Ethnostress: The Disruption of the Aboriginal Spirit

A SMARTRISK Learning Series Presentation November 27, 2007

Prepared by: Diane Hill - Aboriginal Education Consultant - First Nations Technical Institute

Ethnostress: The Disruption of the Aboriginal Spirit

• Aboriginal Ethnicity & Its Associated Stress

• Stemming From The Disruption Of The Cultural Beliefs That Foster A Positive Native Identity

• Ethnostress Is The Result Of Oppressive Conditions Forced Upon A People In Their Own Environment

The Residential School Era

Report of Royal Commission On Aboriginal Peoples, 1996

•The Constitution Act of 1867 – Indians And Lands Reserved For Indians

•Canadian Government Adopted A Policy Of Assimilation

•To move all Aboriginal Peoples from Their Helpless “Savage” State To One of Self-

Reliant Civilization

It [civilizing] required a concerted attack on the ontology, on the basic cultural patterning of the children and on their world view. They had to be taught to see and understand the world as a European place within which only European values and beliefs had meaning: thus, the wisdom of their cultures would seem to them only savage superstition.A wedge had to be driven not only physically between parent and child, but also culturally and spiritually. (p. 341)

• Human Beings remember what they did to survive their pain.

• A similar stressful or painful experience will cause the memory or internal tape recording to go off.

• Human beings then react to new situations with old behaviour.

Oppression Creates Oppressive Behaviour Patterns

• Disruption in the transmission of Aboriginal Cultural philosophy due to impact of Residential School

• Internalization of oppressive messages about being a Native person has impaired the psychological & social development of Aboriginal people

Ethnostress As The Underlying Problem/Issue:

The Behaviours of Ethnostress

• Contradiction in Values/Beliefs • Frozen Needs• Internalized Stereotypes• Loss of Faith & Belief in One’s Culture• Internal Factionalism

The Behaviours of Ethnostress

• The Narrowing of Culture • Culture Under Glass• Adoption of Survivalist Behaviours

The Aboriginal Community Context:

• Requires Healing and A Move towards Whole Person Development through the teaching/re-learning of Aboriginal cultural philosophy that can be used to help Native adult learners transform their perception of themselves, others and the world more broadly.

An Aboriginal Approach to Whole Person Development

BODY

SPIRITSPIRIT

EMOTIONEMOTION

MIND

An Aboriginal Approach to Whole Person Development

PHYSICAL

INTUITIVEINTUITIVE

EMOTIONALRELATIONALEMOTIONALRELATIONAL

MENTAL

An Aboriginal Approach to Whole Person Development

PRESERVATION

AWARENESSAWARENESS

STUGGLESTUGGLE

BUILDING

An Aboriginal Approach to Whole Person Development

Acting on itDOING

Seeing itVISIONINGSeeing it

VISIONING

Relating to itFEELING

Relating to itFEELING

Knowing itUNDERSTANDING

• The dismantling of these old behaviours or “distress patterns” in order to break the hold that they have on a person’s thinking, creativity and ability to sustain healthy and functional relationships with one’s self and others.

• A reclaiming and relearning of one’s Aboriginal cultural philosophy, traditions and customs to promote a positive Native identity.

Holistic Healing: Requires A Decolonizing Methodology

Creating Partnerships and Services for Aboriginal People Often Means

The Promotion of Aboriginal Cultural Beliefs and Practices

• Aboriginal Approach to Holistic Healing & Health Promotion: Requires a learning/teaching methodology or a service delivery method or a program design that emphasizes whole person development for the purposes of personal and social transformation.

Whole Person Development to Combat the Ethnostress

• Is Accomplished by Aboriginal People Via:

• Sweat Lodge Ceremonies• Fasting Rites • Personal Medicine Societies • Healing Circles• Storytelling: For the Purpose of

Reviewing Life Experiences and their Impact on the Person/People

Nia:wen Kowa!

Great Thanks!