WHAT IS INDIGENOUS CULTURAL AWARENESS TRAINING AND WHY IT IS SOMETIMES REQUIRED

WHAT IS INDIGENOUS CULTURAL AWARENESS TRAINING

Indigenous cultural awareness training serves as a crucial step in enhancing one's understanding of Indigenous cultures. The motivations for participating in these programs can vary. Your company may be required to engage due to provincial consultation guidelines, or it could be a proactive choice to bolster its internal commitment to Indigenous culture. Additionally, your company may acknowledge the economic potential emerging from the growing autonomy of numerous First Nation communities as they break free from Canada's colonial legacy.

Indigenous Insight offers Indigenous cultural awareness training for entry level & front line workers (i.e., beginners level) and advanced level of Indigenous engagement training for leadership & management.

WHY THIS TYPE OF TRAINING MAY BE REQUIRED?

Have you ever wondered why Indigenous relations and reconciliation departments, ministries, and agencies are so widespread in Canada today? These departments are present at every level of government. However, from a First Nation perspective, this prevalence isn't always fair to Indigenous peoples, as it can reinforce existing misconceptions held by non-Indigenous Canadians. Often, people are unaware of the two key reasons (see #1 and 2 below) why these departments are necessary.

1. Canada's deeply troubling history of colonization and assimilation policies. Many Indigenous communities have suffered through centuries of systemic marginalization, cultural suppression, and land dispossession. Historical policies such as the Indian Act, the Indian Reserve System, and the Indian Residential School System have caused profound and enduring damage to Indigenous cultures, languages, and ways of life; and
2. Exploring Canada’s unresolved 'land question' including Aboriginal rights and title.

Other Indigenous cultural awareness and engagement training topics may cover the following:

1. Do’s and don’ts when initiating, developing, and maintaining new business and community-to-community relationships with First Nation communities.
2. Strengthening internal business culture around Indigenous engagement.
3. Addressing common misconceptions that many non-Indigenous Canadians may have about Indigenous peoples.
4. An overview of the basics, including pre-, at-, and post-contact colonial settlement history.
5. Understanding the role of the band office as an institution, especially in the context of economic development and procurement opportunities.
6. Focusing on truth and reality, rather than just 'truth and reconciliation.'
7. Principles relevant to decolonization.
8. Identifying opportunities for leadership.

INDIGENOUS INSIGHT PRESENTATION DELIVERY

Indigenous Insight will not 'tell you what you want to hear' 

Political correctness is an obstacle to reconciliation

Direct, factual presentations are the only option and at times absent in other Indigenous cultural awareness training. The majority tread too lightly prioritizing not hurting others' feelings. This is one of the reasons reconciliation moves at glacial speed in Canada. Too many non-Indigenous Canadians just do not get it; do not care to get it; or conveniently not having the time to relate to the reality of Indian Reserves, the Indian Act or traumas inflicted by Indian Residential Schools.The culture of non-Indigenous businesses and governments is a path to reconciliation. Companies that commit to strengthening their Indigenous engagement culture must pass through their truth before accomplishing any type of reconciliation. Such commitment requires leadership.

Why the majority of First Nation people ignore Canada's newest national holiday (September 30)

Although the reasons behind this actual holiday ( and including orange shirt & red dress memorial events) are vitally important, the underlying reasons, experiences and actual reality of First Nation peoples on their Indian Reserves are very personal. It is for these reasons, many First Nation peoples do not see the September 30 holiday as going far enough to move Canada's reconciliation needle in a positive direction.  Appropriate use of the term 'reconciliation'Too many Canadians (non-Indigenous and non-Indigenous) use the term inappropriately. It has become too much of a common buzzword these past two decades. As a First Nation person who has lived on an Indian reserve my entire life, made governance decisions under Canada's Indian Act and am of a family directly impacted by Canada's Indian Residential School System; all First Nation people possess the right to use this term.  

Stop using the word 'reconciliation' and replace with 'reality

Most Canadians do not have a workable understanding of reconciliation. A respectable approach when speaking on 'truth and reconciliation' should be replacing with 'truth and reality'. This suggestion is made because it is acknowledged how difficult it can be for white settlers to grasp the full meaning of reconciliation. For many status Indians, reconciliation is a difficult exercise. True reconciliation must begin with the land. Too many non-Indigenous leaders and Indian Act-elected Chiefs and councillors feel the only way to achieve reconciliation is by writing a check. Beyond the land issue, reconciliation must prioritize genuine healing. The most effective way to understand reconciliation is to study Canada's history of colonization, including the Indian Act, Indian Reserve System, and Indian Residential School System.

Levels of privilege

This topic requires discomfort to be met head-on and honestly. For too long, Canadians have given themselves 'a pass' when uncomfortable subjects arise in all areas of Indigenous engagement. Since the time of contact to current times (or 170+ years), so many millions of advantages and benefits have bestowed upon non-Indigenous Canadians who are completely unaware of the true where their privileges originate and how matching disadvantages are immediately created on every Indian Reserve in Canada. Too many non-Indigenous leaders pollute this situation in Canada by ignorantly insisting First Nation peoples should 'just get over it'.

Traditional territory and other land acknowledgements

From my First Nation perspective, in 2024, all traditional territory and land acknowledgements simply have become meaningless rhetoric. Most of us struggle to see what they accomplish. The primary purpose seems to erase guilt and shame. Most do not move any reconciliation needle in the right direction. There are ways to move beyond simple acknowledgements. Actions do speak louder than words. Indigenous Insight can assist your organization to move beyond simple words.

HINT: From a First Nation perspective, one way to move beyond simple land & territory acknowledgements could be 'asking for permission to be on the land'? This approach requires courage, commitment. Much too few land & territory acknowledgements have ever asked for this type of permission. Requesting permission does not correct colonization in Canada but can be a demonstration and acknowledgement of respect.

WHO SHOULD NOT BE PROVIDING THIS TYPE OF TRAINING?

It is important that Indigenous cultural awareness trainers be of First Nation ancestry and one who has lived their entire life on a reserve, actually governed under Canada's Indian Act, of a family directly impacted by Canada's Indian Residential School System and Canada's other colonization & assimilation mechanisms.

Non-Indigenous individuals, especially lawyers, consultants, professors) should never be considered qualified to provide Indigenous cultural awareness training. Additionally, First Nation Indigenous cultural awareness trainers should not be proving cultural awareness training relative to Métis or Inuit cultures, and vice versa.