Indigenous Peoples and Social Work PDF

Indigenous Peoples and Social Work  Outline Who are Indigenous Peoples? Since the beginning of time: Indigenous ways of helping Colonization: The time of the great struggle Contemporary challenges in Indigenous communities Contemporary challenges in urban settin...

Indigenous Peoples and Social Work  Outline Who are Indigenous Peoples? Since the beginning of time: Indigenous ways of helping Colonization: The time of the great struggle Contemporary challenges in Indigenous communities Contemporary challenges in urban settings Disappeared and murdered Indigenous women and girls Steps toward healing Indigenous worldviews in social work Indigenous-focused social work programs Being an ally  Learning Objectives To identify who Indigenous Peoples are. To apply appropriate terminology to diverse populations of Indigenous Peoples. To identify Indigenous values and ways of helping. To acquire basic knowledge of Canadian history from an Indigenous perspective. To see current social and economic challenges of Indigenous Peoples as the impacts of colonization. To identify challenges of Indigenous Peoples living in urban settings. Learning Objectives, cont’d To become more informed about missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. To introduce roles of Indigenous helpers such as Elders and traditional counsellors. To gain an understanding of Indigenous worldviews within helping/social work. To appreciate the strengths, resistance, and resiliency of Indigenous Peoples. To come to view yourself as a helper and ally. To see how all Canadians are part of truth and reconciliation. Who Are Indigenous Peoples?  Who Are Indigenous Peoples? Indigenous Peoples were the original inhabitants of what the Haudenosaunee Nation call Turtle Island (also known as North America). Three groups of Indigenous Peoples: First Nations, Métis & Inuit. https://indigenous.uoguelph.ca/system/files/Indigenou s%20Terminology%20Guide.pdf Despite many geographical, territorial, language, culture, political, and spiritual differences, a foundation of worldviews, values, and beliefs are common to all Indigenous peoples. This foundation and a history of colonization ties Indigenous Peoples together. According to the 2016 census, approximately 4.9% of the population identified as having some Indigenous  Since the Beginning of Time: Indigenous Ways of Helping  Since the Beginning of Time: Indigenous Ways of Helping Holistic approach – Recognition of the whole person, including spiritual, physical, emotional, and psychological elements – The emphasis is on the collective rather than the individual, with teachings that stress how all life is connected Egalitarianism – A belief that all people should share equal social, political, and economic rights and opportunities Psychologi Spiritual cal Emotional Physical  Since the Beginning of Time: Indigenous Ways of Helping, cont’d Spirituality is a major component of Indigenous worldviews Distinct from religion Embodies interconnectedness with all life Everyone and everything are seen as being equal and interdependent, part of the great whole and having a spirit This view underscores the entire Indigenous vision of life, land, and the universe  Indigenous Values Permissiveness Children are gifts Extended family Communal living Emphasis on Interdependence group/clan Cooperation Time based on Humility nature Non-interference Emphasis on Respect for Elders sharing Harmony with nature  Talk to your neighbor Choose three of these values and discuss what they mean, and describe an example of a way they may be enacted. Colonization: The Time of the Great Struggle  The Indian Act of 1876 Created by the Parliament of Canada to define “Indian” status and outline the administration of “Indian rights,” although it does not grant “Indian rights” Imposed a White, capitalist, patriarchal governance structure Nearly destroyed traditional tribal structures that were clan oriented, matriarchal, and communal – Clan: groups of families that have the same inherited social and political roles – Matriarchal: a system of social and political inheritance through female lineage  The Indian Act of 1876, cont’d This Act is the only piece of legislation in the world designed for a particular “race” of people Ignores Indigenous Peoples’ right to self- determination – Self-determination: the ability to make choices and decisions for oneself Unfair mechanisms used to assign Indigenous Peoples to categories of status or non-status – Status/Non-status: registration system based on blood quantum and historical policy – Enfranchisement: a process whereby “Indians” could become Canadian citizens by relinquishing their ties to their communities (including land rights)  The Indian Act of 1876, cont’d Reserve system: set up to restrict Indigenous Peoples registered under the Indian Act to particular areas of Canada that were considered unattractive to settlers – This land was owned by the British crown, not Indigenous peoples Indian agent: White government officials who displaced traditional Indigenous leadership and held the power to enforce the Indian Act, including deciding who would have status and acting as arresting officers, prosecutors, and judges all in one “Kill the Indian in the Child” Residential school system began in the 1870s – A federal policy now deemed shameful – Aimed to eliminate Indigenous cultures by removing children from their communities – Enforced Christian practices and religion – Indigenous cultural and spiritual practices as well as languages were forbidden – Residential schools were a site of physical, mental, and sexual abuse for seven generations of Indigenous Peoples  “Kill the Indian in the Child,” cont’d The goal of residential schools was assimilation – Assimilation: a process by which individuals’ cultural identities are minimized or eliminated and replaced by the cultural identities of the larger society In the 1920s, it was made illegal for Indigenous parents to keep their children out of residential schools – If parents objected, they were jailed, and the children were taken anyway Most residential schools were phased out in the 1960s – The last school closed in 1996 in Punnichy,  The Sixties Scoop Sixties Scoop: the removal of large numbers of Indigenous children from their families in the 1960s Social workers placed Indigenous children in foster care or arranged adoption by White families in Canada and internationally Three times the number of Indigenous children were placed in the care of the child welfare system than were placed in residential schools at the height of their operation Today, Indigenous children are placed in the care of child welfare at a rate 12 times higher than non-Indigenous children Contemporary Challenges in Indigenous Communities  Contemporary Challenges in Indigenous Communities Impacts of colonization include: – Trauma – Poverty – High unemployment rates – Lack of education – Inadequate or lack of affordable housing – Dependency on social services  Contemporary Challenges in Indigenous Communities, cont’d Trauma suffered by past generations impacts the current generation Loss of relationships in the past creates difficulty in forming and maintaining current relationships (especially parenting) Genetic inheritance of trauma has additive effect on experiences of present-day trauma  Contemporary Challenges in Indigenous Communities, cont’d Intergenerational trauma: – Refers to trauma passed down from generation to generation in Indigenous communities, resulting in unhealthy family relationships that include issues such as violence, mental health challenges (e.g., depression), and internalized oppression that sometimes manifests as substance abuse  Contemporary Challenges in Indigenous Communities, cont’d Historical trauma: – Describes what Indigenous Peoples have inherited as an entire group – All Indigenous Peoples have been victims of genocide and affected by colonization and all its tools, even though they may not have been to a residential school, been taken away from their families by child welfare authorities, or live in poverty – Every Indigenous person lives with all that has been taken from them: culture, land, identity, and what should have been  Contemporary Challenges in Indigenous Communities, cont’d Collective trauma: – Includes collective images of traumatic events that have become implanted in the social memory of Indigenous Peoples – Contemporary Indigenous Peoples may not fully consciously remember their ancestors’ suffering, but they nevertheless carry images and feelings shaped by memories passed on by many people they have never known Contemporary Challenges in Urban Settings Contemporary Challenges in Urban Settings Indigenous Peoples move to urban settings: – For education, employment, and housing – For access to health care systems and services – Following release from incarceration – To escape poverty – Fleeing domestic violence, abuse, and discrimination  Contemporary Challenges in Urban Settings, cont’d Challenges that Indigenous Peoples may encounter living in urbanized settings include: – Experiences of racism in service delivery – Homelessness and lack of affordable housing – Inadequate public transportation – Lack of education, training, and employment opportunities – Limited supports for youth – Poor access to health, including mental health, services – Violence against women, girls, and two-spirit and trans people – Food insecurity  Disappeared and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls  Disappeared and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Between 2000 and 2008, Indigenous women and girls represented approximately 10 per cent of all female homicides in Canada In Saskatchewan, almost 59 per cent of disappeared women and girls are Indigenous The RCMP have recorded 1,181 cases of murdered or disappeared Indigenous women and girls over a 30-year period, but estimates have been as high as 4,000 How is violence toward Indigenous women and girls connected to violence toward Mother Earth?  National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Created in 2015and Girls The commissioners of the inquiry were tasked with providing concrete recommendations to federal, provincial, and territorial governments about how to address the disproportionate rates of violence and crime against Indigenous women and girls Final report of the inquiry released in June 2019 – Report focuses on a human rights framework led by Indigenous women and names the violence towards Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people “genocide”  Walking with Our Sisters (Ives, p. 234-35) Campaign to create awareness about violence toward Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people and ceremony to assist in healing for family members of those stolen Memorial installation of more than 2000 moccasin tops, called vamps, created by loved ones of the disappeared and murdered Created by Michif artist and activist Christi Belcourt in 2012; travelled across Canada in 2013-2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U0ROn LxNig Steps toward Healing  Steps toward Healing Aboriginal Healing Foundation (1998-2014) – National healing initiative whose mandate was to support the development of sustainable healing programming for the survivors of residential schools and their descendants Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2008-2015) – Mission was to reveal the complete story of Canada’s residential school system, and lead the way to respect through reconciliation  Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada The TRC was mandated to: – Reveal to Canadians the complex truth about the history and the ongoing legacy of the church-run residential schools – Guide a process of truth and healing, leading toward reconciliation between Indigenous Peoples and churches, governments, and Canadians generally In 2015, the TRC presented the executive summary of the findings contained in its final report, including 94 “calls to action” or recommendations to further reconciliation between Canadians and Indigenous Peoples  Effective Healing Principles (AHF) Cultural coherence that underlies the development of a strong identity Importance of a helper’s personal experiences aligning with the participants Traditional ceremonies and teachings for family healing No fixed timetable for making changes as this is a personal journey Regaining of collective strength as Indigenous Peoples Flexible and diverse healing modalities Restoration of Indigenous values The Medicine Wheel as a Healing Tool  A View of Healing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXJOQ YxxV2Y What are the examples of oppression that Michael has experienced in his life? What are some examples of healing? How does he use the Medicine Wheel? Indigenous Worldviews in Social Work  Indigenous Worldviews in Social Work A prevalent theme emphasizes a return to Indigenous traditional teachings as guidelines for social work practice All Indigenous populations have their own unique healing methods and ways of achieving social justice – Anishinaabe medicines, ceremonies such as the sweat lodge, songs, and dances – Haudenosaunee longhouses, medicine societies, and prayers – Métis styles of prayer, music, and dance – Inuit country foods and camping on the land Indigenous worldviews have influenced the  Social Work Theories as Seen through an Indigenous Lens Anti-oppressive perspective: – Includes structural social work theory – Posits that oppression and not individual deficiency is the cause of social problems AOP theory can be linked to anti-racism and anti-colonialism because it can be used to better understand: – The inextricable link between racism and the oppression of visible minority groups – The nature of colonialism and its contributions to the oppression of Indigenous Peoples  Social Work Theories as Seen through an Indigenous Lens, cont’d Postmodern perspective: – Reality is socially constructed through language, maintained through narratives, and carries no essential truths – Reality is made up of multiple stories, is fluid, and is historically specific – Centres on asking critical questions such as whose languages, knowledges, and voices are privileged in society because they are heard, and which are not?  Social Work Theories as Seen through an Indigenous Lens, cont’d Postcolonial/anti-colonial perspectives: – Come from the people who have been colonized – Emphasize how Indigenous Peoples globally have been affected by colonization and address relationships between the colonized and the colonizers – Stress strategies of resistance and decolonization led by Indigenous Peoples – Decolonization: Indigenous and non- Indigenous peoples working together to dismantle the attitudes, powers, and institutions that keep practices of colonization alive  Challenges Facing Indigenous Social Workers Social work has not been critical enough of its Euro-western beliefs, values, and assumptions Indigenous social workers are working in colonized communities and agencies and are often agents of social control They must also practise in ways that are accountable to Indigenous Peoples and communities who are rightly often mistrustful of the profession One response has been the development of Indigenous-focused programs within