Cultural sustainability
CO : What are the benefits of cultural sustainability for both local communities and the industry ? MB : A lot of Indigenous Peoples aren ’ t at the same level economically . For the average Canadian teenager graduating at 17 or 18 , the national average of graduates is 83 %. But in Indigenous populations , 53 % graduate . How do we lessen that disparity ?
Cultural sustainability gives people economic reconciliation . It gives them the resources to sustain themselves economically and decrease some of those disparities . A lot of Indigenous Peoples live in areas that don ’ t have lots of services , access to jobs , internet , or education . By decreasing this disparity and allowing people to economically prosper , it gives them tools to change for the better . They can get educated and create spaces in places where they can be economically viable .
It also gives them hope . When I go into schools and young Indigenous Peoples see that I can make a living by telling my story , even if it ’ s a hard one , they have hope . That ’ s pretty a powerful thing to be able to share your story about .
CO : How can workplaces be encouraging better cultural sustainability , for their employees and their culture ? MB : If a place ’ s Indigenous population is 20 %, look at your corporate boardrooms and see where that 20 % of the population is within the industry . Additionally , see if you even have representation of Indigenous Peoples . If we want the Indigenous story to be told , it needs to be led by Indigenous Peoples . There is nothing about us , without us .
CO : How should we do cultural sustainability correctly ? MB : Right now , with Canada ’ s story being heard on an international level with the children being discovered [ in recent years , thousands of Indigenous
Matricia Bauer speaking with Chantal Sturk-Nadeau ( right ) and Jennifer Attersall ( left )
children ’ s graves have been found on the sites of residential schools ] there ’ s a big push for reconciliation . And this has been achieved in several different ways . For instance , Calgary has done a really good job in completely revamping the Heritage Park ; they ’ ve brought an Indigenous focus to it . The curriculum in Alberta has been revamped to include Indigenous stories . Clearly , there ’ s been a shift in thinking about those places – people want to be conscious of the spaces that they ’ re occupying . They ’ re also realising that those places are treaty lands and , when acknowledging those spaces , realising that there was a relationship with Indigenous Peoples before . It ’ s important for everybody to acknowledge the dirt under their feet . We have a saying in our culture : we stand on the bones of our ancestors .
“ When young Indigenous Peoples see that I can make a living by telling my story , they have hope .”
Along these lines the land acknowledgements [ recognition of Indigenous Peoples ’ traditional territory by the Canadian Government , often when a public event is taking place on that land ] have been hugely important .
CO : When we include Indigenous Peoples in our events and industry , what should we take away from their stories ? MB : Learn that each Indigenous person has their own story . There are 82 different nations , such as the Inuit and the mixed race of the Métis , who are all culturally diverse and different . There are thouands of stories out there to listen to . Additionally , there ’ s often a danger of lumping every Indigenous person under one umbrella – but they ’ re very diverse and different . n
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