The Power of Language

Indigenous Peoples: The umbrella term for the original people of the land globally.

In North America there are many indigenous peoples and Nations. We recognize that Mi'kma'ki, the traditional territory of the  Mi’kmaq, spans the areas known as Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Eastern Quebec and Northern Maine.

 

We also recognize that Inuit, Metis, including Indigenous African Nova Scotians and other historically African Canadians – are indigenous peoples, recognizing they were here prior to confederation of Canada.

 

The distinct social, cultural and spiritual groups that share collective ancestral ties to the lands and natural resources where they live, occupy or from which they have been displaced. The land, mother nature and the natural resources on which they depend are inextricably linked to their identities, cultures, livelihoods, as well as their physical and spiritual well-being.

 

Indigenous Peoples – the challenges they face (UN)

Indigenous peoples face many challenges. These include:

• a denial of their right to control their own development based on their own values, needs and priorities

• a lack of - or very poor - political representation

• a lack of access to social services

Often, indigenous peoples are excluded or poorly represented in decision-making processes on matters that directly affect them and are not consulted about projects affecting their lands or the adoption of administrative or legislative measures that may affect them.

 

Also, they are often displaced from their ancestral lands as a result of ventures such as the exploitation of natural resources.

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Indigenous African Nova Scotians (African Nova Scotian): Honouring specifically the 52 historical Black communities across Mi’kma’ki or Nova Scotia, who have been here for well over 450 years. Recognizing the distinction between these communities and African Canadians (generally, the umbrella term for people of African descent in Canada).

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Mi’kmaq:  There are 42 communities across Mi’kma’ki or Nova Scotia - they are Indigenous peoples who are among the original inhabitants in the Atlantic Provinces of Canada. Mi’kmaq communities are located predominantly in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, but with a significant presence in Quebec, Newfoundland, Maine and the Boston area. (Mi'kmaq means the people, and is the plural form of Mi’kmaw).

 

Inuit: are Indigenous peoples of the Arctic. The word Inuit means "the people'' in the Inuit language of Inuktitut. There are 53 communities across the northern regions of Canada that encompass four regions: Inuvialuit (Northwest Territories and Yukon); Nunavik (Northern Quebec); Nunatsiavut (Labrador); and Nunavut.

Intersectionality: recognizes folks' lived experiences that consist of many aspects of identity, including their ethnicity, culture, gender, sex, occupation, and nationality, which influence their personal and professional realities and approaches. Intersectionality recognizes the value in the different voices and need for having them, which takes the legs away from people using diversity to mean the range of professional experiences (that don’t include people of colour or having a mix of people of colour for tokenism. (Infinitus Academy Inc.)

 

Afrocentric/Two eyed seeing: The view that is rooted in African and or Indigenious historical wisdoms, beliefs, values and prioritizes a holistic, collaborative, view on education, economics, business and community.  It honors the wider African/Indigenous contributions to human and world history. Reflects a tendency to interpret the world in terms of African/Indigenous values and experiences

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Anti Racism:  Is the practice of identifying, challenging, preventing, eliminating and changing the values, structures, policies, programs, practices and behaviors that perpetuate racism. (Government of British Columbia)

 

Barriers:  Obstacles that exclude groups or communities of people from full participation in, and the benefits of, social, economic, and political life. Oftentimes they are systemic and may be hidden or unintentional, but are built into the way society works. Existing policies, practices and procedures (as well as assumptions and stereotypes) that continue to reinforce them (City for All Women Initiative, 2015).

 

Conscious Bias:  Stereotypes, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors and actions are intentional –the person is actively aware.

 

Unconscious Bias: Social stereotypes and beliefs about groups of people – that individuals form outside of what they are consciously aware of. These biases can impact assessment, decision-making etc. with clinicians, practitioners.

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Cultural Capital:  The social and cultural assets of an individual or community (both tangible and intangible) that allow people to experience social mobility without it being related to the wealth in any way. It falls into three categories: institutionalized (education or specialized knowledge), embodied (personality, speech and skills) and objectified (clothes or other belongings). It is measured by how much value (or not) society puts on non-financial assets. (Infinitus Academy Inc.)

 

Colonialism:  A practice of domination over one people to another. Settler colonialism—such as in the case of Canada—is the unique process where the colonizing population does not leave the territory, assets ongoing sovereignty to the land, actively seeks to assimilate the Indigenous populations and extinguish their cultures, traditions and ties to the land (Government of Canada, 2019). 

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Ethnicity: The term/grouping of a people by common cultural factors, ancestry, heritage, language, diet, customs. Ethnicity recognizes ancestral heritage, cultural affiliation, cultural history, and has a geographic aspect, as some social and cultural characteristics are region specific. Ethnicity is the term *race is often improperly used instead of when referencing a peoples

 

Discrimination:  Treating someone unfairly by either imposing a burden on them, or denying them a privilege, benefit or opportunity enjoyed by others, because of their race, citizenship, family status, disability, sex or other personal characteristics. (Canadian Race Relations Foundation and the Ontario Human Rights Commission)

Intergenerational Trauma: Recognizes that the trauma that individuals, families and communities face can be multigenerational and the impact of the trauma and the coping mechanisms developed are passed down from a survivor to their descendants. Trauma experienced firsthand and/or that experienced by previous generations - whether parents, grandparents or further down the line can lead to emotional, behavioural and psychological effects, reactions and patterns (adaptations or changes).
(Infinitus Academy Inc.)

 

Structural, Institutional or Systemic Racism:  When institutions or systems create or maintain racial inequity, often as a result of hidden institutional biases in policies, practices and procedures that privilege some groups and disadvantage others. (Province of Ontario)

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Internalized Racism: “The result of people of targeted racial groups believing, acting on, or enforcing the dominant system of beliefs about themselves and members of their own racial group” (Teaching for diversity and social justice: A sourcebook (pp. 82-109). New York: Routledge.)

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Social Determinants of Health*: Defined as core determinants that have an impact on an individual or communities' health. These factors are both within and outside of the individuals’ control as some of these are socio-economic, while others are genetic/generational.  Due to racism and other socio-economic realities An individual CAN take active steps to unpack and relearn/grow from things that happened to them outside of their control. ( Government of Canada public health 2020)

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Race: The Myth of Race. Race is a social construct that artificially divides people into distinct groups based on characteristics such as physical appearance (particularly colour), ancestral heritage, cultural affiliation, cultural history, ethnic classification. This is used to create classes or groups, and dictate the level of access and opportunity within the social, cultural, economic and political environment. The idea of race changes to fit the needs of a society at a given period. Racial categories subsume ethnic groups.

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Racism:  A social, economic, and cultural tool created with the intention to strip or harvest the value, resources, property, IP, traditions - to the detriment of one group, for the benefit of another on the basis of their ethnicity. It is where thought meets action and biases, prejudices, discrimination and harassment are target/directed towards specific individuals, organizations and communities of a specific ethnicity.

Structural, Institutional or Systemic Racism:  When institutions or systems create or maintain racial inequity, often as a result of hidden institutional biases in policies, practices and procedures that privilege some groups and disadvantage others.
 

Privilege:  The experience of freedoms, rights, benefits, advantages, access and/or opportunities afforded to members of a dominant group in a society or in a given context.

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Pacific Islander: Term used to describe the original (indigenous) peoples both inhabitants and folks across the diaspora across the Pacific Ocean, the three major regions of Oceania being Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia

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Palestinians: The Indigenous peoples of Palestine, whose families resided in Palestine prior to the Balfour Declaration by the British Government in 1917 as well as the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine passed November 1947. This also includes folks of Palestinian descent across the diaspora – those who have been displaced due to genocide, or who have chosen to live in other countries, as well as those born in other countries due to their parents living outside Palestine.

*Quick links through Wikipedia, however specific searching on the UN website and the Internet in general will provide many other documentation, polices and references.

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2SLGBTQQIA+:  Recognizes persons who identify as 2 Spirited, Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Trans/Transgender, Queer (an umbrella term for sexual and gender minorities that are not heterosexual or cisgender. It has been reclaimed by the community, but because the word queer was originally used as a slur to those with same-sex desires, so not everyone is comfortable with this word) Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and The “+” sign is a symbol that represents members of the community who identify with a sexual orientation or gender identity that isn’t included within the acronym. It’s an inclusive way of representing gender and sexual identities that letters and words cannot yet fully describe.