COVID-19 Daily News Digest – August 9, 2020
COVID-19 on colonies requires understanding
“”We can’t stigmatize an entire culture because of the actions of a few. Our primary concern is that the Ministry of Health is attaching cultural and religious attributes to COVID-19 cases. This occurs when reporting includes a reference to Hutterite communities or the more recent thinly veiled euphemism, ‘communal living setting,’” the HSC wrote in the letter.
Toronto Indigenous support organization gets $7M for COVID-19 response
Among those organizations is the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council (TASSC), which is receiving $7 million to develop a TASSC COVID-19 Emergency Community Relief Support. The organization and its 18 member agencies will work to ensure Indigenous peoples living in the Toronto region have access to the required resources to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
Government of Canada COVID-19 Update for Indigenous Peoples and communities
In addition to physical health impacts, the Government of Canada recognizes the COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant effect on the mental wellness of Indigenous Peoples. Mental wellness services that support Indigenous communities are essential. These services continue to respect public health measures with many shifting to telehealth or virtual approaches and being innovative in terms of service delivery.
The Hope for Wellness Helpline provides immediate, culturally safe, telephone crisis intervention, 24 hours a day, seven days a week in English and French, and upon request in Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut.
- Phone: 1-855-242-3310
- On-line chat: www.hopeforwellness.ca
Utqiaġvik TikTokker goes viral sharing Iñupiaq culture and calling out the haters
Glenn has gotten viral attention for her videos depicting Iñupiaq culture by sharing traditional practices, food and what life is like on the North Slope. Aside from the genuine fun of making TikToks, Glenn said that with her newfound platform she strives to advocate and educate others about Iñupiaq culture.
“For those that are interested in Inuit culture, from my perspective, I hope that they feel like they’ve learned at least just one thing about our way of life,” she said. “I hope that they can understand that life is very different from what they are used to and that they can, hopefully, respect our world view.”
Canadian artist spends COVID-19 pandemic creating, launching Indigenous clothing line
“(I want to) take a portion of these proceeds that we make and put it back into disadvantaged communities,” he said, “communities that are facing homelessness, helping out folks who’re facing alcoholism and addiction. I’m really passionate about helping out our future generation, so finding different youth initiatives that we can help any way we can.”
It’s this business model that he believes sets him apart from traditional clothing companies.
Brazil field hospital a life saver for indigenous stricken by COVID-19
To save lives, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has been supporting a field hospital in Boa Vista, the capital of the northern border state of Roraima, which has the capacity to treat and isolate up to 1,782 COVID-19 confirmed and suspected patients. To date, 625 Venezuelans and many Brazilians – including indigenous people – have received care at the hospital.Over half the indigenous refugees and migrants in Brazil have received some sort of support from UNHCR, including emergency relief items, shelter and access to health care – a vital provision in the pandemic.
Leadership committee urges Islanders to remain vigilant in battle against COVID-19
“A recent incident at Manitoulin Golf in Gore Bay serves as a reminder of the need to be vigilant: a golfer who had dined at the club restaurant was informed that a household member tested positive for COVID-19,” the press release continues. “While the golf club took appropriate precautions and the golfer has since tested negative, the Island and its businesses will probably experience more situations like this, especially as the volume of people traveling to and through Manitoulin Island increases.”
How 90 indigenous villages in Sylhet region keep coronavirus at bay
No Covid-19 patients have been found so far in 90 punjis (villages) in Sylhet, with each completely isolating itself from outsiders and following strict hygiene protocols. In the rest of the division, 8,497 Covid-19 cases were reported and 153 patients died as of yesterday. He termed the complete lockdown and hygiene protocols being employed in the punjis as exemplary. “It is a very good practice; anyone can follow it as an example.”
https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/news/examples-worth-following-1942001
A time to look out for one another
“The woman, a mother of two, said her family couldn’t eat rice for a week and survived on only bread. Their area, Mirpur, was suddenly locked down, and they kept stretching their finances,” Mithun said. Seeing the helplessness of others, with what money he had, Mithun decided to jump into voluntary work to provide relief to such Garo families across the capital. He personally gave relief to 50 families and teamed up with other initiatives within the community.
https://www.thedailystar.net/city/news/time-look-out-one-another-1941889
Shifting line on COVID-19 statistics
Manitoba began collecting information about cases involving First Nation and Inuit persons, in collaboration with those communities, April 3. The collection of racial and ethnic identifiers became a mandatory part of case investigation in the province May 3. Manitoba says it does not typically collect data on income and household size.
The province is not yet publishing any statistics that break down COVID-19 cases by race or ethnicity, although it says it might do so in the future. The public has only had limited access to First Nations data the First Nations themselves have released.
Northern First Nations call for a major overhaul of mining legislation
The submission calls for limitations on the existing “free entry system” that allows prospectors to explore for minerals on public lands. Ideally, engagement with First Nations should happen prior to staking, according to the document. While COVID-19 pushed back the consultation deadline, the submission calls on the panel to move forward quickly with developing recommendations before the 2021 territorial elections.
The experience of the pandemic and the Marma community
The villagers give all the necessities for the outsider’s survival. Today, it is comparable to home quarantine. If that outsider has any relative in the village then the outsiders are allowed to live in ‘Khaamra’ (one kind of room) not in the main house so that no one can be infected by the outsiders. In today’s term, we can call it isolation. Usually ‘Khaamra’ is used for ‘dheki’ room — storehouse of crops and other uses. Young boy-girl met their mates in the ‘Khaamra’ in the past because elders stay in the main house and for this, young boys-girls felt uneasy to talk to each other.
https://www.newagebd.net/article/112978/the-experience-of-the-pandemic-and-the-marma-community