By Justin Jimmy
As many people migrate to urban centers during their journey in life, the Indigenous populations can include many different groups from various backgrounds including First Nations, Metis, and Inuk, among others – my apologies if I missed any others. This creates uniqueness in responding to reconciliation action planning, as the concerns around inclusion of all cultures and protocols is at the highest importance. In order to move forward with reconciliation, we must build trust, understand the truth, and rely on allyship to move towards actions of reconciliation.
How do we build Trust…
Trust is foundational in any relationship whether personal, employment, business, or leadership movement towards reconciliation. The pandemic has caused difficulties in this area as we have not been able to come together and meet in person which is key in building relationships. Body language and empathy is not clear in zoom video screens and sometimes it can be difficult to build trust in conversations. To build this trust, the first step is to reach out and establish the dialogue with the Indigenous community, showing great empathy or a desire to be open to learning Indigenous worldviews. By establishing this connection, and by showing a willingness to continue learning, this can create an environment to understand the truth. The passion and the fundamental purpose of building the relationship needs to be clear and purpose driven with alignment to values vs simply ticking a box around ESG(I) – environmental, social, governance, indigenous metric reporting. Ticking the box can only occur through a trusting positive relationship with the indigenous community.
Where do we start to understand the Truth…
Ask, ask, ask, and then ask more… Our brains are sponges that can continue to learn more and create linkages in events that we have experienced outside of the Indigenous worldview. In order to create positive impact, we need to understand the events that created the need to reconciliation. This can be done by establishing relationships with the Indigenous communities, learning through discussions with elders and traditional knowledge holders within the communities. As previously discussed, trust is key, otherwise knowledge holders may not feel comfortable sharing information.
Why is Allyship important to move forward…
As said in the initial discussion, many different culture groups are represented in the urban context and to build upon the momentum in reconciliation, allyship is a powerful approach. Allyship can include understanding and being open to learning new practices, protocols, experience, history, and cultures of various ethnic groups. Again, by building the trust with various ethnic groups, and by understanding the truth in each group in their unique experience, together we can progress towards positive social impact change. Allyship is about being a supportive sounding block, and absorbent sponge of learning new experiences, and by truly working together as one main group moving towards reconciliation.