LESSON #6: MOVING FORWARD - LIGHTING THE 8TH FIRE

Question 1

Example of Indigenous organizations across Canada delivering a variety of community-driven programs and initiatives

Answer 1

Aboriginal Friendship Centres

Question 2

Aboriginal Friendship Centres

Answer 2

implement various culturally appropriate programs and initiatives by and for Indigenous peoples across Canada at their 118 centres

Question 3

“status blind” basis,

Answer 3

provided services and programming to status, non-status First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and non-Indigenous peoples

Question 4

“Akwe:go” is a Mohawk word which means

Answer 4

“everybody” or “all of us”

Question 5

the Akwe:go Urban Aboriginal Children’s Program

(4)

Answer 5

(1) dedicated to enhancing the lives of urban Indigenous children who are between the ages of 7 to 12.
(2) Children are provided with individualized attention, and are guided by traditional Indigenous teachings which aim to reinforce positive life choices.
(3) This includes support for addressing peer pressure, self-esteem, and victimization.
(4) It also provides access to computers and literacy programs, as well as tutoring and mentorship

Question 6

“the eighth fire”

Answer 6

a prophecy that says, Now is the time for all people to come together and build a new relationship

Question 7

The Seven Fires Prophecy

(2)

Answer 7

(1) an Anishinaabe prophecy
(2) is handed down orally through elders among the Anishinaabe peoples

Question 8

was the Seven Fires Wampum Belt keeper from 1970 until his passing in 2011

Answer 8

Algonquin Elder Grandfather William Commanda

Question 9

This 1996 report was released and was the final one released by The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples in response to:

Answer 9

high-profile incidents of Indigenous resistance to injustice

Question 10

The final report by The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples cost how much and was how long?

(2)

Answer 10

(1) 58 million to produce
(2) 5 volumes, 4000 pages long, and has 440 recommendations

Question 11

The proposed companion legislation was to include various acts. One was:

Answer 11

the Aboriginal Nation Recognition and Government Act

Question 12

the Aboriginal Nation Recognition and Government Act

(2)

Answer 12

(1) which would officially recognize and legitimize Indigenous nations.
(2) It would also put in place new fiscal arrangements to support Indigenous activities.

Question 13

The companion legislation was also to include:

(3)

Answer 13

(1) the Aboriginal Treaties Implementation Act,
(2) the Aboriginal Parliament Act
(3) An Aboriginal Lands and Treaty Tribunal Act

Question 14

An Aboriginal Lands and Treaty Tribunal Act was also proposed.

Answer 14

This act would determine specific claims and safeguard treaty negotiations, making sure they are run, organized, and funded fairly.

Question 15

the Aboriginal Parliament Act

(2)

Answer 15

(1) which would establish a body to represent Indigenous peoples within federal governing institutions.
(2) Members of this advisory group would counsel and guide parliament on affairs involving Indigenous peoples.

Question 16

the Aboriginal Treaties Implementation Act

Answer 16

which would enable a recognized Indigenous nation to renew its existing treaties or create new treaties.

Question 17

In 2013, Regarding implementing the recommendation, Indigenous studies professor Gregory Younging (Opaskwayak Cree Nation) noted that, so far,

Answer 17

less than 1 per cent of the recommendations have been implemented, and it is unlikely that the remaining 99 per cent will be implemented in the remaining three years.

Question 18

In 2007, The United Nations General Assembly adopted the

Answer 18

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

Question 19

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

Answer 19

This document set international standards for Indigenous rights. It specifies the need for rights to be recognized, which includes recognition of treaties.

Question 20

Canada was originally involved in the creation of the text of UNDRIP, and the Liberal government supported it. Indeed, this declaration received almost universal backing from the international community. Four countries, however initially refused to sign it

Answer 20

Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand

Question 21

When it refused to sign UNDRIP, Canada’s Conservative government originally argued that:

Answer 21

some articles conflicted with Canadian constitutional laws and might put Aboriginal rights in a position that trumps those of other Canadians

Question 22

In many ways, since it endorsed the declaration, we witnessed the previous Conservative government trampling on many of the Indigenous rights UNDRIP asserts. A notable example is

Answer 22

the passing of Bill C-45 which contained certain provisions that amounted to a large-scale attack on Indigenous peoples’ land and resources.

Question 23

Decolonization

Answer 23

is a term used to describe the unlearning and undoing of colonialism. It is a process and a goal.

Question 24

According to social work professor Michael Yellow Bird decolonization involves the:

(2)

Answer 24

(1) restoration of cultural practices, thinking, beliefs, and values that were taken away or abandoned (during the colonization period) but are relevant and/or necessary for survival and well being.
(2) It is the birth and use of new ideas, thinking, technologies and lifestyles that contribute to the advancement and empowerment of Indigenous Peoples.

Question 25

Yellow Bird uses the term neurodecolonization

(2)

Answer 25

(1) to encapsulate the work that must be done to free the mind from colonialism.
(2) The idea is that we can encourage the growth of new and beneficial brain networks that can enable us to train our attention, so we can “engage in optimistic thinking” and believe that colonialism can be overcome, “develop the courage to confront” colonialism, and “cultivate the creativity needed to use novel, effective approaches to change it

Question 26

philosophy of neurodecolonization is based on:

Answer 26

neuroplasticity

Question 27

neuroplasticity

Answer 27

is the ability of the brain to change with experience (to be able to develop new neuronal connections

Question 27

Jeff Corntassel and others also note the need for Indigenous resurgence.

(2)

Answer 27

(1) Resurgence means the ability to see life beyond the state. It involves connecting to homelands, communities, and cultures.
(2) In practice, the foundations of resurgence are everyday acts of renewal, such as making a personal attempt to revive, retain, or maintain one’s culture (including language), homeland, ceremonies, and traditional sacred histories.

Question 28

example of artistic resistance to colonialism

Answer 28

The Indian Act Revisited

Question 29

According to distinguished Lakota Sioux youth-care expert Martin Brokenleg

(2)

Answer 29

(1) the medicine for Indigenous peoples is found in traditional teachings.
(2) He contends that intergenerational trauma can be countered by following the traditional teachings

Question 30

Mino-Bimaadiziwin

Answer 30

Anishinaabe for living a “good life,” requires a person to find balance between his or her emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical elements.

Question 31

A research study that interviewed 381 urban Indigenous peoples in Edmonton in 2010 examined the role traditional culture plays in the protection against and resilience to both illicit and prescription drug use.

Answer 31

study found that those who were engaged in traditional ways were less likely to use drugs.

Question 32

Anne Poonwassie and Ann Charter published an article in the Canadian Journal of Counselling asserting

(4)

Answer 32

(1) that participation in ceremony helps people stay connected, or perhaps reconnect, to cultural roots
(2) explain that ceremonies can help people establish social networks and connect to the natural environment
(3) also aid in confirming cultures and their coinciding values.
(4) storytelling is a useful way of integrating and teaching cultural values.

Question 33

prevention programs can be defined as programs that:

(2)

Answer 33

(1) first seek to identify the risk factors or root causes related to an undesirable outcome—such as crime or poor health—and then tackle these factors, in the hope that the undesirable outcome will not come to fruition
(2) also aim to enhance protective factors

Question 34

Warrior Spirit Walking Project (WSW)

Answer 34

(1) based on both Indigenous values and psychological research
(2) funded through Canada’s National Crime Prevention Centre

Question 35

part of the broader Prince Albert Outreach Program, delivered by a not-for-profit organization of the same name dedicated to addressing the needs of high-risk youth in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan

Answer 35

Warrior Spirit Walking Project (WSW)

Question 36

is an evidence-based crime prevention program that increases protective factors and reduces risk factors for Indigenous youth (males and females) aged 12 to 21 who are involved in gangs or at high risk of joining a gang

Answer 36

Warrior Spirit Walking Project (WSW)

Question 37

based on Indigenous philosophies of childrearing and on ideas stemming from child psychology and resilience research

Answer 37

Martin Brokenleg’s “Circle of Courage” model

Question 38

4 Key Components of Circle of Courage model

Answer 38

(1) Belonging
(2) mastery
(3) generosity
(4) independence

Question 39

Belonging

Answer 39

represents the idea that every human being needs to have a sense of identity and be part of a social support network

Question 40

Mastery

Answer 40

refers to the need to be competent and to achieve personal goals, but it also means having opportunities to attain success and responsibility, to experience social recognition, to gain inner satisfaction, and, at the same time, to honour others who succeed

Question 41

Independence

Answer 41

Is based on the idea that children must have opportunities to be independent and must be guided without interference, meaning that children must learn by doing, not by being instructed to do

Question 42

Generosity

Answer 42

means that children need to be taught to be unselfish and generous; they must develop a value system based on simplicity, generosity, and non-materialism

Question 44

The primary aim of the Warrior Spirit Walking Project

Answer 44

to reduce Indigenous youth gang membership, affiliation, and future affiliation for those at risk of joining, as well as to reduce gang-related youth violence and crime

Question 45

Warrior Spirit Walking Project consists of what seven programming components?

Answer 45

(1) a cultural school,
(2) presentation team,
(3) youth activity centre,
(4) van outreach,
(5) court outreach,
(6) counselling and mediation in schools,
(7) activity groups.

Question 46

crime prevention programming has been pilot tested in Indigenous communities and has shown

Answer 46

potential to reduce the risk factors associated with victimization and offending

Question 47

a funding agency that allocates monies for pilot crime prevention programs throughout Canada.

Answer 47

National Crime Prevention Centre (NCPC)

Question 48

three major issues with the NCPC

Answer 48

(1) all of the programs it funds are pilot programs, which means that they usually receive funds to operate for a period of only one to four years and then come to an end.
(2) because the NCPC is primarily a funding agency, communities must produce and submit complex proposals to receive funding, and making these submissions could be difficult for the communities most in need of prevention programs.
(3) has a small budget compared to those supporting standard crime control measures.

Question 49

Because of concern about the over-representation of Indigenous people within the criminal justice system, the federal government created

Answer 49

the Aboriginal Justice Strategy (AJS).

Question 50

strategy started as a pilot project in 1991, and was originally named the Aboriginal Justice Initiative

Answer 50

the Aboriginal Justice Strategy (AJS).

Question 51

the Aboriginal Justice Strategy (AJS)

(2)

Answer 51

(1) provides funding through two streams, a community-based justice fund and a capacity building fund.
(2) Funds programs that provide alternatives to the mainstream justice system, including various diversion or alternative measures programs, mediation, community sentencing, and community-court justice programs.

Question 52

Pre- and post-recidivism rates from 1998 through 2007 were also collected and examined as part of the AJS review

(2)

Answer 52

(1) The rates of those who participated in AJS programs were compared to the rates of those who were referred to programs but never participated.
(2) It was found that re-offending rates were “significantly lower” for program participants each year

Question 53

What are some downsides to the the Aboriginal Justice Strategy (AJS)?

(4)

Answer 53

(1) communities have to first meet the requirements of the DOJ, so the values driving the AJS are not rooted in traditional Indigenous ways of living and being—in harmony, balance, and respect
(2) has as key goals “efficiency and economy” and other outcomes that can be measured through “cost analysis.
(3) Although individual programs may be rooted in an Indigenous community’s value system, all programs have to be “approved” and siphoned through the DOJ’s value system to be funded.
(4) They must reach the goals and respond to the priorities of the government first. Indigenous values, then, become secondary and must crowd under the umbrella of colonial structures and processes

Question 54

In the Seven Fires Prophecy, what do each of the fires symbolize?

Answer 54

A particular time in the future