COVID-19 Daily News Digest – June 21, 2020
Vancouver Island First Nation issues warning about possible COVID-19 exposure
Anyone who was at the Tsawout Health Centre on June 16 are being asked to monitor themselves on a daily basis for symptoms, but do not need to self-isolate themselves unless they are exhibiting symptoms or have been specifically asked by the Vancouver Island Health Authority to do so.
Raising flag, raising awareness
“The wampum belt is a symbol of peace and unity that brings together the five Iroquois nations,” says Cook. “We are distinct in our nations but united in this Confederacy, the Haudenosaune. Five arrows bundled together are stronger than one.
“We think of ourselves as a collective which is in such contrast to the individualistic society in which we live now. It’s not the Indigenous model native to this land.
https://reporter.mcgill.ca/raising-flag-raising-awareness/
‘More connected than we know:’ Cree musician sending masks to Navajo Nation
“I really started to question the systems that are in place and why isn’t there enough support around protecting our people?”
He reached out to Navajo artist Craig George and commissioned a piece to be printed on T-shirts. For each shirt sold, Faithful is sending five protective masks to the Navajo Nation.
Indigenous tourism industry sets sights on local travellers for summer season
“Many people travel overseas to witness and take part in ancient cultures. But … the culture here is at least 14,000 years,” he told CBC’s All Points West.
“If people want history, you don’t need to travel far.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/indigenous-tourism-b-c-covid19-1.5618639
Survivors of Sixties Scoop to receive COVID-19 care packages from SSISA
“We grew up half-white and half-red, and we walk that fine line. So, we try to go home, back to our First Nations, and were shunned because we come back with European last names, or we come back with no knowledge, we don’t even carry our language, and so we’re shunned from our own community.”
Manitoba communities go online, outside to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day during pandemic
Indigenous Services Canada said in a statement earlier this month that it “respects the measures the chiefs and councils have put in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19 within their own communities, based on public health guidance,” and that cancelling or postponing cultural events “remains the decision of spiritual leaders and community leadership alone.”
Fighting for our lives on two pandemic fronts
The Indigenous Peoples’ Day Committee believe that cultural engagement is civic engagement. A strong sense of cultural identity naturally leads to a desire to participate in civic life. Native/Indigenous peoples are often underrepresented in Census figures and in political determinations. Making our strengths and resilience known and voices heard as a community is an important part of the work we do with the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Committee. We can’t simply believe in educational equity for Native/Indigenous students. In order to create transformational change, we have to create it by restoring our own inherent dignity, healing our own people, and applying fundamental human rights to our communities.
Esgenoopetitj teenager creates powerful video to honour MMIWG
The video is a mix of still photography and video of Francis honouring the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls through dancing, holding up printed statements and smudging. Francis is wearing both a red regalia and a black regalia that she made by herself.
“In our culture… red is the only colour spirits can see. The hand prints are for missing and murdered indigenous women because they were silenced.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/nb-video-indigenous-teenager-mmiwg-1.5619387
Minnesota inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women looks to Canada for guidance
“One of the things we learned from Canada … you have this report and you’ve developed this report, but there is no next step for how to move forward,” Perrote said.
“So within the development of our recommendations, we’re looking at how do we continue on this work and how do we implement it with a strategic plan, but also how do we look at what are the outcomes that we need to measure moving forward.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/stefanovich-mmiw-canada-minnesota-inquiry-lessons-1.5598447
Addiction program for Indigenous adults goes virtual
Begun in 1991, the program was designed entirely by and for Indigenous people, with a focus on sharing, culture and spirituality.
The Wanaki Center is one of five federally funded programs in Quebec dedicated to the treatment of substance abuse for Indigenous adults. It’s the only one to offer services in French and English.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/addiction-program-for-indigenous-adults-goes-virtual-1.5619384
National Indigenous Peoples Day goes virtual amid pandemic restrictions
“It’s more than a festival, it’s our cultural and community connection and it’s really that one time of year where we get to share and celebrate with our neighbours who we are. I think that’s the first step in reconciliation.”