, returned to nehiyawewin (the Cree language) throughout the book. We have found that the teaching/learning and knowing/doing are based in the language, and do not translate easily into English. The glossary provided at the end of the book will, we hope, help with the flow back and forth between English and nehiyaw words. The chapters are based on projects, wisdom-seeking journeys and service provision changes that occurred on nehiyaw land, in Treaty 6 and Treaty 8 territory. Many of the teachings in this book are clearly nehiyaw teachings, with some from the Blackfoot people of Treaty 7. While some teachings and stories may be transferable among iyiniw peoples, we strongly encourage readers who wish to learn more to gather some tobacco and meet with an Elder in your area. It will change your life.
About the Wisdom-Seeking Projects The chapters that are based on specific wisdom-seeking projects are Chapters 1, 4 and 8. These projects were initiated and concluded in ceremony. The projects were done in relationship with the Research Ethics Committee of the University of Blue Quills as well as with approval from the Conjoint Faculties Ethics Review Board of the University of Calgary. Working with the University of Blue Quills requires a commitment to wisdom-seeking ethics that are different from typical Western research ethics. Here are some of the key aspects of this perspective as articulated by the University of Blue Quills Research Ethics Policy (2009). • Gaining knowledge is a sacred process and must be guided by laws and ethics made by the Creator and expressed through the seven teachings of love, respect, courage, honesty, humility, wisdom and truth. • “Research” is understood as an inherently spiritual process of seeking knowledge through relationships. • Within this process, the researcher is understood to be a learner.
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• Relationships formed for the purpose of research must be directed by protocols that honour the people providing the gift of their knowledge. • Receiving knowledge through research involves accepting responsibilities to use the knowledge respectfully and appropriately, and that using the knowledge must directly benefit the community. These are the ethics that wisdom-seeking teams followed and held themselves accountable to. At the same time, the projects were done within the Western context, and several of the tools used during the wisdomseeking process are similar to those used in Western research methods. The application of these tools within the context of ceremony transforms the experience at least for the wisdom-seekers and, hopefully, for their teachers (the participants in wisdom-seeking projects) as well. It is our hope that the book will be helpful to readers currently working in or learning to work in programs or agencies that offer services to Indigenous Peoples and families. Each chapter can be read separately, although we encourage you to read from the beginning to end. Like the Turtle Lodge Teachings, there is a progression in the learning that starts with truth from the spirit world and culminates in sharing wisdom with others. In Chapter 1, “iyiniw tâpwêwin êkwa kiskeyihtamowin,” we explore truth from an iyiniw perspective. The learnings are presented in the text and through videos of the Elders and can be accessed with QR codes embedded in the text. Learnings described in this chapter include creation stories, ceremony, language, relational accountability and butterflies. Chapter 2, “Family Teachings on Turtle Island,” explores colonial and Indigenous views of health, balance and wâhkotowin. Based on her participation in a team project to provide resources for foster parents of Indigenous children, the author tells the story of her own growth toward living as an Indigenous-allied helper. The chapter explores ways to provide culturally-based supports for Indigenous children, helping them grow and thrive. In Chapter 3, “Indigenous Program Indicators,” the authors examine wellness and how it is assessed through Western and Indigenous perspectives. The authors describe a “middle way” that social service providers can consider as they work to Indigenize programs. The Program Indicators centre Indigenous knowledge and are adaptable to specific agency needs
Entering the Circle
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related to staff development and program evaluation. Descriptions of the use of the indicators in four contexts provides concrete examples of their utility in a variety of agency circumstances. The authors use a storytelling approach in Chapter 4 to describe “Practice as Ceremony.” The project underlying Practice as Ceremony persuaded us that work with iyiniw families must be based in ceremony, be part of ceremony and express ceremony. The chapter describes how the authors came to this understanding through a wisdom-seeking project that explored the meanings of effectiveness in Indigenous child welfare. Support for service providers who are on a journey to be wîcihtâsowak (people who come to help), is provided in Chapter 5. “Foundations of wîcihtâsowin” discusses the helper’s role from within the iyiniw worldview. The Seven Sacred Teachings are explored through stories from people living miyo pimâtisiwin (the good life) in an urban context. In Chapter 6, “miyo ohpikinâwasowin: Igniting Spiritual Fires,” the authors describe the journey their child welfare regional office took as they implemented Indigenous worldview and practice frameworks. The chapter is structured through dialogue between the authors and a kiskinohtahiwew (cultural guide), bringing stories of their challenges and successes to life. Western adoption practices that contravene sacred nehiyaw teachings about family and community are explored in Chapter 7, “pe kîwe Come Home: Indigenous Adoptee Re-Connection with Self, Family and Community.” The deep dislocation of adoption and the profound meaning of family and community re-connection are portrayed through one father-daughter-community’s experiences. The authors make recommendations for legislative and policy change that could facilitate such important re-connections. Chapter 8, “Bringing Ceremony Home: An Inaugural kiskinohamâkewin,” tells the story of the first cultural camp held in Edmonton. Hundreds of people — child welfare service providers and community members — learned about ceremony and traditional teachings over four days. During the camp, eleven tipis were raised and a sweat lodge was built on the ground of Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society. Learnings from this experience are told from the perspectives of the people who participated in the kiskinohamâkewin. Finally, we leave readers with a story that we hope will stay with you as you continue on your own road to wîcihtâsow and to living miyo pimâtisiwin.
12 ohpikinâwasowin Growing a Child
Our Book Cover In the Seven Sacred Teachings, the last teaching is from the Turtle and represents truth (tâpwêwin). The Turtle carries all of the other teachings on its back. In nehiyaw, the turtle is called miskanâhk and our path, our journey in truth, is called meskanaw. Hence, when we walk the right path, we are walking a path of truth. We commissioned a Cree artist, Chris Aquart, from Cold Lake First Nation, to provide us with a Turtle painting, and we have chosen to use it as our cover illustration. . You will notice the turtle has eight sections on the outer edge of its shell. These are stages of the Turtle Lodge Teachings. The eighth section, at the top, is the Ancestors and legendary Grandmothers from the spirit world where every human is prepared for life as a spirit on a human journey. We welcome you, the reader and our visitor, as an omanitewak to this book. We welcome your gifts and responsibilities into the Circle. tawâw!
