Stepp ing into the Circle

A Call to Conversation and Workbook Exploring

Indigenous Knowledge

Introduction

Module 1 Foundations of Indigenous Worldview

Module 2 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women: Inquiry and Action

Module 3 Treaty Relations: Spirit, Intent and First Nations Perspectives

Module 4 Building Relationships Part 1: Lessons from Lewis

Module 5 Indigenous Women in Indigenous Societies

Module 6 Building Relationships Part 2: Stories from Community

Module 7 Indigenous Women’s Leadership

Module 8 Circle Process

Contents

ISBN 978-1-927125-20-5

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Traditional LandsACWS acknowledges the traditional lands upon which we live, work, and play. We recognize that all Albertans are Treaty people and have a responsibility to understand our history so that we can honor the past, be aware of the present, and create a just and caring future. ACWS celebrates and values the resiliency, successes, and teachings that Alberta’s Indigenous people have shown us, as well as the unique contributions of every Albertan. The ACWS office is located on Treaty 6 land, which is the traditional territory of the Plains Cree and an ancient gathering place of many Indigenous peoples for thousands of years. These lands have also been home to and a central trading place of the Blackfoot, Nakoda, Assiniboine, Dene, and the Métis people of western Canada. Our members serve all nations and all peoples. They are located on Treaty 6,7 and 8 lands across this province and includes the six Métis regions of Alberta.

Indigenous Women and Girls and All Women Seeking SafetyWe honour the courage and strength of Indigenous women. We honor them as life givers and caregivers as we honour and learn from their continuing achievements, consistent strength and their remarkable endurance. ACWS wishes to convey our deep appreciation to courageous women everywhere in our province and beyond who daily seek safety from domestic violence for themselves and their children and in so doing create a better world for all. It is their experiences which inform our work.

ContributorsACWS would like to thank the contributors who made this resource possible. Lewis Cardinal for his guidance, knowledge and enthusiasm in the creation of the In Conversation webinar series. Lewis has a long track record of involvement with many, many, Human Rights and Social Advocacy Boards. He was a founding board member of Racism Free Edmonton, vice-president of the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, founder of the Indigenous Peoples’ Arts and Culture Coalition, founding board member of Alberta Aboriginal Arts, and Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Commission on Human Rights and Justice.

Mary McDermott, whose words make up the Stepping into the Circle workbook, for her knowledge, insight and authentic self. Mary is from Treaty 8, has a M.Ed., a Bachelor of Social Work and brings more than 10 years of facilitation and child welfare expertise. She has co-authored Guidelines for Indigenous Social Work Practice for Blue Quills University. Mary acknowledges the Spirit World and her Ancestors for guiding the direction of the work she has done on this resource.

The many webinar guests who generously shared their considerable expertise for the benefit of the ACWS membership and the women, children and families they serve.

Our FundersDevelopment of this curriculum was made possible in part due to funding from the Government of Alberta Community and Social Services.

Acknowledgements

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The ACWS In Conversation with Lewis Cardinal webinar series and this companion workbook, Stepping into the Circle, are two of the ways the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters is working to fulfill our Statement of Principles, Values and Commitments to Actions for Indigenous Women, Girls and their Families. The Statement was created in response the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Final Report and the 94 Calls to Action, and serves as the foundation of relationship between the ACWS, First Nations Women’s Shelters, and for the Indigenous women, girls, and their families, that are served by all women’s shelters in this province.

Indigenous women are courageous and strong, they are life-givers and caregivers, they continue to endure and achieve remarkable successes. ACWS has developed these resources in full knowledge of these truths as well as recognition that violence against Indigenous women and girls is not a relic of Canada’s past. Indigenous women are disproportionately represented in Alberta shelters as well as impacted by sexual victimization, domestic violence, inequalities, discrimination and poverty.1 This resource is intended as a support for our Members to increase the awareness of Indigenous history, knowledge, and cultural traditions among shelter staff and volunteers at all levels so they may increase the level and quality of relationships and services with Indigenous women, their families, and communities. We offer them in the spirit of peace and long-lasting friendship upon this path we share in the service and care of others.

Foreword

1 Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters. (2015). Supporting the Health of Victims of Domestic Violence and Child Abuse through Community Programs. Public Health Agency of Canada.

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Introduction Perspective and PlaceThroughout the use of this Guide the author has chosen to use the term “we” and places herself within that context of “we”. It is the hope that this is where the paradigm shift will occur. To understand that “we are all human beings and nothing more” as stated by Elder Betty in Building Relations Part 2. In order to understand the “we” it is important that we work to better understand ourselves and our place in the story of the videos that accompany these modules. Once you are able to place yourself within the story it becomes clearer how to move to the “we” mentality.

Welcome to Stepping into the Circle, a call to conversation and workbook for all staff, all cultures and all the women who participate in the Sharing Circles. This resource is meant to serve as a step in personal and profes-sional development on Indigenous history, culture and knowledge. It is intended to enhance the learning and growth of the shelter and communi-ties in which they serve. This resource is meant to be a tool to be utilized by anybody who is willing to learn. The hope is that we will embark on this learning journey together with colleagues, community partners and the women, children and seniors that we serve so we can continue to build meaningful relationships, not only with those around us, but more impor-tantly with ourselves so that we can be better helpers.

Through this journey we will explore several key concepts, returning to them repeatedly from different perspectives and through different topics to develop deeper understandings.

• Indigenous Worldviews: Foundational concepts, differ-ences and similarities to ‘western’ worldviews, conflicts this causes and how we can bridge the divide.

• Relationships: Recognizing out inherent relationship to al living and non-living things. Using a relational approach as the basis for our individual, professional, organization and community actions.

• Effects of Colonization: With a focus on Indigenous women the historical and current practices and poli-cies that cause generational trauma among Indigenous peoples and manifests in a very disproportionate rate of negative outcomes.

• De-Colonizing the Mind: Developing anti-oppressive practice grounded in authenticity, integrity and relational accountability.

• Ceremony: Using traditional and cultural knowledge to build strong self-identity.

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There is an emphasis on experiential learning as much as possible. The ACWS training draws upon Indigenous epistemology to direct the content and process of the learning experience. This Workbook contains eight modules, each based around a video of a presentation or panel discussion from the In Conversation with Lewis Cardinal webinar series. There are two ways to use this Workbook: Individually and with Sharing Circles.

Individual Learning These modules include introductory reading for each video, self-reflection questions to deepen your thinking and additional learning materials to fur-ther your learning. It is the hope that everyone who watches the webinars and does the self-reflection questions will begin to make a paradigm shift and begin to see the ‘whys’ that have led to so many Indigenous women accessing shelters in Alberta. It is not to place blame or solve the issues, it is to sit and learn from one another, to begin a journey of learning and healing together.

Creating Space for Yourself:What does it mean to hold space for those we serve? How can others hold space for us? Sometimes we may even have to hold space for ourselves as we learn and grow. To hold space means to allow for things to just be, to allow those around us to just breathe without judgments or advice or policies to dictate how we can provide services, to hold space is to allow humans to be humans and walk to together on a common journey, not as helpers or as clients but as human beings who understand that sometimes all we need is to just breathe and be able to tell our stories. To hold space for ourselves is be kind and honest with ourselves by understanding that the most important relationship we will ever have will be the one we have with ourselves, when we can be honest with ourselves we are able to own our behaviors and that makes it easier to change those behaviors that no longer service us.

How to Use This Workbook

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As helpers it is twice as important that we are in tune with our own inner voice, and aware of how our behaviors and words affect those we work with and live with. In the words of a very wise man, “you can only lead people as far you yourself have gone.” If we are to hold space for the stories of those we serve we need to understand our own place in the story and the triggers that might come with that understanding. When we know better, we do better, when we can begin to understand each other and hear the stories then we grow. With any growing comes growing pains, and the need for emotional and mental support. Lewis talks in detail the importance of building relationships and understanding our part in Creation and how we are just a part of it, to remember the sacredness of all relationships, including that with the environment and ourselves.

The information being presented in the conversations may be a trigger so it is important that we are able to understand what a trigger is and how it might play out in groups or within ourselves. It is even more important that we can debrief our learning’s and understand our place in working with some of the most vulnerable people, often times in the lowest part of their journey. It is recommended that you debrief with a supervisor or Elder to get a better understanding what you are experiencing, if need be you might want to create a support group for yourself as you move through the information.

For some who are not Indigenous to this land and are hearing this informa-tion for the first time it might create feelings of shame or guilt and while those emotions may not feel good, they are good to have because it cre-ates a starting point for us to change the story of colonization and allows us to move to a “we” mentality and really begin to build those meaningful relationships in the short amount of time we walk with women. It is impor-tant that we understand what we carry in our own backpacks so that when we are working with the women in the shelter we are not unknowingly unloading our emotions on them, but rather becoming more empathic and using compassion rather than judgments that come from our own histories or stereotypes we may have heard. When we begin to create space for ourselves it becomes easier to create the space for those around us, it is about introspection and becoming more mindful of how we choose to walk in this world, and what we will leave behind for the next seven generations.

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Sharing Circle Learning with Staff and WomenIt is recommended that you have individually completed all eight modules as well as the additional learning materials before facilitating a Circle with staff or with the women you serve. The additional learning materials will enable you to have a stronger understanding of each topic and how to guide the Circle in your shelter. Suggested questions for Sharing Circles for both staff and women are included in each module as a starting place. Each shelter is unique and diverse and so feel free to create a Circle that best fits your needs. Below are just a few options of how these modules might be used in Sharing Circles.

Options for Sharing Circles with Staff

• Watch brief segments of the videos and/or read segments of the modules as a regular part of staff or team meetings and choose a question to prompt a mini Sharing Circle.

• Watch an entire video and complete the reading over a few hours as a group. Use the provided or self-created questions in a Shar-ing Circle as a professional development session.

• Have staff watch a video, read the module and complete self-reflection on their own and then discuss as a larger group in a Sharing Circle.

• As staff you can practice Circle Process during staff meetings until you feel confident in working with the women. You can have many Circle facilitators and take turns.

Options for Sharing Circles with Women You Serve

• Use complete or segments of videos/modules for the basis of a weekly Sharing Circle open to all women who want to learn about Indigenous culture.

• Use complete or segments of videos/modules that are relevant to pre-existing groups or programs.

• Invite women to watch one or more of the videos and read the modules individually and hold follow-up Sharing Circles or one-on-one discussions.

Creating Space in Sharing Circles: Learners are invited through Circle dialogue to verbalize their understand-ing of the various concepts and encouraged to develop the ability to think and speak critically. An open process such as this addresses denial and repression; the more voice you give learners, the more you empower them and help them move forward. This is critical for Indigenous learners and necessary for all people who have been shaped by the colonial history of Canada.

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Environmental space is important if a room is to feel welcoming. Soft music in the background helps to set the mood. Flute music or sounds of nature, or any other kind of soft music. If possible, have the lights dimmed or candles. It is important that the room is seen as a neutral space away from disturbances. When choosing your space it is best to choose a room where there are no time constraints, for example if another group is going to be using the room at a certain time then it might be a good idea to use another room, this allows enough time for discussion. Depending on the size of the Circle and the willingness of the participants it could take a few hours or a few minutes. It is recommend-ed that there are no time limits, however people can be reminded in the beginning to speak leanly, especially if it is a large group. Some groups have incorporated a sand hourglass to serve as a reminder to people it is time to move on.

When people are feeling safe, they will be more open to talking. In the beginning some women may not want to speak and that is ok, nobody is forced to speak. It is always a good idea to use a talking piece to set the flow and allow for a natural rhythm to develop, allowing one person to speak at a time and reminding the others to listen. The talking piece can be made by the group or can be as simple as a rock or feather. Again, no one is ever forced to speak and may pass at any time the talking piece comes to them. If you notice that people are always passing when it is their turn, that might have to do with issues around safety. Participation may change once a certain comfort level is met or you may want to touch base with them after the Circle and ask if there is anything you can do to make the environment safer for them. It is nice if refreshments are made available and breaks are taken when needed.

The more you ask for input from the group the more it allows them to feel a sense of ownership or belonging to the group and in turn will be more open to sharing once they know they are safe, heard and respected. Sometimes even small things like allowing them to choose the snacks for the evening will help to create the sense of belonging. It is important to have a co-facilitator or an Elder to assist with Circle process as someone might be triggered and need to debrief with facilitator.

A Note on Sharing Circle Questions Questions are provided for Individual self-reflection as well as Staff and Women’s Sharing Circles. Sharing Circle questions are intended only to serve as a guide or reference for beginning a Circle discussion. Dis-cussion and questions will emerge naturally out of Circle process and Sharing Circle facilitators are encouraged to be responsive to the group. Facilitators guide the Circle and the questions also serve as a guide; they are not they only questions that can be asked, you do not even have to ask any of them.

Holding Space means

that we are willing to

walk alongside another

person in whatever

journey they’re on

without judging them,

making them feel

inadequate, trying to

fix them, or trying to

impact the outcome.

- The Art of Choosing

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