Thursday, September 29, 2016

Cultural Appropriation

 http://www.sfu.ca/ipinch/
http://www.sfu.ca/ipinch/outputs/blog/





The Appropriation of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage: Examining the Uses and Pitfalls of the Canadian Intellectual Property Regime 

Vanessa Udy explores the ways in which aboriginal peoples in Canada and the United States have used intellectual property laws to promote their cultural heritage and to protect it from negative stereotypes and cultural appropriation.

This was an internal presentation made for Robic, LLP, on April 16, 2015, and recorded for IPinCH. Vanessa Udy is a Lawyer at ROBIC and an IPinCH Associate.

"Whether or not one accepts that cultural appropriation is a form of neocolonialism, its negative impacts on the health, wellbeing and capacity for economic self-sustenance of Aboriginal peoples cannot be ignored.

Cultural appropriation is linked to mental health issues. The inappropriate use of sacred traditional knowledge has destroyed its sacredness and twisted its meaning, weakening it in the eyes of all.[27] 

Aboriginal youth suffer from low self-esteem due to a negative view of their own culture, supported by a belief in negative stereotypes.[28] 

Culture stress is a major factor driving Aboriginal youth to self-destructive behaviour and suicide.[29]"
http://www.sfu.ca/ipinch/outputs/blog/canadian-intellectual-property-regime/






https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_appropriation
Cultural appropriation is the adoption or use of elements of one culture by members of another culture.[1] Cultural appropriation is seen by some[2] as controversial, notably when elements of a minority culture are used by members of the cultural majority; this is seen as wrongfully oppressing the minority culture or stripping it of its group identity and intellectual property rights.[3][4][5][6] This view of cultural appropriation is sometimes termed "cultural misappropriation".[3][6] According to critics of the practice, cultural (mis)appropriation differs from acculturation or assimilation in that the "appropriation" or "misappropriation" refers to the adoption of these cultural elements in a colonial manner: elements are copied from a minority culture by members of the dominant culture, and these elements are used outside of their original cultural context—sometimes even against the expressed, stated wishes of representatives of the originating culture.


----------------------------------------------------
In 2003, Prince Harry was heavily criticised by some Australian Aborigines for using Indigenous Australian art motifs in a painting for a school project. One Aboriginal group labelled it "misappropriation of our culture", arguing that, to Aborigines, the motifs have symbolic meanings "indicative of our spiritualism", whereas when non-Aborigines use the motifs they are simply "painting a pretty picture".[83]

In the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012, former Victoria's Secret model Karlie Kloss donned a Native American-style feathered headdress with leather bra and panties and high-heeled moccasins.[84] This was an example of cultural appropriation because the fashion show is showcasing the company's lingerie and image as a global fashion giant. The outfit was supposed to represent November, and thus "Thanksgiving", in the "Calendar Girls" segment. The outfit met with backlash and criticism as an appropriation of Native American culture and tradition. Victoria's Secret pulled it from the broadcast and apologized for its usage. Kloss also commented on the decision by tweeting "I am deeply sorry if what I wore during the VS Show offended anyone. I support VS's decision to remove the outfit from the broadcast."[85]

Avril Lavigne has been cited as appropriating Japanese culture in her song "Hello Kitty", co-written with her husband and Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger. The song and music video depict Asian women dressed up in matching outfits and Lavigne eating Asian food while dressed in a pink tutu.[86] Its depiction of Japanese culture was met with widespread criticism, which has included suggestions of racism. Lavigne responded by stating "I love Japanese culture and I spend half of my time in Japan. I flew to Tokyo to shoot this video...specifically for my Japanese fans, WITH my Japanese label, Japanese choreographers AND a Japanese director IN Japan."[87] A lot of the feedback Lavigne received on Twitter was favorable, and those who blamed her for racism were non-Japanese.[88]
When Selena Gomez wore the Bindi during a performance, there was debate on her reasoning behind wearing the culture specific piece. Some viewed this as "casting her vote for Team India" but it was also viewed as misuse of the symbol as Selena was seen as not supporting or relating the Bindi to its origin of Hinduism, but furthering her own self-expression.[89] In 2014, Pharrell Williams posed in a Native American war bonnet on the cover of Elle UK magazine, after much controversy and media surrounding the photo Williams apologized.[90]

Actress Amandla Stenberg made a school-related video called "Don't Cash Crop on My Cornrows" about the use of black hairstyles and black culture by non-black people, questioning celebrities like Katy Perry and Iggy Azalea for using "black culture as a way of being edgy and gaining attention."[91] Stenberg later critiqued Kylie Jenner for embracing African-American aesthetic values without addressing the issues that affect the community.[92]

In Beyoncé and Coldplay's 2016 video "Hymn for the Weekend", Beyoncé is seen wearing a sari, henna tattoos on her hands, and traditional Indian jewelry. The video caused a widespread cultural appropriation controversy from online speculators to faithful Beyoncé fans. Although some argue that the video was intended to celebrate Indian culture, many feel that the video could have featured a real Bollywood actress.

The Trail of Tears (referenced in video above)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4h1567.html
In 1838 and 1839, as part of Andrew Jackson's Indian removal policy, the Cherokee nation was forced to give up its lands east of the Mississippi River and to migrate to an area in present-day Oklahoma. The Cherokee people called this journey the "Trail of Tears," because of its devastating effects. The migrants faced hunger, disease, and exhaustion on the forced march. Over 4,000 out of 15,000 of the Cherokees died.

This picture, The Trail of Tears, was painted by Robert Lindneux in 1942. It commemorates the suffering of the Cherokee people under forced removal. If any depictions of the "Trail of Tears" were created at the time of the march, they have not survived.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMdLGCN1xnI&feature=youtu.be

Fair use- Copied from video for educational purposes.


What’s Wrong with Cultural Appropriation? These 9 Answers Reveal Its Harm
http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/06/cultural-appropriation-wrong/

1. It Trivializes Violent Historical Oppression

2. It Lets People Show Love for the Culture, But Remain Prejudiced Against Its People

3. It Makes Things ‘Cool’ for White People – But ‘Too Ethnic’ for People of Color

4. It Lets Privileged People Profit from Oppressed People’s Labor

5. It Lets Some People Get Rewarded for Things the Creators Never Got Credit For

6. It Spreads Mass Lies About Marginalized Cultures

7. It Perpetuates Racist Stereotypes

8. White People Can Freely Do What People of Color Were Actively Punished for Doing

9. It Prioritizes the Feelings of Privileged People Over Justice for Marginalized People


Cowichan Knitting
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowichan_knitting 

History

Pre-contact Cowichan weaving

Main article: Salish Weaving

Before European contact the Coast Salish peoples, including the Cowichan, wove blankets, leggings, and tumplines out of mountain goat wool, dog hair, and other fibres.[2] The wool was spun with a spindle and whorl, and the blankets were woven on a two-bar loom. There is little information on pre-contact production and use of these weavings, although examples remain in museum collections. No archaeological or ethnographic evidence of knitting or knitting needles exists.

Introduction to European knitting techniques

Sheep were introduced to Vancouver Island in the 1850s,[2] providing a more plentiful source of wool. Around the same time, the first European settlers arrived in the Cowichan Valley. Knitting by native women probably began in a number of ways shortly thereafter. The most organized instruction in knitting was provided by the Sisters of St. Ann, missionaries who came from Victoria to the Cowichan Valley in 1864 to start a school for the Indians.[2] They taught the Cowichan women to knit such items as socks and mitts. The mission has records of students' knitting and other domestic skills being displayed at local fairs and at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893.[3]

After learning how to make socks and mitts, Cowichan women began to knit knee-length underwear and sweaters. Like the other garments, sweaters were and are today knit in the round with no seams, using multiple needles in the European style of the period. The earliest Cowichan sweaters were all of one colour, knitted with a turtle-neck. Some knitters used a raised stitch similar to that of a gansey, possibly inspired by the clothing of the many British fishermen who had settled in the area.[3]

Development of the Cowichan sweater

In time, Cowichan knitters began to embellish sweaters using the Fair Isle technique. The teaching of patterned sweater knitting is generally attributed to a settler from the Shetland Islands, Jerimina Colvin.[3] Mrs. Colvin settled in Cowichan Station in 1885, raised sheep, and hand-spun and dyed her own wool. She probably began to teach knitting by the 1890s, and added patterns as she learned them from other Scottish settlers.[3]

Another origin theory is that the Sisters of St. Ann, a Roman Catholic institution founded in Quebec to promote the education of rural children, brought knitting to the West Coast. In 1858, four Sisters of St. Ann traveled from Montreal to Victoria to open a schoolhouse for the local children of all different races.[4] Knitting became part of the instruction of Indigenous girls during the 1860s, both at St. Ann’s Academy in Victoria and St. Ann’s School for Indian Girls in Duncan.[5]

Unlike Fair Isle or Shetland garments, however, Cowichan sweaters are always hand knit of thick, handspun, one-ply natural-coloured yarn in two or three colours (generally cream, black and grey), producing a warm bulky outer garment that is heavier than the multi-coloured Scottish garments made from lightweight two-ply dyed yarn.




Author: Margaret Miekle. Subject: Mabel Modeste, 1985. Uploaded on behalf of author. Originally published in Cowichan Indian Knitting. University of British Columbia Museum of Anthropology Museum Note 21.

Related Links:

http://www.sfu.ca/ipinch/project-components/community-based-initiatives/

https://theskinnyjeanrant.com/2014/04/12/determining-the-effects-of-the-cultural-appropriation-of-aboriginal-traditions-in-fashion/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/first-nation-alleges-olympic-ripoff-1.829857

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/native-knitters-left-out-in-the-cold/article1207371

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/cowichan-tribes-take-on-ralph-lauren-for-selling-knockoff-sweaters-1.2225614



Orange Shirt Day



Published on Sep 24, 2016

Orange Shirt day is an annual event held each September 30th in remembrance of the Canadian Residential School system and the impact of this government policy on First Nations. Phyllis Webstad presents her memories of Residential schools and the meaning of Orange Shirt Day.




Please also read this article by the Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/09/29/orange-shirt-day-residential-schools_n_12250652.html







Related Links:
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2015/10/the-truth-about-canada-teach-your.html
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2015/06/residential-schools-cultural-genocide.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/truth-and-reconciliation-commission-by-the-numbers-1.3096185

I am sharing this song because I think the message is so powerful.

"Teach Your Children"

You, who are on the road must have a code that you can live by.
And so become yourself because the past is just a good bye.
Teach your children well, their father's hell did slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams, the one they fix, the one you'll know by.
Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you would cry,
So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

And you, of the tender years can't know the fears that your elders grew by,
And so please help them with your youth, they seek the truth before they can die.
Teach your parents well, their children's hell will slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams, the one they fix,the one you'll know by.
Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you would cry,
So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.



Tuesday, September 27, 2016

British Columbians Want and Deserve Genuine Reconciliation.

Well it was a strange morning, and not to get side tracked and I wish I had done a screen capture because the Vancouver Sun posted a tweet about the Royal blog and it had photos with credits saying that Grand Chief Stuart Phillip was at the Ring of Reconciliation- but those links, that I pointed it out mysteriously disappeared...or I am mistaken...

(Updated)Hey, guess what I found that image. It was on this page.
This is NOT Grand Chief Stuart Phillips.  Scroll down through the blogs...
http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/the-royal-blog-william-kate-and-the-kids-arrive-in-victoria




"Doubtless the apparatchiks of protocol in the premier’s office found it easy to recruit a stand-in for the absent grand chief. Alas, spin-doctoring, however proficient, can’t varnish the simple but powerful message." 

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Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016


Anyways the point is there's a lot of mistruths and so mistrust.
But they came through here with this article by Stephen Hume.

This article is excellent and I hope you will all read it.

Stephen Hume: The history behind the royal snub

Here's a few excerpts:

"The venerable Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs — it’s now been holding government to account over First Nations policy issues for almost 50 years — called the province on this profoundly important distinction Monday.

It dropped a protocol bombshell just as Prince William and Premier Christy Clark headed off to Bella Bella and the Great Bear Rainforest where, ironically, the province had earlier snubbed the Central Coast Regional District, one of the few elected non-First Nations governments in Canada boasting 80 per cent of its council elected from First Nations, by refusing it an invitation."


 "Phillip was to hand a “ring of reconciliation” to Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, and then invite him as the Crown’s official representative, to affix it to the Black Rod of the legislature.

The Black Rod, adopted by B.C. in 2012, is a medieval symbol of the authority of Canada’s reigning monarch. Made from the wood of seven indigenous B.C. trees, it’s embossed with silver, jade and a British gold sovereign from 1871, the year B.C. became a province — and began trashing First Nations rights. Three silver rings represent the Crown, Canada and B.C. The fourth ring to be affixed represents the province’s First Nations. Reconciliation is a worthy goal."


"The UBCIC listed examples: fast-tracking the Site C dam over First Nations concerns — instead of consultation and negotiation a desire to ram it beyond the point of no return; “stall-and-litigate” tactics over fishing rights; pipeline rights-of-way and locations for liquefied natural-gas plants that don’t reconcile First Nations objections; deepening poverty — 48 per cent of First Nations children, almost three times the rate for non-aboriginal children, and B.C. still has no coherent poverty reduction plan — and ongoing negligence regarding aboriginal child-welfare policies."
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

"Look, a long-term abusive relationship in which there is a vast asymmetry in power between the abuser and the abused can’t be reconciled simply by making nice in public while it’s business as usual in private."

"British Columbians want and deserve genuine reconciliation. Political theatre and promises of better times tomorrow don’t cut it. The UBCIC is honest. That’s the unvarnished take-away from this protocol protest."

shume@islandnet.com

Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy & Reconciliation

What does The Great Bear Rainforest have to do with  Reconciliation you may ask. Why do we even care if the Royals visit? Watch the video below but also listen to what Sharon Venne says, it will help you make sense of it all.

http://www.heiltsuknation.ca/

https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/09/listen-to-sharon-venne-speak-about.html



"The Great Bear Rainforest covers 6.4 million hectares on B.C.’s north and central coast and is home to 26 separate First Nations. Under the land use order, the remaining 15 per cent will be available for logging and supporting local jobs."

15% is still too much!!

At least we can hope that the Spirit Bear can live in peace and most of the forest is protected except 15% which is still a huge area.

That's why I painted the Mama Spirit Bear and her cubs because I was so worried for them.



I am grateful for the efforts made. But there is so much work to be done.

The salmon are in danger from LNG, Fish Farms, Tankers and Pipelines. This is why it's important to show the beauty of the area but let people know about the threats to this pristine environment.
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/07/meet-yagis-he-eats-tankers.html




As Elizabeth May points out, it was already protected but it becomes part of this Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy http://globalnews.ca/news/2937604/royal-visit-2016-b-c-s-great-bear-rainforest-receives-special-designation/

Go to that link above and listen to William's Video. It sounds great and all...I know a lot of people worked hard on this. 

And why do we care...you have to listen to Sharon Venne https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/09/listen-to-sharon-venne-speak-about.html



 
Sad their day was so rainy and they couldn't go out & see the area. 
I feel so sad for everyone, I know they must have worked so hard to prepare everything. So disheartening they only stayed one day.  
















 and on a side note you should read this.

Monday, September 26, 2016

The Royal Visit & First Nations- Keeping it in Perspective



This video is 11 minutes long, shorter videos can be seen on my Youtube page
https://www.youtube.com/user/fairyfotoslady 


Well I was lucky. I can't believe I was actually able to capture these photos and video of Justin Trudeau and Sophie as they arrived with Prince William and Kate at the Kitsilano Coast Guard.

Yes, I did get caught up in the moment and I was overjoyed that I was actually able to pull this off. I just happened to get to the right spot and stayed there and I was blessed with a real show.

But lets put it all in perspective. While it is all wonderful and grand that these people have come to visit, let's remember they are just people.

No one is more important than any one of us. We are all equal.

But these people have power, inherited and it's been such a long time that everything is mixed up, forgotten, buried and dug up.

So it's time for us all to WAKE UP and learn about what was hidden from us. The TRUTH was hidden, dark evil things that people really don't want to remember but we must. We Must Remember it's the only way forward. So we have to learn.

These videos by Sharon Venne taught me so much.
 https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/09/listen-to-sharon-venne-speak-about.html
I wish we could shorten and animate all three so it would be easier for this generation to comprehend and retain. I'm visual. I like visual things, like videos...that's why these are great as is, I can't read alot, my eyes roll into the back of my head..and my brain says "No!!" Could be my ancestors asking for an oral story, not some written stuff.

So I was glad to see Chief Steward take a hard stand on this.
http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/royalreconciliation

"Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the UBCIC, stated “After an intense three days of discussion and debate during our AGA; I put the matter to the Chiefs-in-Assembly of my participation in the Black Rod Ceremony. A clear majority of Chiefs felt, in the face of the Trudeau Government’s hesitancy to follow through on their federal election commitments and the Government of BC's intransigence on following through with the Four Principles arising from the historic Supreme Court of Canada’s Tsilhqot'in decision, the Chiefs-in-Assembly felt it would not be appropriate for me to participate in a 'reconciliation' ceremony at this time.”

Chief Robert Chamberlin, Vice-President of the UBCIC, said “Both the federal and provincial governments are expected and called upon in Canada to uphold the honour of the Crown. The Government of BC’s fast-track ‘to the point of no return’ approach on Site C and the spirit of the Conservative’s ‘stall and litigate’ tactic permeating the Trudeau Government’s handling of T’aaq-wiihak, the implementation of Nuu-chah-nulth Fishing Rights, are two recent examples of why First Nations are heading to the courts to compel both governments to uphold the honour of the Crown.”

Kukpi7 Judy Wilson, Secretary-Treasurer of the UBCIC, remarked “The Trudeau Government and the Government of BC cite the number of First Nation agreements, talk of the many issues that need to be addressed, make promises of better times tomorrow in the name of reconciliation but their actions today demonstrate the opposite. There is no true recognition of Indigenous Title, Rights and the honouring of Treaty Rights when it comes to Site C, Enbridge, Kinder Morgan or Lelu Island. Just processes weighted down with the governments’ belief that our Title and Rights do not exist until we win in court or negotiate a treaty.” Read more here http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/royalreconciliation


IT IS VERY GOOD THAT A STRONG MESSAGE IS SENT!!



Royal Visit  | Royal Black Rod ceremony gets snub from B.C.'s Grand Chief Stewart Phillip

'It would not be appropriate for me to participate in a "reconciliation" ceremony at this time'
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/royal-visit-black-rod-stewart-phillip-1.3778997?cmp=abfb


"With the deepening poverty of our communities, remembering the missing and murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and the ongoing negligence of Indigenous Child Welfare policies across this country, in good conscience, I cannot participate in the Black Rod Ceremony," Phillip said in a statement Monday 
 
Now we will have to see if they get the message and if they truly walk the talk. This tour is supposed to be about mental health
 http://bc.ctvnews.ca/royals-vancouver-visit-puts-focus-on-mental-health-issues-1.3087838

Well if you want healthy people then there's a lot of work to be done and that means "Recognition of Indigenous Title, Rights and the honouring of Treaty Rights when it comes to Site C, Enbridge, Kinder Morgan and Lelu Island and taking steps to End poverty and help the Missing and Murdered Women and their families. 

There is a real crisis of the salmon that is being ignored. We must get the Fish Farms out and we must Stop the Pipelines and Tankers that will destroy our coast, culture and the lives of our future children's children.

Photos/Art © 2016 Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

Add caption

Photos/Art © 2016 Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

Photos/Art © 2016 Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

Photos/Art © 2016 Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita

Photos/Art © 2016 Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita
 No one is more important than any one of us. We are all equal. We have rights!!!!

Related links:
https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/09/indigenous-elders-of-condor-eagle-summit.html

https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/09/opportunities-royals-truth.html

https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/09/mistreatment-then-now.html

https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/03/why-poverty-in-bc-canada-is-complex.html

https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2015/11/poverty-in-bc-where-is-social-justice.html

https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2015/11/article-25-right-to-adequate-standard.html

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Talking Circles Research #1

From the Blog First Nations Pedagogy Online- Shared here for educational purposes

"Talking Circles"

Several varied objects are used by different First Nations peoples to facilitate the talking circle. Some peoples use a talking stick, others a talking feather, while still others use a peace pipe, a sacred shell, a wampum belt, or other selected object. The main point of using the sacred object, is that whoever is holding the object in their hand has the right to speak. The circle itself is considered sacred. First Nations people observed that the circle is a dominant symbol in nature and has come to represent wholeness, completion, and the cycles of life (including the cycle of human communication). As well, many talking circles were traditionally "opened" through a prayer and smudging. A sacred space was facilitated by these reverent acts and observances.
http://firstnationspedagogy.ca/circletalks.html

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GUIDELINES- Shared here for educational purposes
http://www.muiniskw.org/pgCulture2c.htm

There are a few very simple guidelines that allow a talking circle to function:

1) Only one person speaks at a time - only the person holding the feather or talking stick may speak. Dialogues are not part of the circle, as they can become confrontational.

2) Introduce yourself - it is polite to introduce yourself in the first round. Use your spirit name, if you have one; otherwise, use your given name.

3) Speak from the heart - the speaker should address the circle from the heart, and may speak for as long as they need to, with respect for the time of others.

4) Listen with respect - all people except the speaker listen attentively and give support to the speaker. Listening with the heart allows you to hear the true intent beneath what the speaker is saying. Listen in the way you expect others to hear you.

5) What is said in the circle stays in the circle - never repeat anything that is said within the circle, unless you have the permission of the speaker.

When convening a circle, smudging the participants with sage will help dispel any negativity they may be carrying with them. In a way, it's like 'wiping' your spiritual 'feet' before entering the circle. As well, keeping a sage smudge burning during the circle, particularly when emotions are intense, will help keep negativity from entering.

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Talking Circle: Fact Sheet- Related Links

http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/aswt/talkingtogether/facilitated_talking_circle_fact_sheet.html
http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/aswt/talkingtogether/facilitated_talking_circle_sample.html 

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The Talking and Healing Circle

 Shared here for educational purposes

 http://www.dancingtoeaglespiritsociety.org/circles.php
Speak honestly and truthfully from the heart, be brief, and listen attentively to others, do not cross talk or interfere with what someone else is speaking.

The process is not one of making strong arguments for or against something, or convincing one another of right or wrong, but a process of becoming still and quiet, connecting with collective wisdom. When the truth is spoken on some issue it is seen and heard as such.....it rings true.
It’s listening without reacting or intending to respond, listening without being influenced by long-held images, memories or firmly held position, listening instead with a beginners mind. This is not to say that all is serious. Wholeness includes all forms of experience, good and bad, light and heavy, joyous and sad, trivial and significant. Everything is an invitation to look deeper, sense more fully.

The power of a circle lies in our seeing and feeling exactly what is, and suspending the noisy internal and external responses that get in the way. There's no right and wrong way to do participate in a circle or to do a circle. There are only honest efforts to hear, see and say what is most real at any given moment.

The Talking Stick Circle Can Help: decision making, inquiry management, prioritizing opportunities, clarifying group dynamics, team product development, problem solving, planning, conflict resolution, creating the bonding needed to build learning communities or just about anything that organizations use meetings for.


Circle Facilitation

Whether with humor, the weaving of words or silence, strong leaders stay present and committed to what is actually taking place, rather than invested in the Circle being "successful"... a truly successful Circle is an authentic one, no matter how dark or unresolved the outcome.


Good facilitation is usually "transparent," in the sense that members leave the Circle less impressed with the wisdom and power of the facilitator(s) than with a strong feeling of the movement and connectedness of the whole circle.
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In its simplest form, a Talking Circle:


Is done in a complete circle
Only the person holding the ‘talking stick’ talks, while the rest listen

The stick is usually passed around in a clockwise direction
A person talks until they are finished
The talking circle is complete when everyone has had a chance to speak
A person may pass the ‘talking stick’ without speaking, if they so wish
If desired, the stick may be passed around again. This may be beneficial, as it allows more time for people to process the experience What is said in the circle stays in the circle
The circle is extremely respectful of everyone as individuals and what they have to say

Algonquin Elder Albert Dumont says that “the circle can handle all emotions”. It is therefore ‎important to prepare for a talking circle in advance, and to let participants know that it is all right to express doubt or other emotions in the circle, but it must be done in a respectful way.

Adapted from the First Nations Pedagogy Online resource. For more information.


Introducing Healing Circles and Talking Circles into Primary Care
Shared here for educational purposes

We report on the incorporation of a North American aboriginal procedure called “the talking circle” into primary care in areas serving this population. Communication is regulated through the passing of a talking piece (an object of special meaning or symbolism to the circle facilitator, who is usually called the circle keeper). Twelve hundred people participated in talking circles in which 415 attended 4 sessions and completed pre- and postquestionnaires. Outcome measures included baseline and end Measure Your Medical Outcome Profile version 2 forms. Participation in at least 4 talking circles resulted in a statistically significant improvement in reported symptoms and overall quality of life (p < 0.001 and effect sizes ranging from 0.75 to 1.19). The talking circle is a useful tool to use with Native Americans. It may be useful as a means to reduce health care costs by providing other alternative settings to deal with stress-related and other life problems.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4022550/


Council circle

A council circle is a distinctive feature at the center of some tribal communities in North America. The historical function of the council circles is debated. Some[who?] suggest that the talking circles are ceremonial, and others support a hypothesis that they were places for political discussion that suggest aboriginal democracy.

In current use, the council circle is often synonymous with the talking circle, and is a means of group communication that promotes input from all the members. The practice has been adopted by people of many cultures. A talking stick, or other significant or impromptu object, is passed around the circle, and only the circle member holding the stick is allowed to speak, though he or she may allow others to interject.

Talking sticks in the context of the council circle may have been used pre-historically by indigenous peoples to create egalitarian forums.[citation needed] From photographs, we know that some talking sticks were very tall, suggesting that circle participants would have stood when speaking.[1]

"The Circle of Healing" at July 25

 http://dragonflycanada.ca/products-services/talking-circles/

Using talking circles in the classroom - Heartland Community College

https://www.heartland.edu/documents/idc/talkingCircleClassroom.pdf


http://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/inside-outside-circles
http://aboriginalperspectives.uregina.ca/tipianaquod/lessons/socialstudies/talkingrocks.shtml

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talking_stick


 A Kwakwaka'wakw man with a talking stick, photo by Edward S. Curtis
"Curtis photograph of a Kwakwaka'wakw (Northwest US) tribesman is shown with a talking stick. Alternate description: "Hamasaka in Tlu Wulahu costume with Speaker’s Staff - Qagyuhl, British Columbia, approximately 1914. Elders played a key role in the education of Aboriginal children. Library and Archives Canada, Edward S. Curtis, Edward Curtis’s The North American Indian collection, C-020826." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talking_stick

NOTE: it's NOT A COSTUME, it's is REGALIA


From Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talking_stick
"The talking stick, also called a speaker's staff,[1] is an instrument of aboriginal democracy used by many tribes, especially those of indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast of North America. The talking stick may be passed around a group or used only by leaders as a symbol of their authority and right to speak in public.[2]"
 
"In a tribal council circle, a talking stick is passed around from member to member allowing only the person holding the stick to speak. This enables all those present at a council meeting to be heard, especially those who may be shy; consensus can force the stick to move along to assure that the "long winded" don't dominate the discussion; and the person holding the stick may allow others to interject. Talking sticks have high ceremonial and spiritual value, and have proved to be exceedingly useful during current implementations.[citation needed]"

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Protection & Connection - Tsleil-Waututh Nation

I love this post I did a while back. Living here on the Burrard Inlet this is so special to imagine what it WAS like and what it could possibly be again! https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/06/tsleil-waututh-nation-canoe-connection.html


Came across this wonderful video today! So beautiful, makes me want to get a canoe.

By Ernest Ignatius Nicholas George II
"Iggy" as he is know to his friends is also known as the Hereditary Chief Sla-holt.

Maybe this is what's missing in my life...the connection to the water...I love water, I always have to live or be near water...my dad had a boat when I was little and I loved to be in or on the water.










http://twnsacredtrust.ca/
The Sacred Trust is an initiative of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation. The Sacred Trust is mandated to oppose and stop the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain pipeline project. This site is officially sanctioned by Tsleil-Waututh Chief and Council. The information shared on this site is from many sources and is presented without prejudice. 

Visit the Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/Tsleil-Waututh-Nation-Sacred-Trust-630937800297791/?fref=nf

Check out this
Historic Treaty Signing- 50 First Nations Sign Treaty Against Tar Sands Pipelines. 
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/09/historic-treaty-signing-50-first.html

"Protect the Water" -Tsleil-Waututh-Portrait Project
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/09/protect-water-tsleil-waututh-portrait.html 



 











Related Links:
http://vancouverstories125.blogspot.ca/2012/06/paddling.html
https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/09/historic-treaty-signing-50-first.html

Indigenous Elders of the Condor & Eagle Summit

Absolutely beautiful photography by Nancy Bleck at the
Indigenous Elders of the Condor & Eagle Summit



Meeting with the Sacred Circle of Indigenous Elders from Peru, Ecuador, Guatemala, Argentina, Mexico, Canada and USA. 

LaDonna Brave Bull Allard Tamakastewin, Standing Rock Sioux Nation leader and historian unites with the Sacred Circle of Grandmothers and Grandfathers Sages of the Planet, to protect water, sacred sites, land and indigenous rights.

https://www.pachamama.org/blog/the-eagle-and-the-condor-prophecy

The Eagle and the Condor is an ancient Amazon prophecy that speaks of human societies splitting into two paths – that of the Eagle, and that of the Condor. The path of the Condor is the path of heart, of intuition, and of the feminine. The path of the Eagle is the path of the mind, of the industrial, and of the masculine.



Pachamama Alliance
https://www.facebook.com/PachamamaAlliance



A Call For Our Time: The Story of The Pachamama Alliance from Pachamama Alliance on Vimeo.


Museum of Anthropology Visit Inside & Out

 This summer we visited the Museum of Anthropology.

Twitter- MOA UBC
Facebook MOAUBC
MOA Google +
Instagram MOA 
YouTube- Museum of Anthropology

We were invited by the NEC and I want to give a BIG SHOUT out to them and say Thank You!!

Thank You to all the people who helped us have a great day.  Thanks to the folks Tanya and Ted at NEC for allowing us to go on the Free tour at the Museum of Anthropology. Thanks to NEC for the lunch, my daughter was really grateful and happy. Food- she's a teenager. :D

Native Education College
http://www.necvancouver.org/
https://www.facebook.com/NativeEd
https://twitter.com/yourjourneyhome
http://www.necvancouver.org/programs/aboriginal-tourism/


Thank you to Pam for giving the tour. It was very informative and I really appreciate how much work goes into creating - curating something of this magnitude. It was truly beautiful and amazing.  



I want to say "Thank you"

Thank you to the Musqueam People- whose land the Museum of Anthropology is on,  for the sharing with us and allowing us explore the museum and land

Here's the 2 blogposts I did about it in the summer

Outside the Museum of Anthropology

https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/07/outside-museum-of-anthropology.html

Inside the Museum of Anthropology Summer 2016

https://tinawinterlik.blogspot.ca/2016/07/inside-museum-of-anthropology-summer_7.html 

I suggest you also visit

Yágis--Protector of Our Territories and Coast

https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/09/yagis-protector-of-our-territories-and.html

Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun-UBC MOA Exhibit

https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/09/lawrence-paul-yuxweluptun-ubc-moa.html

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016


Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016=

Photography by Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita © 2016