Land Acknowledgement
WILAA Community of Practice resides on the land known as Canada, a colonized country. Canada has a history of violence towards and genocide of Indigenous peoples. The founders of WILLA live in the traditional territory of the Anishinabek Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and the Huron-Wendat. The land is currently held in treaty by the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
We acknowledge and strive to uphold the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt, which we, as settlers and Indigenous people, agreed to share this land. We also recognize and actively address the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) calls to action.
Calls to Action from the TRC
WILAA Community of Practice plans to work towards the following two calls to action from the TRC report.
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 where requested by Aboriginal patients.
24. We call upon medical and nursing schools in Canada to require all students to take a course dealing with Aboriginal health issues, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, and Indigenous teachings and practices. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.
Unlearning Colonialism
As an organization, we strive to acknowledge the harmful history of colonization within Canada. We are also actively working to unlearn how this history continues to affect our daily lives and our engagement with Indigenous people.
We realize the organizations founding WILAA Community of Practice have colonial pasts and presents, to which we must contend. We know colonial histories and policies create spaces of unequal power between settlers and Indigenous people. These situations allow for harmful actions by individuals and oppression by organizational processes. We strive to fight against these systems of oppression when and where possible, whether it is policies or individual actions. Our Anti-Oppression policy guides us in how we address these concerns.
Jargon Defined
Colonized/Colonization is when a group of people take over a space where people already live. This process is harmful to the people already living in the area. For instance, the settlers took over land in Canada and made the indigenous people give up their way of life. The people taking over often lie, saying that taking over is better for those already living in the area.
Genocide is forcing a group of people out of existence. Either by their deaths or the elimination of their culture.
Settlers are people who came to Canada and are not part of Indigenous communities.
Unlearning colonization is the work of being aware of the harm caused by settlers taking over Canada and stopping further harms from happening.
For more information please see:
WILAA Community of Practice 