Gail Cheney, MS, PhD Student Tina Ngaroimata Fraser, M.Ed, PhD (c) Shana Hormann, MSW, PhD

1. A Collective Approach To Indigenizing Community Empowerment: Genealogical and Geographical Kinship Ties Gail Cheney, MS, PhD Student Tina Ngaroimata Fraser, M.Ed, PhD (c) Shana Hormann, MSW, PhD

2. Interwoven Perspectives • Locating the “Self”: Indigeneity • Cultural Preservation and Sustainability • Kinship Ties as Catalysts for Community Empowerment and Transformation • Collaborative Approach to Leadership • The Collective Vision is Ours to “See”

3. Locating the “Self”: Indigeneity Durie (2004) asserts: Neither colonization nor socio-economic disadvantage is considered to be the most defining element of indigeneity. Instead, most indigenous peoples believe that the fundamental starting point is a strong sense of unity with the environment. This appears to be the most significant characteristic at least as defined by indigenous writers. ‘People are the land and the land is the people. We are the river, the river is us.’ (p. 1139)

4. A Time Prior To Colonization • PRIDE of our Ancestors • CRIES of our Grandfathers • ANGER of our Fathers • STRENGTH of our Children

5. Ancestral Knowledge • Knowledge Transmission • Knowledge Translation • Knowledge Exchange

6. Linking the Past and the Present to the Future

7. Cultural Preservation and Sustainability • Language, Songs, Dances, Drumming • Oral Traditions and Traditional Knowledge, Creation Stories Legends, Mythology • Customs, Values, Beliefs, Protocols, Traditions • Spirituality

8. Translating Values • Story “Outside The Door” • Linking past and present to future

9. Linking Past, Present and Future • Translating appropriate indigenous values into all of our contexts is vital to collective empowerment. • Use and trust native processes of dialogue and democracy • Translate academic learning back to the community and reshape it with traditional frameworks and knowledge • Practice individual leadership by asking hard questions • Be willing to be true to the value of culture and tradition but do not be tied to the “way it has always been done”

10. Collaborative Approach to Leadership and Change “You can begin to make changes in your sphere of influence TODAY.” Arlie Neshahi (2008) • Spirituality • Commitment to the work • Community Leading during trauma: From trauma to healing

11. Theme: Spirituality “Empowerment is to decide, to know in a spiritual way that the direction that you’re going is the right one and to be secure in that spiritually based direction and do it…for the good of the people, for improving the quality of life for the people…” Lorelei DeCora (2002) • Faith in Spirit, God, Higher Power, Creator • Spiritual practices • Private/Community

12. Theme: Commitment to the Work “Some [cases] are pretty heavy. It can be a close family member so we try to be supportive for each other. We do cultural practice like cleansing if that’s their desire. We do have therapists here on the reservation … and then we have traditional healers who can work with them…” [Anonymous] • Called to work with victims and their families • Personal history of violence and want to give back • Making change: local and global

13. Theme: Community “The best thing I could do was to listen. Listening to someone does not give you permission or the right to speak into that person’s life ... I was present, I listened, I sometimes shared my perspective.” -Anonymous • Important for support • Important for service delivery • Internal and external communities

14. The Collective Vision is Ours to “See”

15. Thank you Gail Cheney, MS, PhD Student gcheney@antiochsea.edu (425) 417-1972 Tina Ngaroimata Fraser, M.Ed, PhD (c) frasert@unbc.ca (250) 960-6721 Shana Hormann, MSW, PhD shormann@antiochsea.edu (206) 268-4714