Johnny Tenasco Case Study

The Department has a mandate to support Indigenous peoples in their pursuit of healthy and sustainable communities and broader economic and social development objectives. It provides funding for programs, services and initiatives to First Nations, Inuit and northern communities and governments, as well as to Indigenous and Metis organizations. The Departmental priorities are aligned with the issues that are most important to Indigenous peoples. The following are some of the more prominent issues facing First Nations in BC.

Research indicates that colonial policies related to residential schools, reserve communities, loss of traditional lands, and erosion of language and cultural traditions that lead to cultural continuity have created a loss of cohesion and identity in Indigenous communities which have impacted family health behaviors (MacNeil 6). Although this may

Colonialism has contributed to multiple issues in the lives of Aboriginal people including inadequate housing and clean resources on Aboriginal reserves. One significant outcome is health problems reserve residents face, including a lower life expectancy and higher mortality rate. “For Aboriginal men on reserve, life expectancy is 67.1 years, while off reserve it’s 72. 1, compared to 76 years for the general population of Canada. For Aboriginal women, it is 73.1, 77.7, and 81.5 respectively” (Frohlich et al. 134). Additionally, more than 50% of off reserve Aboriginal people have at least one chronic condition (Frohlich et al.). Reserves stem from the colonial era, where Aboriginal people were displaced by the government and are a continuous symbol of oppression.

The guest speaker Krystal Summers (2017) provided insight into the health and healing from an Indigenous worldview. This lecture presented me with the opportunity to enhance my understanding of the history and culture of Indigenous peoples in Canada through hearing Summers personal experiences. For social workers to be agents of change, they must seek to learn and understand Indigenous peoples cultural experiences and history with oppression (Mullaly, 2010). According to King, Smith, and Gracey (2009), they discovered that “indigenous health inequalities arise from general socioeconomic factors in combination with culturally and historically specific factors particular to the peoples affected” (p. 76). This point highlights one of the key ideas

Reservations have a major shortage of housing units, which has lead to three generations of family living together in one small house. "The effects this overcrowding has not just on the house itself but also on the mental and physical health of the people who live there, especially children" (Stastna, 2014). A lot of houses on the reservations are in dire need of fixing up. " 41.5 per cent of homes on reserves need major repairs, compared with seven per cent in non-aboriginal households outside reserves" (Stastna, 2014). Another factor is major health issues that aboriginals face on the reservations.

There is a common belief that First Nations people have it easy: getting money from the government, free post-secondary education, and being exempt from certain taxes. Despite this, Aboriginals have much higher unemployment rates, lower life expectancies, and higher substance abuse rates (Bombay, Matheson, & Anisman, 2009, 7). As a result of colonization, First Nations’ resources were depleted, their land was stolen, and their cultures and identities were stripped from them. All of this was done in an attempt to civilize Aboriginal people; to assimilate them into white European culture. Very early on, settlers regarded Aboriginals as inferior to them and treated them accordingly. Children were taken from their families and forced into residential schools. Despite all of this, during the First World War many Aboriginal men volunteered to fight with the Canadian army. In Three Day Road, Joseph Boyden writes about the atrocities that residential school survivors endured not only in those schools, but fighting for the army in WWI. Boyden introduces three Cree characters: Elijah, Xavier, and Niska. Each one of these characters endured their own traumas and each chose their own ways to cope. Unfortunately, due to the extremely painful nature of both their physical and psychological wounds, these characters turn to different substances introduced to them by the settlers to cope. The effects from these traumas can be seen still in today’s generations of First Nations people.

There is also an important recognition to be made between living conditions of those 26.6% of Aboriginal People’s living on reserves, and those 73.4% that are living off reserves (SOHC 34). The appalling inadequacies of the already limited on-reserve housing, such as lack of electricity, clean water, sanitation, safety, and extreme overcrowding force many to seek better lives in urban areas. Many, upon arrival, then have to face extreme discrimination via cultural oppression stemming from historical processes, economic causes and political neglect (Patrick 19). Through this naturalized racism stemming way into the colonial era, Aboriginal Peoples in these urban areas face obscene housing and economic discrimination (Patrick 22). This all results in Aboriginal Peoples in urban centers being 8 times more likely to experience homelessness than non-Aboriginals.

Sawchuk suggested that in 2011, the rate of employment for Indigenous peoples in Canada (62.5 percent) was lower than the non-Indigenous population (75.8 percent). Similarly, income also tends to be below the Canadian average at this point. Likewise, much of the housing in First Nations communities is inadequate and in need of repair. According to Sawchuk’s research, an on-reserve housing has a life-span of fifteen to twenty years, less than half the national average.

Trauma can be defined as an “extreme, important event against a person’s body or self-concept” (Frideres, 2011, p. 80), and unless measures are taken to counteract the serious injury and harm caused by trauma it can result in the inability of a person to self-heal (Frideres, 2011). Trauma in Aboriginal people started happening over 500 years ago. This trauma is a result of cumulative emotional and psychological wounding resulting from massive group tragedies that have carried across generations (Wesley-Esquimaux &

In Rupert Ross’s novel, entitled, “Indigenous Healing: Exploring Traditional Paths”, he explores the indigenous point of view. More specifically, Ross looks at the meaning of living relationally, the circular vison culture, the impacts of colonialism of the western world on First Nations people, as well as how to bring awareness to non-native people of the tragedies that Aboriginals have and are still going through.

Increasing empirical research supports this concept, and intergenerational effects in relation to various mental health outcomes have been observed in the adult offspring of Aboriginal adults in the US and Canada who were affected by forced relocations (Walls & Whitbeck, 2012) or by the forced removal of Indigenous children to residential schools for the purposes of assimilation (Bombay et al., 2014) (known as Indian Boarding Schools in the US). For example, it was shown that Aboriginal adults in Canada who had a parent or grandparent who attended Indian residential school were at greater risk for psychological distress and suicide attempts compared to those whose parents did not attend (McQuaid, Bombay, McInnis, Humeny, Matheson, & Anisman, 2017). Providing evidence for the cumulative nature of historical trauma events and experiences, it was also found that those with a parent and grandparent who attended – so with two previous familial generations who were directly affected - were at greater risk for these negative outcomes compared to those with only one previous generation who attended (i.e., parent or a grandparent) (McQuiad et al.,

In 1958 Martin Luther King Jr. was quoted saying “Hate begets hate; violence begets violence”. Unfortunately for some, the violence and hate they receive begets violence and hate deep into themselves. For the Inuit people of northern Canada, racism presented through colonial violence and acculturation has caused a crippling affliction. The effect of this violence has manifested itself into various other forms of viciousness; domestic violence, substance abuse, neglect and self-harm are only a few. The perpetuation of this malicious cycle has created an exponential rise in violence against oneself. Additionally, the process of growing up and creating an identity is extremely difficult. Whereas, developing into an adult when faced with violence is exceptionally harder. Many young Inuit males succumb to this hardship. In comparison to the general population, adolescent Inuit males have a disproportionately high suicide rate. Through an intersectional analysis, I will examine the how racism caused by colonization, age, and gender have caused one of the highest suicide rates in the world.

This presents a clear picture of the sheer rapidity of the colonial project. It seems inevitable that much indigenous tradition and heritage will be swept away, resulting in feelings of profound cultural dislocation, and loss of identity.

Impacts of Colonization in Indigenous People Physical Diseases and alcohol were introduced creating health and addiction issues Communities became childless Appearance changed Physical and sexual abuse in residential schools Emotional Language changed Disconnected from family Shame and guilt for being savages/not civilized Feels like they don’t belong, depression, anger Life purpose lost Mental Traditional knowledge discouraged and devalued Family roles changed, family history and connections lost Spiritual Banned ceremonies, dancing Christian beliefs and values imposed Separation from each other and the land Lost traditional cultural understanding, beliefs, knowledge

The ultimate issues of Government social assistance in relation to Indigenous communities, is the fact that Provincial social assistance programs are temporary, promotes quick reintegration into the labour market, and persons who is receiving assistance must participate in employment programs in order to gain skills, education and experience needed reenter the labour market (cite). In remote Indigenous communities this is simply not a reality, 80% of Indigenous persons have been dependent on social assistance (cite). These issues occur since social service agencies are located off reserves, resulting in the lack the understanding of issues and social barriers faced by Fist Nation communities when interacting with service providers (cite).