Interview with Canadian Indigenous Leaders, , , Canada

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Interview with Canadian Indigenous Leaders, , ; Canada

Jenny Sawanohk, Mihko-Asiniy-Kinepik-Iswew, is a proud member of Moose Cree First Nation, the Mosoniy-Illilew.  She is honoured to reside on the unceded and ancestral territory of our Algonquin kin, the traditional land and water stewards of the Ottawa area, where she owns and operates the Misiwe Ni Relations Healing Lodge. This is where she also operates her private practice, Red Stone Snake Woman, as a psychotherapist/Indigenous healer.

Jenny has an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and is a Master of Social Work graduate. She has extensive work experience in Child Welfare and Children’s Mental Health and is very passionate about Indigenous Social Work. She developed and coordinates the first of its kind programming for Indigenous youth-in-care to ensure they receive culturally sensitive and culturally competent identity-based healing opportunities. Jenny believes it is paramount that youth have access to the land, culture, elders, and traditional healers.

Birthed from this Calling, Jenny developed workshops that educate the professionals servicing Indigenous youth and their families. She provides this training on many different platforms throughout the province. Through this work, Jenny became a Truth and Reconciliation Specialist, educator, advocate, and motivational speaker.

Garry Oker is leading the cultural programming central to implementing Doig River First Nation Community Comprehensive Plan and Community Health Plan in cooperation with the band manager and administrative team.

As a First Nations master designer, facilitator, community leader, elder, and descendant of a long line of prophet’s dreamers, I seek to include indigenous world views in all my projects, from cultural performances to safety training for industry. Garry works to integrate traditional knowledge within the contemporary context, honour the past’s wisdom, and apply it to enrich the lives of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. I have been marketing and promoting Dane-zaa philosophies as a multi-disciplinary artist in Canada and internationally for over 30 years.

Sarah Cunningham brings over 20 years of experience working and advocating with and for women, children, and youth. Sarah is Cree from Rama First Nation with roots from Brunswick House First Nation and belongs to the Bear Clan. Sarah has worked in various capacities across the County of Simcoe and Canada with many not-for-profit organizations, Artists, the Board of Directors, and government and educational institutions. Throughout her learning journey, many leaders and trail-blazing women have mentored Sarah. Sarah is passionate about organizing, collaborating, and creating events to bring communities together to improve life and knowledge to create equality for our future seven generations.

Sarah provides leadership and strategic communications through her collaboration on creating new research, policies, protocols, content creation, project management, and development. She is a liaison between councils and the community to identify overlaps and gaps to bring awareness to make change. She is responsible for planning, coordinating, and delivering projects, research, and events to the Women’s Advocacy Council initiatives.

United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal(s) addressed:
#1. No Poverty, #4. Quality Education, #5. Gender Equality, #10. Reduced Inequalities, #11. Sustainable Cities and Communities, #13. Climate Action, #16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, #17. Partnerships for the Goals

Social impact:
See bios for social initiatives.

Website:

Interview with Canadian Indigenous Leaders, , , Canada

Note: This interview is transcribed using AI software, which means, the transcription is not perfect. Watch the video or listen to the podcast to hear our guest’s wisdom in her own words. If you want to see more interviews like this, please comment below!

Steps you can take to make your contribution count:

➡️ Read the Truth & Reconciliation Commission Report
➡️ Learn About Whose Land You Live On
➡️ Another resource- Whose Land do you occupy: https://www.whose.land/en/
➡️ Check out It’s Our Time Educational Toolkit by Assembly First Nations
➡️ Purchase and work through the Decolonize First workbook
➡️ Educate yourself through books, movies and podcasts (see Platform)
➡️ Check out The On Canada Project Settlers Take Action page
➡️ Register for University of Alberta’s Indigenous Canada online course
➡️ Donate to Indigenous led and run organizations such as the Indian Residential School Survivors Society among many others
➡️ Support Indigenous owned and led businesses
➡️ Join company Indigenous Employee Resource Group and engage in solidarity
➡️ Contact your elected officials to ask them about actions being taken

National Indian Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419

Sources:
Decolonize Everything
The On Canada Project
The Platform

Resources:

➡️ University of Alberta Indigenous Course, fee or certified.

➡️Indigenous Ally Tool kit: https://segalcentre.org/common/sitemedia/201819_Shows/ENG_AllyTookit.pdf

➡️ Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action

• • 94 calls to action
  • Of the 94
    • 10 Calls to Action have been completed;
    • 0 Calls regarding child welfare, education, and health care have been completed;
    • 1 Call has been completed regarding language and culture;
    • 2 Calls have been completed regarding justice;
    • and 7 Calls have been completed regarding Reconciliation

➡️ The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

➡️  Language is powerful. Indigenous or Aboriginal: Which is correct? 

➡️National Inquiry Into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

• • 231 calls for justice
  • There have been approximately 4,000 or more murders or missing women and girls in the last 30 years.
  •  Safe Passage is an initiative by the Native Women’s Association of Canada. Launched June 2021. https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/f545d93082d24547b5100784b709c303
  • https://safe-passage.ca/training/

Learn about:

• • • Indigenous peoples in Canada 
    • The Truth and Reconciliation Commission
    • The experiences of Indigenous peoples in the workplace 
    • Whose land you’re on

Support Indigenous artists and entrepreneurs:

• • • Chief Lady Bird
    • Sisters Sage
    • Redwood Bead
    • Cheekbone Beauty
    • Kanata Trade Co.
    • Massy Books

Donate to organizations working with and run by Indigenous peoples and communities:

• • • Indian Residential School Survivors Society
    • Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society
    • Atlohsa Family Healing Services
    • The Art For Aid Project
    • Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
    • Native Women’s Association of Canada
    • Legacy of Hope Foundation
    • Anishnaabe Kwewag Gamig Women’s Shelter
    • Donations to Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc will be used toward further investigating the site and memorializing the children. https://tkemlups.ca/contact/
    • To support residential school causes, donate to https://www.orangeshirtday.org
    • Blackstock’s organization, First Nations Child & Family Caring Society,     

Listen to Indigenous podcasts: 

• • • Media Indigena: Indigenous Current Affairs 
    • All My Relations
    • Coffee With My Ma
    • Métis in Space
    • The Truth Sharing Podcasts
    • Connie Walker’s award-winning CBC podcast, Finding Cleo.

Read Indigenous News
For even more, consume Indigenous media, such as APTN and IndigiNews, and follow Indigenous journalists on social media.

Follow Some Indigenous Journalists:

@TanyaTalaga (Globe)
@Candiscallison (Media Indigena, Narwhal +)
@Annamary_mck (Indiginews)
@AndreaDS27 (Tyee
@Wawmeesh (CBC),
@AndreaCrossan (CBC)
@CaraMck (INdigninews+++)

Study Indigenous texts:

• • • “Decolonizing Trauma Work” by Renee Linklater
    • “Justice As Healing: Indigenous Ways” by Wanda D. McCaslin
    • “The Moon of the Crusted Snow” by Waubgeshig Rice
    • “21 Things You May Not Know About The Indian Act” by Bob Joseph
    • “Noopiming: The Cure for White Ladies” by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson  and Split Tooth
    • “Truth and Bright Water” by Thomas King
    • “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer 
    • “Seven Fallen Feathers: Racism, Death, and Hard Truths in a Northern City” by Tanya Talaga
    • Thomas King’s The Inconvenient Indian
    • A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott
    • For kids, check out the book When We Were Alone by David Robertson.

Resource: Feminuity.org

Until next time, make your contribution count for You. Me, We.