Living miyo-pimat'siwin (the "good life") among Indigenous people in Edmonton- Culturally grounded outcomes in Aboriginal child welfaretttt

To date, there has been a significant over-representation of Western worldviews in the development and delivery of child intervention programs serving Indigenous people, leading to culturally incongruent service for this... [ view full abstract ]

To date, there has been a significant over-representation of Western worldviews in the development and delivery of child intervention programs serving Indigenous people, leading to culturally incongruent service for this population. In Alberta, child intervention is delivered through an outcome-based model and our project sought to uncover culturally grounded outcomes, as defined by the Indigenous community. We did this through conversation and Sharing Circles, with youth, adults and Elders, who identified as living miyo-pimat’siwin (the “good life”). We inquired about their successes, challenges and perspectives on life in Edmonton. This project was conducted using traditional knowledge-seeking practices, or Indigenous Research Methodologies, which are guided by protocol, ceremony and the wisdom of an Elder. Cloth and Tobacco were offered to participants to respect and honour their contribution. We believe this approach allowed us to build relationships and truly hear the voices of our participants. Our conversations reflect the wealth of knowledge within and the resilience of this community.
We found Indigenous people in Edmonton demonstrate enduring commitment to culturally based knowledge and ways of living despite facing challenges to do so. For many participants, ties to cultural practices make a critical difference in efforts to thrive in urban settings and to heal from historical atrocities. Our participants tell us that culture informs all aspects of life, and this should be reflected in all services.
Indigenous ways of knowing and culturally grounded outcomes offer different perspectives to child intervention and this project lays the groundwork for inclusion of Indigenous worldviews when working with Indigenous people. Outcomes for Indigenous children look different when considered through Indigenous worldviews, particularly involving extended family, spirituality, ceremony, history, resources, education, and ways of life. Our presentation tells the story of our project, and the preliminary outcomes identified through hearing the stories of those living miyo-pimat’siwin.