Module 2 - Glossary Flashcards
Bimaadiziwin
translates roughly to something along the lines of the ‘good life,’ a ‘worthwhile life’ or a ‘long fulfilling life.’ Bimaadiziwin is a cultural tenet among the Anishinaabe, which governs human relations – stressing the type of behaviour appropriate between individuals and all living beings, and the manner in which social life is to be conducted.
Band
a kin group; after the family, the basic social and political unit. They ranged in size from 50-1000 people but they were a closely-knit community – relatives depended upon each other for survival. Membership was not rigid; membership was fluid because individuals exercised their autonomy and could change band affiliation. (Note that the Indian Act later formalized a different, legal definition).
Circle teachings
teachings passed down through oral history which depict the organization of family and community structures, specifically focusing on the roles and responsibilities of each person or group.
Colonization
an era and a process. It refers to a specific era of European expansion into overseas territories from the 16th to the 20th mid-century. It also refers to a process whereby a foreign power dominates and exploits an Indigenous sector by appropriating their land, resources and wealth, and making use of them as cheap labour.
Colonialism
the development of institutions and policies by European imperial and Euroamerican settler governments towards Indigenous peoples. In other words, colonialism is essentially colonization in practice or philosophy.
Complementarity
refers to the idea that different categories depend on each other for their distinctiveness in order to create a balance and produce the greatest well-being for the whole group. Even though gender roles were highly socialized among most Indigenous societies, the recognition of their interdependence fostered a sense of mutual respect and allowed for access to power and autonomy for both men and women.
Egalitarian
refers to equal status among individuals in terms of access to economic, political, and social rights and privileges. It refers to political and social organization that is neither centralized nor hierarchical.
Kinship
an essential principle that held people in social, political and spiritual relationships with other humans and with other-than-humans. As a guiding principle for all such interpersonal interaction, kinship was not simply an expression of relatedness, but rather an expression of the need for a respectful and reciprocal relationship with all living beings, thus emphasizing kinship more as an active force than as a static concept or description.
Holistic
refers to Indigenous philosophies regarding the interconnection of everything in the universe. Therefore, everyday life is approached from this perspective. For example, spirituality is part of everyday life and the centrality of relationships with all of creation is central to everyday life and practices.
Midewiwin Society
a religious institution that developed from the complex ceremonial practices of the Ojibwe (Anishinaabe). Also referred to as the “Grand Medicine Society,” it is known for its specialized training and ritual healing practices. Training of new members is a highly complex process and before new members could be officially recognized, they had to pass through at least four levels of initiation.
Our Elder Brother Stories
essentially traditional stories, especially of the Trickster/Transformer, which contained the laws of the people such as expectations of personal behaviour and cultural protocols. Through these stories, children were socialized to the cultural expectations of their society; these would have included principles within Bimaadiziwin and Wahkotowin.
Two-Spirit
a term more recently adopted to refer to an Indigenous person who is a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) community. It is recognized as a pan-Native North American term most suitable for those living in diverse urban environments. For those living in rural or Indigenous-specific communities, relevant terms will typically follow culturally specific terminology.
Wahkotowin
translated as kinship, meaning relationship with family and the whole of creation. Wahkotowin meant honoring and respecting those relationships. Similar to Bimaadiziwin, it can be thought of as the foundation of law and order and social harmony.
