University of Alberta in the Eyes of the Beholder, Spring Flowen And
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University of Alberta In the Eyes of the Beholder, Spring Flowen and Autumn Leaves Lois Elizabeth Edge @ A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in special fulfillrnent of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Department of Anthropology Edmonton, Alberta Spring 2001 National Limy Biblioth ue nationale 1*1 0f-a du Cana% A uisiîionsand Acquisitions et ~$io~ra~hicSewices seNices bibliographiques The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclasive licence allowing the exchisive permettant à la National Liiof Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distnbue or seli reproduire7prêter, disiriiuer ou copies of this thesis in microfom, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/nlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui p~otegecette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the aathor's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTMCT This thesis offen an extended review of. and reflection on, a series of community based research initiatives undertaken in the context of self govemment negotiations in the BeaufortlDelta region of the Northwest Temtories. lncluded is an analysis of the context of indigenous knowledge, traditionai knowledge research, participatory action research and the feminist philosophy of 'situated knowledges" in relation to self govemrnent negotiaüons in the Canadian North. The impact of colonization on indigenous knowledge and communities is considered, and a review of the philosophy and vision of indigenous knowledge as voiced by indigenous educators, scholars, and Elden is offered. The option of traditional leadership and indigenous govemance models as envisioned by indigenous scholars and lnuvialuit and Gwich'in Elders are considered. The research suggests that fundamental tensions between western epistemology and indigenous knowledge paradigms are only partly overcome when research programs are designed to meet the needs of actors and agencies outside of aboriginal communities. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I wish to acknowledge my children, Chris and Sylvia, who are my shining stars. It was for them that I initially entered the University of Alberta as a mature student. Little did I know that upon my retum to school I would begin a joumey of leaming, healing and growth. Little did I know the joumey would elicit a wonder and invoke a passion that would impel me to discover strength, power and beauty in words and knowledge. When I was working towards a Bachelor of Arts degree, they were attending junior and senior high school. I will always remernber the moment in time looking up from the pages of a book I was reading, in front of the computer where I sat, and saw that in the yean that had passed, they had each grown up. And they stood by, their faith and love and belief reflected from within their hearts and in their eyes. It was for my son and my daughter that I began to leam and heal and grow. I could do no less. It was from my son and my daughter that the wonder, passion, strength, power and beauty came. I am grateful. I wish to acknowledge my parents, Arthur and Rita. my brother, Michael. and my sister, Joanne, who lead their Iives in a good way teaching me that there are no limits. that we may each be and do whatever we set our hearts and minds to do and be. I wish to acknowledge the support and encouragement I have received from the many Aboriginal students I have corne to know and who each motivated me to degree completion. I also wish to thank the staff at Native Student Services, who provide a home away from home on campus, and to the Aboriginal community at the U of A. who offer support and encouragement to al1 Aboriginal students. I would also like to acknowledge Stan and Peggy Wilson, with the First Nations Education Graduate Program, for their ongoing support of Aboriginal graduate students. I wish to acknowledge Stan Wilson, Educational Policy Studies, and Rod Wilson. Department of Anthropology, for comments and cornmittee participation. I would also like to acknowledge L. Ouzgane. T. Bishop and K. Gunnan, with the Department of English, who enwuraged me to wnte. I wovld also like to acknowledge the guidance offered to me by Mike Evans, Department of Anthropology, and in allowing me to express my vision through words. I wish to acknowledge the Fieldworkers from the BeauforüDelta comrnunities and the Self Government Office staff, for shanng the power, strength and beauty of the [nuvialuit and Gwich'in people and in enriching our lives in many ways. Mahsi and Quyannini. Chanter 1 - Findina A Voice Entry into the Circle Leading to A Pathway of Assumptions Finding A Voice Introduction to the Storyteller A Picture Story About Becoming Metis Studying at a Post-Secondary Institution To Begin to Heal Telling the Story Writing the Story Cha~ter2 - Philoso~hvand Vision: lndiaenous Teachina and Learninq Voicing of Vision Language as Sacred Indigenous Educators A Guiding Philosophy for lndigenous Education Dialogue for Teaching and Leaming Orality, Words, Writing and Voices Cha~ter3 - lndiaenous- Persoectives of Colonialism Concept of Cognitive lmperialism Jagged World Views Colonialism at the Subjective, Social and Spiritual Levels Inflicting the Soul Wound Processes of Colonization and Decolonization Forces of Colonialism Chapter 4 - Land Claims and Self Government Neaotiations lnuvialuit and Gwich'in: People of the BeaufortlDelta 55 European Contact 56 First People's lnherent Right 57 lnwialuit Land Claim Negotiations and Final Agreement 60 Gwich'in Comprehensive Land Claim Negotiations and Comprehensive Agreement 63 Aboriginal Title and Extinguishment 65 Federal Framework and Scope for Self Govemment Negotiations 68 Temtorial Framework and Swpe for Self Government Negotiations in the North 71 Chapter 5 - BeauforVDelta Self Government Neootiations Northwest Territones and BeauforVDelta Population Profile Inuit and Dene: Refleding Inwialuit and Gwich'in World Views BeauforVDelta Leadership Today BeauforVDelta Self Govemment Negotiations Self Govemment Community Consultation Amval in the BeaufortfDelta Reflecüons on the Survey-Based Process Refiections on the Traditional Govemance Community Fieldwork Research Process Talking to Our Relatives The Elden Speak Writing Up the Words of the Elden Refiections on the Fieldwork Program Traditional Leadership in the BeauforVDelta Region Chanter 6 - Traditional leaders hi^ and Governance Loss of Traditional Knowledge Aboriginal View of Aboriginal Governance in Canada Traditional Leadership and lndigenous Governance lnwialuit and Gwich'in Perspectives of Traditional Govemance Chapter 7 - Knowledae and Research Traditional Knowledge Research in Northern Canada Participatory Action Research Framework Framework of Anthropological Research lndigenous Knowledge and Research issues Situated Knowledge, A Place To Speak From Chanter 8 - Side Bv Side at the River Pathways At the Meeting Place Parts Together Becoming Whole In Between To Learn at the Big School To the Pathway of Assumptions Bibliography A~pendixOne BeauforVDelta Fieldwork Program Summary Chanter 1 - Findina a Voice Entrv into the Circle Leadinci to A Pathwav of Assumptions 'Now circles are very important symbols for many of Our Native people... The circle iç also the symbol of reciprocity."' Our entry into the circle is the beginning of my joumey - creation towards becoming and being, to instill an awareness of the collective consciousness of Our ancestors today and in the future. Entry into the circle begins with the guardian's pathway of assurnptions ... We are al1 childrenO2As a child, I will take your hand and ask you to walk beside me. I will do my best to talk with you along the way to explain the things I perceive, and those things I seek to understand. so we rnay corne to know the pathway we are walking upon together. You must realize that we walk beside each other in the spirit of recognition and mutual respect. 1 ask that you try to comprehend my language and I will try to speak with you in your language. There are many existing interconnected pathways, sorne wom soft and smooth, deep within the earth; others are not as well traveled, yet walked upon since ancient times. You have broken a new trail upon the land where we walk. I welcome you to walk beside me towards a stopping place where we will sit together sharing space in a comrnon place. I do not seek to change you nor force you to give up something you cannot. I wish to be respecfful of you. Upon completion of our journey we will retum to where we began having shared with each other along the way. Findina A Voice And so I begin. It has been a stniggle to find a voice with which to speak, an arduous joumey met with barriers of confusion. apathy. anger. pain. denial. sorrow, rage, anguish. capitulation and resistance. 1 sought to learn and understand, to speak and share. The joumey was intenpened with passages of penistence, prayer. reflection, preparation. surrender and invocation of a creative heart. All of this has been my task: to see clearly, to listen and hear. to speak in a good way, connecting mind with heart; to seek clarity. understanding. enlightenment and wisdoin, to be respectful of self and others. There have also been times of sheer joy, strength, power and beauty in the struggle to attain awareness and understanding towards balance and harmony - in becoming and being, through healing, and, in acceptance. Itrust the memories of Our anceston are instilled within us, that through preparation, strengthening. healing and growth. we are led to an awareness that ailows participation and comprehension through the transmission of knowledge.