Defining the principle of communication and collaboration

A lot of time and preparation is required to establish meaningful relationships and collaboration across Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures, communities, and initiatives. Laying a strong foundation by establishing trusting relationships with the people, organizations, and communities with whom you wish to collaborate is essential to the success of your project.

Fundamental knowledge of communication and collaboration

• Invest in the time required to establish trusting and meaningful relationships with your students and your host Nation.
• Know that each student and community member may communicate and collaborate differently based on history, cultural values, and lived experiences.
• Be patient. Your investment of time can lead to effective communication and collaboration in Indigenous digital literacy work.

Why words matter

In Canada, historically, terminology has often been used in ways that has been damaging to Indigenous Peoples and communities. These terms came from a deficit-based patriarchal approach that still exists today.

Purposefully using the best and most respectful words is being respectful, accurate, and responsible.

The language we use is important. It can create a sense of empowerment, identity, and pride in people.

It can also do the opposite. Language and words can promote stereotypes and isolate people. It can continue outdated narratives and cause harm to both individuals and communities.

Communications with Indigenous Peoples

The following section introduces learners to terms to use in communication with Indigenous Peoples and about Indigenous Peoples.

Pre- and post-contact

Each individual Indigenous culture has its own creation story that predates the arrival of Europeans on Turtle Island, now commonly known as North America.

Recognizing that Indigenous Peoples have pre-contact and post-contact history is important in respectful and accurate communications.

Saying America was discovered by Columbus is incorrect. There were an estimated 100 million Indigenous Peoples living on Turtle Island when the Europeans arrived.

Referring to “prehistory” must always be avoided as it implies that Indigenous Peoples began with the arrival of Europeans. Replacing “prehistory” with “pre- and post-contact” is required.

Indigenous Peoples of Canada

Indigenous Peoples are independent, sovereign nations that predate Euro-colonial states and are not “owned” by Euro-colonial states. Indigenous communication and collaboration style avoids the use of possessives that imply ownership. The appropriate phrasing is Indigenous Peoples of Canada. This also applies to provinces, cities, etc.

Examples of what we can say are “the Indigenous Peoples of B.C.” or “the Indigenous population of Vancouver.”

Saying Canada’s Indigenous Peoples or population, our Indigenous Peoples or population, BC’s Indigenous Peoples or population, or Vancouver’s Indigenous People’s or population, for example, gives the impression that Canada owns Indigenous Peoples. These statements must be avoided.

Rights and Title Holders

Indigenous Peoples are Rights and Title Holders.

Indigenous title was first recognized by King George III in the Royal Proclamation of 1763, yet Indigenous Peoples continue to struggle to have their constitutionally protected rights recognized.

Indigenous Peoples also have the ability to bind up a project in legal process because they have constitutionally protected rights. Indigenous communities are not mere stakeholders, they are Rights Holders.

As an example, for your engagement communications, you could make the distinction and say, “Rights Holders and stakeholders are invited to join us.”

Do not refer to Indigenous Peoples as stakeholders. This is not respectful of their rights and title. “Stakeholder” is the blanket term used to describe an individual, group, or organization that stands to be impacted by the outcome of a project. But the problem with blanket terms is that they tend to be used indiscriminately, so there’s a potential to offend.

Traditional territory or unceded territory

Indigenous communities have stood strong to defend their Indigenous title.

In 1984, 50 Gitxsan and Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs filed a statement of claim against British Columbia and Canada. This launched what became one of the longest trials in Canada’s history. The chiefs were asking the courts to recognize their ownership of 57,000 square kilometres of land. They asked for their right to govern their traditional territories and be awarded compensation for the loss of their lands and resources.

In 1997, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in favour of the existence of Indigenous Rights and Title. It took 13 years of unwavering determination for the hereditary chiefs to to prove title of what was rightfully theirs.

“Crown land” or “Crown lands” might sound familiar. These are terms that must be used with much caution. The Crown doesn’t own the land outright as the term suggests. British Columbia is unique in Canada in that most of the province is unceded, which means Indigenous Title has been neither surrendered nor acquired by the Crown (through Treaties).

Replace “Crown land” with terms that show respect and an understanding of history. Terms you can use in your conversations and reports are “traditional territory” and “unceded territory.”

Do not use “equality”

Indigenous Peoples aren’t treated equally. They exist under a separate set of laws known as the Indian Act.

The purpose of the Indian Act was to assimilate Indigenous Peoples, but in practice, it segregated and marginalized them. They were restricted in their ability to be part of the local economy. Their children were forced to attend Indian Residential Schools. Their traditions and cultures were outlawed. They were not permitted to be in contact with the Euro-settlers.

Equal rights do not exist in the standard of living for those living on reserve. Indigenous Peoples living on reserves have inadequate housing and undrinkable water, both of which contribute to poorer health. Lower levels of education exist, which lead to higher unemployment and crime. Access to technology and the Internet is limited or non-existent.

In Canada, all Canadians are to be protected by the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA). But until 2008, the CHRA denied Indigenous Peoples’ access to human rights protection, separating them due to the jurisdiction of the Indian Act.

Here are some more points to keep in mind about “equality”:

• Indigenous Peoples were denied the right to vote until 1960. They could only vote if they gave up their Indian status and Treaty Rights.
• As long as there are two sets of laws, there will never be equality.
• When Indigenous Peoples hear the terms “equality” or “equal,” they know they would have to give up their constitutionally protected rights, or they hear they can be equal only if they give up their human rights to be who they are as a people.
• If the subject of equality comes up, it is wise to tread carefully.

Indigenous Rights

On the other side of the equality coin are Indigenous Rights.

“The doctrine of Aboriginal rights exists because of one simple fact: when Europeans arrived in North America, Aboriginal peoples were already here, living in communities on the land, and participating in distinctive cultures, as they had done for centuries. It is this fact, and this fact above all others, which separates Indigenous peoples from all other minority groups in Canadian society and which mandates their special legal status.

“The rights of Indigenous peoples were originally established in the Royal Proclamation of 1763, but it wasn’t until over two hundred years later, in 1996, that they were recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada. In R. v. Van der Peet, they were confirmed and a test by which to prove Indigenous Rights was established.

“The Royal Proclamation also recognized Indigenous Rights for Indigenous Peoples to harvest resources from their traditional territories. The principle is acknowledged in that the Indigenous lands are ‘… reserved to them, or any of them, as their Hunting Grounds’.

“Indigenous Rights should never be referred to as special rights. There is no alternative phrase for Indigenous Rights.”

—Cited from 9 Terms to Avoid in Communications with Indigenous Peoples (ictinc.ca)

Summary

Attributions

• “Eo circle blue-grey checkmark” by Emoji One is licensed under a CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.