TRIGGER WARNING: RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS, ABUSE
The Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society
Founded in 1994, the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society is a nonprofit specifically dedicated to serving Indigenous communities. They offer a comprehensive range of services including employment, housing, and cultural resources. Their target population includes a diverse age group, such as children,youth,seniors and families. Their mission is to “build upon the strengths of Aboriginal children, youth and families to enable them to grow spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally so that they can walk proudly in both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities.”
Intertwining Culture and Work
While other organizations such as Bissell Centre and Boyle Street are known to offer comparable services, Bent Arrow distinguishes itself by being able to intertwine Indigenous elements into their work – maintaining that culture should play a central role in their practice. For instance, their Eagles Nest Youth Housing First Program is similar to other housing programs in that the main goal is to assist homeless youth (age 16-24 years old) secure housing while providing wrap-around services such as addiction counseling, legal support, basic life skill courses, and education. What makes their “housing first” program unique is the cultural support that they offer, which includes Indigenous life teachings, ceremonies, and opportunities to speak to Elders. Likewise, their Coyote Pride Youth Mentoring Program at first also appears akin to other youth mentoring programs wherein children and youth are paired with mentors serving as role models. This is an intervention method designed to help vulnerable children and youth develop in a healthy manner, establish positive relationships, and achieve long term success in school and beyond. What distinguishes the Coyote Pride Youth Mentoring Program is their educational component, wherein mentors will teach mentees about Indigenous culture, histories, residential schools, and intergenerational trauma. By reconnecting youth with their culture and history, Bent Arrow believes that they can help reinforce their identity and empower them to make positive choices.
In addition to serving the underprivileged community, Bent Arrow is also dedicated to hosting a variety of cultural services. Their “Practise as Ceremony” team consists of individuals across Alberta and Saskatchewan who organize teachings of Indigenous culture, medicine, tipi, singing, and language. They also host their annual cultural camps, pumpkin carving contests, and Christmas dinners. These events provide opportunities for Indigenous communities to come together and celebrate their heritage while simultaneously providing opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants to learn more about First Nations, Metis, and Inuit (FNMI) culture.
“We’re a safe place for people who don’t know a lot about culture,” said Murray Knutson, Deputy Executive Director of Bent Arrow.
Why are Culturally-Specific Services Needed?
To understand the need for culturally specific services, it is crucial to understand the history of Canadian Indigenous peoples and the problems they face today. From the years 1831-1998, 140 federally-run Indian Residential Schools were set up across Canada with the goal of assimilating Indigenous youth for Canadian society (Treisman). Roughly 150,000 children were removed from their families and placed into Christian boarding schools where they were regularly physically, sexually, and emotionally abused by their teachers (Marshall and Gallant). Students were forbidden from speaking their native language, were given new English names, had their traditional clothes confiscated, and were made to reject their own cultural teachings. Even more unfortunate is that these incidents of individual trauma eventually transform to intergenerational trauma. Survivors often found themselves returning home with severed ties to their Indigenous culture and language (Hanson et al.). As a result, they are not able to pass on their cultural knowledge to their children and the cycle of trauma repeats across multiple generations (Morrissette). The harms of residential schools continue to impact Indigenous communities and commonly manifest in the form of physical illness, mental illness, and substance use disorders (Wilk et al.). In recent years, these acts are widely regarded as cultural genocide.
Bent Arrow’s unique blend of Indigenous and Western healing methods is effective at reversing these devastating effects. Rather than focusing on individual pathologies (e.g. sickness, addiction), Indigenous healing provides a more holistic approach. Reconnecting Indigenous people with their cultural roots and teaching them about their ancestors’ history are seen as vital components of the healing process. In doing so, Bent Arrow is able to strengthen their clients’ identities, helping not only their physical health, but also their emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Growing evidence supports Indigenous healing as an effective way of strengthening cultural identity, improving one’s mental health, and even treating substance abuse; it is seen as a successful method of addressing intergenerational trauma and the legacy of residential schooling (Marsh et al.)
Furthermore, Bent Arrow, like other culturally specific services, are uniquely positioned to address the mistrust of Indigenous communities. While Indigenous people have lower health outcomes compared to their Caucasian counterparts, they still underutilize health services (Marsh et al.). This is because current Canadian institutions do little to support Indigneous people. It has been well documented that Indigenous people have long encountered racism and invalidation among government services – notably hospitals and police (Palmater; Browne and Fiske). Within the broader context of colonization and residential schools, these experiences cause FNMI people to avoid using public services even when they are in need of help. This is where culturally specific organizations like Bent Arrow can make a difference. Unlike Western services, Bent Arrow places an emphasis on validating Indigenous unique experiences and culture. Their activities and events often reflect Indigenous culture, and Indigenous beliefs are better understood among its staff. Consequently, this can lead to an inclusive space for Indigenous people where they can feel a sense of belonging and be free of outside hostilities (Curry-Stevens and Muthanna). In fact, it has been shown that among culturally specific organizations, clients are less likely to drop out and more likely to use the services for longer periods of time (Takeuchi et al.). As such, it is important to recognize that when addressing the needs of minority groups, culturally specific services like Bent Arrow are crucial.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Last week, September 30th 2021 marked the first time the National Truth and Reconciliation Day was recognized as a federal holiday. In light of the discovery of over one thousand burial sites near former Indian Residential schools, the holiday aims to honour the children who died and the communities still coping with the legacy of residential schools (Weisberger; Ghoussoub). It is a day where we can hopefully reflect and educate ourselves about Canada’s regrettable relationship with her Indigenous populations. Though this is a step in the right direction, we should not be too congratulatory. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick still do not recognize September 30th as a statutory holiday and many of the systemic issues that plague FNMI communities still exist. As such, more work needs to be done. If you wish to get more involved, Bent Arrow is always looking for dedicated volunteers and part time employees. We will also provide links to their cultural events for those interested in learning more about Indigenous culture and also be providing links to educational resources.
“The best thing students can do is learn more about the historical systems and the experiences that our community goes through today” Murray Knutson.
Bibliography
Links to the Bent Arrow and Traditional Healing Society
Bent Arrow Main Page: https://bentarrow.ca/
Bent Arrow Cultural Programs: https://bentarrow.ca/cultural-programs/
Bent Arrow Coyote Pride Youth Mentoring Program: https://bentarrow.ca/coyote-pride/
Educational Resources
History of Residential Schools in Canada: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/residential-schools
Intergenerational Trauma and Residential Schools: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/intergenerational-trauma-and-residential-schools
CBC News Answering common questions about residential schools: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-residential-schools-kamloops-faq-1.6051632
CBC News Explaining the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/first-national-truth-reconciliation-day-1.6188540
The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Website: https://nctr.ca/
Effect of Residential Schools on Indigenous Health: https://publichealthreviews.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40985-017-0055-6#ref-CR3
Written by: Anson Wong
Edited by: Kritika Taparia
Campus UNICEF 