NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Dehcho Region, South Slave Region

Tags: social sciences, traditional knowledge, traditional healing, aboriginal youth, Community wellness

Objective(s): To gather stories on approaches to land-based healing and wellness activities, ways to support youth roles and responsibilities in community, and To develop a conversation between nations on pathways to community wellness. In partnership with four nations, two in BC and two in the NWT, “Sharing medicine bundles."

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.5516. Objectives: To gather stories on approaches to land-based healing and wellness activities, ways to support youth roles and responsibilities in community, and To develop a conversation between nations on pathways to community wellness. In partnership with four nations, two in BC and two in the NWT, “Sharing medicine bundles." This community-led research centers the ceremonial and land-based teachings of each nation, and is based on community wellness projects identified by each community partner and involving Elders, knowledge keepers, youth, and community members. The university team approach this work as helpers. Each nation has identified the activities and outputs of the community projects in year 1 (2023) and year 2 (2024) and agree to participating in the land-based dialogue in year 3 (2025) to have a conversation amongst four nations and create a collective output. The two northern nations are Deh Gah Gotie First Nation and NWT Metis Nation. Deh Gah Gotie: Through a series of land-based ceremonial activities and workshops that represent each stage of life, this project will revitalize Daondih Dene Kee Gotsendih (How to Live the Dene Way), with the rhythms of life, nature, family and community wellness. Stories and photos will be gathered to make resources for the Aboriginal Headstart program and families. NWT Metis Nation: Land-based healing as preventative medicine involves revitalizing land-based ceremonies and developing a Firekeeper program for youth ceremonial helpers. Stories will be gathered to better understand community-driven and land-based activities as a way to restore and sustain wellness and to develop a Metis wellness framework. Indigenous storied research: gather stories with 4 participant groups: Group 1 - Community Partners; Group 2 - Youth participants; Group 3 - Project Knowledge keepers; Group 4 - Project Elders. The life-experience story method is suitable to document the stories of youth learners and how Elders & knowledge keepers share traditional health systems knowledge. More specifically, youth will be invited to share their stories of learning from land-based activities and Elders & knowledge keepers, and how this informs their roles and responsibilities in community. Mentorship stories will be gathered from the Elders & knowledge keepers to better understand how they share healing and wellness knowledge in community and with youth. Also, stories with community partners will be gathered to better understand how community wellness is enacted and what is needed to further support youth healing and well-being in community. Stories will be gathered through photo voice, circle, and one to one conversations. These stories can speak to the “why” and “how” of the relationship between land and youth and community wellness, and can inform community priorities, wellness educators, health practice, and public policy. Traditional stories: gather stories with Elders and knowledge keepers about health systems before colonial disruptions and the ways these systems are understood today. With trust and consent from each community partner, Elder and knowledge keeper, traditional stories of medicines, natural laws, ceremony, and healing may be shared though rarely written down for a public audience. Medicine bundles are sacred and are prepared from the land of one’s ancestors and with the health teachings passed down through the generations. This knowledge is the intellectual property of respective nations and those who hold this knowledge. Through this study, space will be created for sacred healing and wellness knowledge to be shared with participants and the university team within the project activities. In ethical Indigenous research, the Elder, knowledge keeper, and community partner will determine if and to what extent this knowledge can be shared beyond the activities in community and circle sharing. These stories answer “what” in understanding nation-based health systems, medicine bundles and pathways to community wellness, and can strengthen intergenerational knowledge transmission within each nation. Research activities and story gathering: Group 1 - Community Partners b) At the end of the two years of project activities, UVic team would like to conduct individual interviews with each community partner to learn their perspectives on organizing community wellness projects and identifying components of nation specific wellness frameworks. Group 2 - Youth participants c) At the end of each project activity, a group interview will occur with the youth. Deh Gah Gotie site: On the land workshops April 2023, June 2023, August 2023, October 2023, December 2023, February 2024. NWT Metis site: Firekeeper program March-December 2023; Firekeeper program March-December 2024; 4 day summer ceremony July 2023 and July 2024. d) Photos and videos of project activities will be used with youth permission for our research outputs. Group 3 - Project Knowledge keepers e) Knowledge keepers will be invited to individual interviews at the end of year 1 activities and an Advisory Circle group interview of Elders and knowledge keepers at the end of year 2 activities. f) Photos and videos of project activities will be used with knowledge keepers permission for our research outputs. Group 4: Project Elders g) Elders will be invited to individual interviews at the end of year 1 activities and an Advisory Circle group interview of Elders and knowledge keepers at the end of year 2 activities. h) Photos and videos of project activities will be used with Elders permission for our research outputs. Advisory Circle: i) The Advisory Circle includes the site circles at each nation and the UVic team (see governance structure). Two meetings will be held annually in Spring and fall 2023 and 2024. At each meeting, the UVic team will take notes on community wellness. At the end of the two years a short document of insights (approx 4 pages) from the meetings to inform community wellness frameworks will be shared with the Advisory Circle. Advisory Circle members will be invited to review and edit this document for approval. It will be the basis of a voluntary Advisory Circle group interview with Elders and knowledge keepers in January 2025. j) In May 2025 a 4 day on the land dialogue will occur in the Northwest Territories. The photos and videos of project activities, along with photos and videos of this dialogue, will be used with permission from each participant to create a feature length documentary and other community identified outputs. Other community outputs: In addition to the land-based and ceremonial regalia and equipment that will be created and stay within each community, each community has requested community resource materials. Any materials developed will require participant approval for photos used. The resources will be intellectual property of each nation. Decision-making at each nation: There are 4 nations (4 sites) involved in this grant. Each nation has identified an 18-24 month community wellness project to be delivered on their lands. At each nation, the key decision-makers are the community partner, Elder(s), knowledge keeper(s), and youth rep. Others are invited to meetings as per each nation's request. Initial meetings occurred with community partners in January and February 2022 to develop the grant proposal and project ideas. The grant was awarded October 1, 2022 and follow-up planning meetings (pre ethics approval) have occurred at each site between October 2022 and January 2023 to confirm proposed community wellness projects and identify key decision-makers at each nation. The community partner is the lead at each nation who communicates regularly with the PI and the nation, most decision-making occurs in circle with the key decision-makers. Two part-time Project Coordinators will be hired, one to support the two northern nations and one to support the two southern nations. While Project Coordinators do not have decision-making authority, they will be responsible for logistics and communication with the community partner when the PI is not on site. Once ethics is approved and research activities start, site meetings will be held monthly at each nation. UVic team members (PI, Project Coordinator, doctoral trainees and other RAs) may be on site or participate remotely. Site Circles at each nation: From February 2023 to December 2024, monthly planning meetings will be held with each of the sites to prepare the delivery of the community wellness activities and workshops. At each nation this includes the community partner, 1-2 project Elders, 1-2 project knowledge keepers, and 1 youth rep alongside the UVic team. The community partner will take notes for activity planning purposes and communication with community. The Advisory Circle: Comprised of 1 community partner, 1 Elder, 1 knowledge keeper, and 1 youth from each nation (see governance structure), and the UVic team PI, collaborators and 2 Elders-in-Residence. The Project Coordinators, Doctoral trainees and other RAs do not have decision-making authority and will assist with these meetings. We will meet twice a year in Spring and Fall 2023; and Spring and Fall 2024 while research activities are being conducted to nurture intertribal dialogue and relationships. Each meeting will be 3-6 hours (optional in person or virtual) and will include a meal, gifting, and honoraria. While most project decision-making occurs on site, the Advisory Circle provides space for sharing, problem-solving, and planning. These meetings are also in preparation for the Spring 2025 intertribal dialogue, a 4 day land-based event, after the research activities in each nation have been completed, to share insights on community wellness and the outputs in each community. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from: June 15-December 31, 2023