About the Gathering
“Miyopimatisowin” – To live a good life that is balanced and in
connection to family, community, culture, land, identities, and cosmos.
NCSA will host this Gathering in Edmonton on November 6, 7 and 8, 2023 that centres on the theme of culture as foundation in Indigenous people’s Health and Wellness through the provision of culturally appropriate services in their healing journey from addiction and mental health experiences to live “Miyopimatisowin” – To live a good life that is balanced and in connection to family, community, culture, land, identities, and cosmos.
This will be a unique gathering to Edmonton, Northern Alberta and the province grounded in Indigenous values of kindness, respect, sharing and strength with a strong presence of Indigenous stakeholders including leaders, Elders, program operators, people with lived experience, cultural practitioners, students, frontline workers, researchers, and representation from addiction, health, and mental health systems. These diverse voices will share information, learn, and support the re-emergence and research on holistic approaches that integrate traditional knowledge and cultural practices with clinical methods to shift thinking, beliefs and behaviour to address the disproportionate effects Indigenous people, their families, friends and communities are experiencing in the toxic, drug crisis. It will be an opportunity to enhance relationships and integrate collaborations at all levels to ensure that Indigenous individuals with addiction and/or mental health issues receive effective screening, assessment, and referral; culturally competent services and ongoing support and monitoring throughout their healing journey.
The outcomes of the Gathering will contribute to the many strategies at all levels to create change to move forward together:
- Strong and diverse presence of Indigenous leaders, program operators, researchers, people with lived experience, cultural practitioners, and professional frontline workers to support each other in the delivery of services to Indigenous peoples.
- Increase interconnection and networks of relationships between Indigenous stakeholders to support communication and collaboration that can enhance and develop diverse services and resources to address the present drug and mental health crisis experienced by Indigenous people in Alberta.
- Coordinate an Indigenous Knowledge and experience exchange to inform and contribute to the strategies, practices and application of integrated, diverse Indigenous addiction, mental health and wellness services required to support the safety, health, and wellbeing of individuals and communities throughout Alberta.
- Prepare a summary report of the gathering that highlights the themes, synthesizes key learnings, insights, gaps, and questions. This will inform a plan that will support collaborative action from Indigenous leadership to work collectively to address the health inequities that are occurring in their efforts to address this crisis and support health and wellbeing.
NCSA leadership in this gathering aligns with their community experience of working, designing, and providing training, to support staff, and clients in healing from historic trauma. Importantly, NCSA has staff who understand and respect Indigenous cultural protocols and have a solid base of experience on their commitments to provide programs and service designed and delivered for Indigenous people by Indigenous people in Alberta for over 50 years. NCSA also has a depth of experience and solid track record producing high quality culturally relevant education and information publications, videos and workshops through their Bear Paw Media and Education program that is unparalleled by any other organization.
This is a complex public health crisis, and healing will require that traditional healing approaches grounded in culture are central to this journey that will ripple for generations. Each person who has died represents a tremendous loss to First Nations, families, friends and all our communities throughout Alberta.
“Gone is their individual power, knowledge and skills and all the opportunities these members had to contribute to the health and care and development of the children, families and community.” Elle-Maija Tailfeathers (from the film Kimmapiiyipitssini – The meaning of Empathy, 2021).
Please check back often as we continue to build our Gathering agenda and update our scheduled events and speakers!
NCSA is a non-profit, non-political, Indigenous organization that has no religious affiliations. It is registered under the Societies Act of Alberta as a charitable organization.
This initiative aligns directly with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Call to Action #22:
We call upon those who can effect change within the Canadian health-care system to recognize the value of Aboriginal healing practices and use them in the treatment of Aboriginal patients in collaboration with Aboriginal healers and Elders when requested by Aboriginal patients.
The initiative also aligns with UNDROIP Articles 23 and 24:
Article 23: Indigenous peoples have the right to determine and develop priorities and strategies for exercising their right to development. Indigenous peoples have the right to be actively involved in developing and determining health, housing and other economic and social programmes affecting them and, as far as possible, to administer such programmes through their own institutions.
Article 24: Indigenous peoples have the right to their traditional medicines and to maintain their health practices, including the conservation of their vital medicinal plants, animals, and minerals. Indigenous individuals also have the right to access, without any discrimination, to all social and health services.
And
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People:
A Focus on Substantive Equality and Human and Indigenous Rights – A Decolonizing Approach – Inclusion of Families and Survivors – Self-Determined and Indigenous-Led Solutions and Services – Recognizing Distinctions – Cultural Safety – Trauma-Informed Approach