Need some "fire in the belly" for reconciliation? Chastity's got your back

BY ABBY FRANCIS - LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Tla’amin Nation’s Chastity Davis-Alphonse has been sharing Indigenous history and advocating for Indigenous women her whole life.

Chastity has helped over 125 communities and corporations with strategic planning around reconciliation, and how to include Indigenous peoples, since launching Chastity Davis Consulting 10 years ago.

“I had originally started working at BC Hydro with Indigenous relations, and I really loved the work I was doing; I learned so much,” says Chastity. “I realized I had the skills to take this further, so I took that leap of faith and created my own consulting company, and it was the right direction.” Last April, Chastity launched an education website called Deyen, a Tsilhqot’in word meaning ‘person with power to transform.’ Deyen offers courses of Canadian history through the lens of an Indigenous woman.

Chastity said she realized that there is not an in-depth training course for Canadians to learn from Indigenous women.

“In my research I found that before Canada was a country, and Indigenous peoples were displaced, over 80 per cent of First Nations communities had women as leaders. It was a matriarchal society. And that inspired me to create Deyen.”

Growing up off Tla’amin lands, Chastity was one of the only Indigenous students in her school.

“There was a lot of racism and a lack of knowledge. This was through the 80s and 90s, so Indigenous peoples were not really taught about, and when we were, it was incorrect.

“They talked about us living in teepees, showed faulty images, and talked about us in a past tense, which for me was super disorienting, because I knew that that’s who I was and I didn’t actually live like that. That made me want to teach about who we really are.”

Chastity also wants to build on the Deyen courses this year. “I would love to shift from consulting to Deyen fulltime, but the demand for consultants is very high and it is difficult to keep up with all the inquiries, so this shift will take a while.”

Deyen has been around for almost one year, and Chastity says the feedback has been great.

“The most common feedback I get from people is that the course really expands their minds and gives a deeper understanding of both Indigenous women and things seen in the news.

“A lot of news stories are brought to people with no context. People don’t know why there are thousands of missing Indigenous women and girls, or understand why Tla’amin Nation wants to change the name of Powell River, or the story behind the Fairy Creek blockade.

“There is not an understanding of how we got to where we are today. My course provides that needed context. Learners told me they leave with a fire in their belly on how to play a bigger part in reconciliation.”

Chastity says that the lessons Deyen provides and the work she teaches through consulting leave her hopeful and motivated to continue teaching about Indigenous peoples.

“I feel a lot of responsibility comes with this. I am responsible for bringing people through this journey, and I have to make sure all of the content is correct, but I love it.”

SHE’S GOT THE POWER TO TRANSFORM: Chastity Davis-Alphonse’s educational website is called Deyen, meaning ‘person with power to transform.’