We Are Still the Aniishnaabe Nation:  Embracing Culture and Identity in Batchewana First Nation

Abstract: This case study was conducted by researchers engaged in “Understanding the Strengths of Indigenous Communities,” a research project involving five participating First Nations (see http://www.usic.ca). This particular study describes the centrality of cultural activities and beliefs in strengthening the community of the Batchewana First Nation. Deploying an innovative form of methodology, which stresses community participation in the development of the research process for the purposes of decolonization, the article explores how this community approaches culture from a holistic worldview. The findings suggest that cultural renewal is self-reinforcing and cumulative, and plays a key role in overcoming collective trauma, but that these benefits can be jeopardized through a lack of resources. Résumé : Cette étude, intitulée “Understanding the Strengths of Indigenous Communities,” a été menée par des recherchistes associés à un projet regroupant cinq nations autochtones. Elle décrit le rôle primordial des activités culturelles et des croyances dans le mécanisme de consolidation de la communauté Batchewana First Nation. Utilisant une méthodologie innovatrice qui attire l’attention sur la participation communautaire dans l’élaboration d’un processus de recherche ayant comme but la décolonisation, ce communiqué explore les points de vue holistiques utilisés par cette communauté. Les résultats suggèrent que le renouveau culturel est autodéterminant et cumulatif et qu’il joue un rôle clé dans la confrontation du traumatisme collectif, mais que ces bienfaits peuvent êtres mis en danger par un manque de ressources.

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Community Capacity Building for Energy Sovereignty: A First Nation Case Study

Sustainability in Environment ◽

10.22158/se.v3n2p177 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 177

Author(s):

Roopa Rakshit ◽

Chander Shahi ◽

M. A. (Peggy) Smith ◽

Adam Cornwell

Keyword(s):

Capacity Building ◽

First Nations ◽

Power Transmission ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

Energy Sector ◽

First Nation ◽

Effective Capacity ◽

Community Capacity Building ◽

Community Based Research

Ontario’s 2017 Long-Term Energy Plan has identified the Wataynikaneyap Power transmission line as a priority project. The line will connect seventeen remote, off-grid, diesel-dependent First Nation communitiesin northwestern Ontario, Canada to the provincial grid. The province’s current energy mandates and policies commit program dollars to build the human capacities of the seventeen Wataynikaneyap Power communities through the Remote Electrification Readiness Program (RERP). This effort is part of growing interests, changing perspectives, and focus in the continuum of provincial strategies to encourage First Nations to meet their emerging energy transitional needs and to partake in the energy sector.Capacity-building challenges are unique in the Wataynikaneyap Power communities because they experience higher levels of poverty and socio economic inequities, are subjected to antiquated and unjust institutional structures, are following a legal and self-governance status, and are maintaining distinct cultures and ways of life.Capacity building as a concept is wide-ranging and offers a multitude of expressions and interpretations. For the Wataynikaneyap Power communities, capacity building has offered the opportunity to exert their inherent rights and to increase their participation in local and regional energy planning and development.This community-based research is derived from grassroots ethnographic community observation. Through a case study of one of the Wataynikaneyap Power communities, Poplar Hill First Nation, the paper will: a) elucidate a working example of an Indigenous capacity-building process through the RERP; b) demonstrate that capacity development is a key building block for self-determination and to achieve energy sovereignty; and c) illustrate the broader scope of learnings and pathways to effective capacity building for Indigenous communities that will drive energy development initiatives and actions in Canada’s expansive energy sector.

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Research as Cultural Renewal: Applying Two-Eyed Seeing in a Research Project about Cultural Interventions in First Nations Addictions Treatment

International Indigenous Policy Journal ◽

10.18584/iipj.2015.6.2.4 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Laura Hall ◽

Colleen A Dell ◽

Barb Fornssler ◽

Carol Hopkins ◽

Christopher Mushquash ◽

...

Keyword(s):

First Nations ◽

Ways Of Knowing ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

Research Process ◽

Measurement Tool ◽

First Year ◽

Indigenous Research ◽

Cultural Renewal ◽

Starting Point ◽

Cultural Interventions

This article explores the application of two-eyed seeing in the first year of a three-year study about the effectiveness of cultural interventions in First Nations alcohol and drug treatment in Canada. Two-eyed seeing is recognized by Canada’s major health research funder as a starting point for bringing together the strengths of Indigenous and Western ways of knowing. With the aim of developing a culture-based measurement tool, our team carried out an Indigenous-centred research process with our interpretation of two-eyed seeing as a guiding principle. This enabled us to engage in a decolonizing project that prioritized Indigenous methodologies and ways of knowing and knowledge alongside those of Western science. By concentrating on Indigenous governance in the research process, our project supported efforts at Indigenous cultural renewal. Two illustrations are offered, our team’s reconceptualization of Western derived understandings of data collection through Indigenous storytelling and our research grant timeframe with Indigenous knowledge gardening. This article contributes to the Indigenous research and policy literature which is lacking documentation about how Indigenous communities and research teams are benefitting from two-eyed seeing.

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Drinking Water Consumption Patterns: An Exploration of Risk Perception and Governance in Two First Nations Communities

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12176851 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (17) ◽

pp. 6851

Author(s):

Neal Spicer ◽

Brenda Parlee ◽

Molly Chisaakay ◽

Doug Lamalice

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Risk Perception ◽

First Nations ◽

Water Consumption ◽

Local Community ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

Bottled Water ◽

Consumption Patterns ◽

First Nation ◽

Individual Risk

Many Indigenous communities across Canada suffer from the lack of access to clean drinking water; ensuring individuals and communities have safe water to drink either from their home or from their local environment requires the consideration of multiple factors including individual risk perception. In collaboration with local leaders, semi-structured interviews (n = 99) were conducted over a two-year period in the Dene Tha’ First Nation and Kátł’odeeche First Nation to unpack the issue of risk perception and its meaning to local community members. These local metrics of risk perception including smell, taste, safety, health fears and level of concern were then used to explore patterns in other data on drinking water consumption patterns and bottled water use. The results are consistent with previous research related to water insecurity and indicate that both communities consume more bottled water than the average Canadian. Results also varied by jurisdiction; those in Alberta indicated much higher levels of concern and a greater degree of bottled water consumption.

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Wasting Indigenous Communities: A Case Study with Garden Hill and Wasagamack First Nations in Northern Manitoba, Canada

The Journal of Solid Waste Technology and Management ◽

10.5276/jswtm.2018.232 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 44 (3) ◽

pp. 232-247 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ahmed Oyegunle ◽

Shirley Thompson

Keyword(s):

First Nations ◽

Indigenous Communities

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Measuring What Counts to Advance Indigenous Self-Determination: A Case Study of the Nisg̱a’a Lisims Government’s Quality of Life Framework and Survey

International Journal of Community Well-Being ◽

10.1007/s42413-020-00088-1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Karen Bouchard ◽

Adam Perry ◽

Shannon West-Johnson ◽

Thierry Rodon ◽

Michelle Vanchu-Orosco

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

First Nations ◽

Qualitative Method ◽

Household Survey ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

Well Being ◽

Participatory Approach ◽

Self Determination

Abstract Modern Treaties are presented as a means for improving the lives of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada by providing specific rights, and negotiated benefits. However, the positive impacts of Modern Treaties on Indigenous well-being are contested (Borrows and Coyle 2017; Coulthard 2014; Guimond et al. 2013; Miller 2009; Poelzer and Coates 2015). Developing a more transparent, consistent, collaborative and contextual way of measuring well-being relevant to the cultural realities of Modern Treaty beneficiaries is an important step for generating comparative methods that could systematically demonstrate whether, and under what conditions, such agreements can effectively reduce socio-economic disparities and improve the quality of life of Indigenous communities. The authors first examine previous attempts at measuring Indigenous well-being, then reflect on well-being in relation to the Modern Treaty context. Subsequently, the authors provide an example from one Self-Governing Indigenous Government, the Nisga’a Lisims Government, to collect well-being data through the Nisga’a Nation Household Survey using a mixed quantitative-qualitative method developed through a culturally grounded and participatory approach.

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Aproximación al significado en la participación comunitaria. Estudio de caso en la población El Castillo en la diáspora del siglo XXI

Revista Temas Sociológicos ◽

10.29344/07196458.18.257 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 119

Author(s):

Matías Prado

Keyword(s):

Community Participation ◽

Social Action ◽

Community Involvement ◽

Research Process ◽

Participatory Processes ◽

Action Case ◽

Estudio De Caso

ResumenEl presente artículo se constituye a partir de un proceso de investigación,focalizado en la participación comunitaria en dos villas de la población ElCastillo, perteneciente a la comuna de La Pintana en Santiago de Chile.La dinámica del artículo circula en torno a la asignación de significadode la participación en la comunidad. En el plano metodológico, muestrael desarrollo de una investigación en la que se ha utilizado el estudio decaso con el propósito de comprender, en mayor profundidad, los procesosparticipativos de las organizaciones, cuestión que ha dado cuenta de lasestructuras significativas en la participación comunitaria.Palabras clave: participación comunitaria, significado, acción social, estudiode caso, mundo de la vida.Approaching to significance in community involvement. Case study in el catillo settlement in the XXI century diasporaAbstractThis article was born from a research process focused on communityparticipation in two villages of El Castillo settlement belonging to LaPintana municipality in Santiago, Chile. The dynamics circulates around theassignment of significance to community involvement. At methodologicallevel, it shows the development of a research that has used the casestudy in order to understand in more depththe participatory processes oforganizations, which has accounted for significant structures on communityparticipation.Keywords: Community participation, significance, social action, case study,life world.Aproximação ao significado na participação comunitária. Estudo de caso em população o castillo na diáspora do século XXIResumoO presente artigo se constitui a partir de um processo de investigação focado na participação comunitária em duas vilas da população O Castillo, pertencente ao município da Pintana, em Santiago do Chile. A dinâmica do presente escrito circula em torno da atribuição de significado de participação na comunidade.Num nível metodológico, mostra-se o desenvolvimento de uma pesquisana qual se tem utilizado o estudo de caso, a fim de compreender, com maior profundidade, os processos participativos das organizações. Questão que tem dado conta das estruturas significativas na participação comunitária.Palavras-chave: Participação Comunitária, significado, ação social, estudo de caso, mundo da vida.

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Moving Towards an Indigenous Research Process: A Reflexive Approach to Empirical Work With First Nations Communities in Canada

International Indigenous Policy Journal ◽

10.18584/iipj.2019.10.1.6 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Elaine Toombs ◽

Alexandra S Drawson ◽

Lori Chambers ◽

Tina L. R. Bobinski ◽

John Dixon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

First Nations ◽

Empirical Work ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

Research Process ◽

Careful Examination ◽

Future Research ◽

Advisory Group ◽

Indigenous Research ◽

Community Values ◽

Qualitative Research Study

Moving towards reconciliation within Indigenous research requires the careful examination of existing practices at all stages of the research process. Engagement in and dissemination of reflexive processes may increase the relevance of research results for Indigenous communities and partners. This article describes and contextualizes the results obtained from this qualitative research study examining parenting needs and child reunification in these communities. The initial results were deemed relevant by the partnering community but research stakeholders reported that they did not reflect all community values. Based on the advice of the Research Advisory Group, the research team decided to further analyze the results to address these shortcomings. The reanalysis process focused on improving the perceived meaningfulness and relevance to communities. Exploration of how these results were re-situated in an Indigenous framework of wellbeing is discussed. Researcher reflections about the project processes and considerations for future research are explored.

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Water Insecurity in Ontario First Nations: An Exploratory Study on Past Interventions and the Need for Indigenous Water Governance

Water ◽

10.3390/w13050717 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 717

Author(s):

Rachel Arsenault

Keyword(s):

First Nations ◽

Exploratory Study ◽

Water Governance ◽

Water Security ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

First Nation ◽

Indigenous Research ◽

Security Challenges ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Indigenous Perspectives

In 2018, I began an exploratory study involving fourteen Ontario First Nation participants that examined some First Nation water security challenges and opportunities. In acknowledgment that many of the government assessments, reports, and investments to date have failed, this study aims to determine the causes of the water crisis as well as potential solutions by sharing Indigenous perspectives and recommendations on water governance and security. During the study, Indigenous participants were asked interview questions regarding their water and wastewater systems, their historical and current water security conditions, and if they had recommendations for achieving water security in First Nations. The analysis from these interviews demonstrated that there were ten different themes for water security and insecurity in First Nation communities as well as a set of four recommendations shared by the fourteen participants. The participant recommendations are: (1) that Traditional Knowledge (TK) and Indigenous laws be included in water security initiatives and water governance; (2) that provincial and federal governments work with Indigenous communities on their water security challenges and opportunities; (3) that First Nation leadership develops and implements community water protection plans; (4) that Indigenous communities establish an oversight committee or body for monitoring tourist ventures and extractive development projects such as mining on their territories. This paper will also discuss how an Indigenous research paradigm can be applied during the research process to ensure that the information is captured from the Indigenous perspectives of the participants.

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Commentary - The Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program: Indigenous Climate Leaders’ Championing Adaptation Efforts

Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada ◽

10.24095/hpcdp.39.4.03 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 39 (4) ◽

pp. 127-130 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Gabrielle Richards ◽

Jim Frehs ◽

Erin Myers ◽

Marilyn Van Bibber

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

First Nations ◽

Indigenous Health ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

First Nation ◽

Health Impacts ◽

Community Based ◽

Health Canada ◽

Climate Change And Health ◽

Impacts Of Climate Change

The Climate Change and Health Adaptation Program (CCHAP) is a program within the First Nations Inuit Health Branch of Indigenous Services Canada (which was previously under the responsibility of Health Canada). The CCHAP supports Inuit and First Nation communities in mitigating and adapting to the health impacts of climate change. The impacts of climate change on Indigenous health can be observed in multiple areas including, but not limited to, food security, cultural medicines, mental health and landbased practices. This program seeks to address the needs of climate change and health in First Nation and Inuit communities to support resiliency and adaptation to a changing climate both now and in the future through its emphasis on youth and capacity building. The commentary is based on the Program’s eleven years of experience working with and for Indigenous communities and provides an overview of the CCHAP model and the work it has and continues to support. This paper demonstrates three examples of community-based projects to mitigate and adapt to the health impacts of climate change to demonstrate climate change resiliency within Indigenous communities.

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Indigenous Adoption of Internet Voting: A Case Study of Whitefish River First Nation

International Indigenous Policy Journal ◽

10.18584/iipj.2016.7.3.3 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Chelsea Gabel ◽

Nicole Goodman ◽

Karen Bird ◽

Brian Budd

Keyword(s):

Political Participation ◽

First Nations ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

Community Capacity ◽

Community Consultation ◽

Community Members ◽

Real Property ◽

Internet Voting ◽

Capacity Strengthen

Indigenous communities and organizations are increasingly using digital technologies to build community capacity, strengthen community consultation, and improve political participation. In particular, Internet voting is a type of technology to which First Nations have been drawn. This article explores Whitefish River First Nation's (WRFN) experience introducing Internet voting in the course of ratifying a new matrimonial real property law (MRP). Specifically, we examine the implications of Internet voting for political participation and electoral administration at the community level. Although community members’ uptake of Internet voting was very modest, we find the experience of adoption had other subtle impacts on community capacity, specifically in terms of empowering the community to pass its own laws and connecting youth and elders. With respect to administration, Internet voting provided an opportunity to connect with community members using technology, to modernize voting processes, and to better accommodate community members needs.

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