Indigenous Homelessness

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References

References

A Home of My Own - Indigenous Perspectives on Homelessness. (2019, January 23). Retrieved June 10, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2FiP_OUN_

Baskin, C. (2007). Structural Determinants as the Cause of Homelessness for Aboriginal Youth. Retrieved June 10, 2019, from http://www1.uwindsor.ca/criticalsocialwork/structural-determinants-as-the-cause-of-homelessness-for-aboriginal-youthOutside source

Belanger, Y. D., Head, G. W., & Awosoga, O. (2012, March 30). Assessing urban aboriginal housing and homelessness in canada. Retrieved April 4, 2018, from http://homelesshub.ca/sites/default/files/Final_Belanger_Housing_and_Homeless_-_6_May_2012.pdf

Breen, T . (2014). Timeline of Colonization in Canada Retrieved from https://prezi.com/8fsrlt3o-abu/copy-of-timeline-of-colonization-in-canada/ extra

Canadian Drug Policy Coalition. (2013) Getting to Tomorrow: A Report on Canadian Drug Policy. Retrieved from https://drugpolicy.ca/wp            content/uploads/2013/01/CDPC2013_en.pdfcourx

Coalition, O. A. (2019, January 23). A Home of My Own - Indigenous Perspectives on Homelessness. Retrieved June 11, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2FiP_OUN_Q

Crenshaw, K. (1991). Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color.Stanford Law Review, 43(6), 1241-1299.

Dinca-Panaitescu, M., Hulchanski, J. D., Laflèche, M., McDonough, L., Maaranen, R., Procyk, S., . . . United Way. Toronto & York Region. (2017). The opportunity equation in the greater toronto area: An update on neighbourhood income inequality and polarization United Way Toronto & York Region. (course reading)

Gaetz, S., & O’Grady, B. (2013). Why Don’t You Just Get a Job? Homeless Youth, Social Exclusion and Employment Training. Retrieved June 4, 2019, from https://www.homelesshub.ca/sites/default/files/attachments/15GAETZOGRADYweb.pdf

Halonen, D., & Blanchard, M. (2016). Cultural Diversity in Practice Working With Indigenous Peoples. In Skills for Practice Human Service Practice Working with Individuals, Groups, and Communities (pp. 167-186). North York: Oxford University Press. Outside source

Indigenous peoples. (2017). Retrieved  June 11, 2019, from http://homelesshub.ca/about-homelessness/population-specific/indigenous-peoples

Seven Local Waterfall Hikes Around Vancouver. (2016, March 30). Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://miss604.com/2015/08/7-local-waterfall-hikes-around-vancouver.html

Thistle, J. (2017.) Indigenous Definition of Homelessness in Canada. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press course reading

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015).Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action. Retrieved from http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/2015/Findings/Callsto

Woroniak, M., & Camfield, D (2013). First Nations rights: Confronting colonialism in Canada. Global Research: A Centre for Research on Globalization. Retrieved from http:..www.globalresearch.ca/first-nations-rights-confronting-colonialism-in-canada/5321197.Outside source

Woolley, E. (2016, July 29). Is housing first effective for indigenous women and children fleeing violence? Retrieved April 4, 2018, from http://homelesshub.ca/blog/housing-first-effective-indigenous-women-and-children-fleeing-violence

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Challenging Colonization

 There is a lot of changes that need to take place in order to end Indigenous homelessness. First and foremost, non-Indigenous people need to understand that Indigenous homelessness is beyond just providing shelter to an individual. If you are wondering what you can do to help, I am about to provide you with some answers. You are already taking part in the change aspect by just taking the time to read this blog on Tumblr. The first step is educating non-Indigenous people about the historical impacts of colonization on the Indigenous community. All of you have started your journey in this part but remember this blog does not cover everything but is a great starting point.

 I was able to find some recommendations that I believe everyone should take into consideration is to hold the federal government accountable for creating a National Aboriginal Housing Association’s call for a national non-reserve housing strategy (Belanger, Head, & Awosoga, 2012).In addition, this aids in the process of creating equitable funding from the government between Indigenous and non-Indigenous folks. The reading states it is the “Governments responsibility to ensure that all people can access services that will help them attain the highest possible level of physical and mental health” (Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, 2013, p. 27). Currently, Indigenous people do not receive the same funding as non-Indigenous people. Another recommendation is following the Calls to Action that states, federal government to provide sustainable funding (Calls To Action, 2015). Also, another recommendation that people need to take more seriously is voting because the personal is political. We all live in a country that allows us to vote our government so please take advantage of this privilege. As citizens, we can actively vote for a government that promises to take in consideration of Indigenous worldview and homelessness.  

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog. Feel free to ask questions in the comment section as I promise to get back to you! Enjoy the rest of your day!

Peace,

Athavi Kugathasan  

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A Home of My Own - Indigenous Perspectives on Homelessness

Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition presents A Home of My Own - Indigenous Perspectives on Homelessness. Housing and Homelessness in the City of Ottawa

Take a break from all the reading and view this video that showcases lived experiences! 

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Was colonization a negative impact towards Indigenous homelessness?

In my personal opinion, it was but did anyone else think otherwise?

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Importance of Intersectionality when Discussing Indigenous Homelessness

I believe it is highly important to discuss intersectionality when examining Indigenous homelessness. The term “intersectionality” is defined as the interconnecting identities of a person (Crenshaw, 1991). It is important to acknowledge that there are experiences of oppression that intersect for people experiencing homelessness. For example, people within the Indigenous community such as single mothers, LGBTQ2S, and youth face oppression within an already marginalized group. This leads to creating highly complicated intersecting identities and experiences. Another example is that due to colonization, Indigenous women experience multiple dangers because they face discrimination at the institutional and individual level (Wolley, 2016). Indigenous women can experience homelessness due to fleeing violent circumstances, but this cannot be made as a general assumption for all Indigenous women.

Moreover, Indigenous women, in particular, suffered from colonization because they lost power within the household. This explains the reason for most women in the community to experience homelessness compared to males. In the past, women ran the household and were highly valued over men in the Indigenous community. The women were cherished because they had the power to carry life within them. However, this changed with colonization and the shift from matriarchy to patriarchy. Women’s identities are further oppressed and significantly devalued in today’s society. This shows the complexity of the intersections of an individual. I hope everyone thinks twice before grouping an Indigenous person experiencing homelessness into one specific category. How would you feel if a part of your identity was completely disregarded or ignored?

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Indigenous Homelessness On and Off Reserve

It is highly important to distinguish that homelessness on reserve and off reserve is not the same. The Indian Act was forced upon the reserve system, which is a huge part of colonization. This policy stripped away the status of Indigenous folks if they made the decision to leave the reserve. As a result, on reserve living conditions are classified as part of homelessness by some Indigenous activists (Indigenous Peoples, 2017). This is highly problematic because the living conditions on reserves are unbearable, to the point that it forces them to move to urban settings in search of better living conditions and opportunities. However, individuals do not realize that they will not escape being marginalized in urban areas. The cycle is nearly impossible to escape until the structures in society change.

I question how the sense of belonging will be established among the community when the State forces them to live in these horrible living circumstances. The community will continue to experience homelessness until people start to realize, “… the connections to human kinship networks; relations to animals, plants, spirits, and elements; relationship to the Earth, lands, waters, and territories; and connection to traditional stories, songs, teachings, names, and ancestors…” (Indigenous Peoples, 2017, par. 5). This is how Indigenous people define home and currently off and on most reserves do not provide this to the community. It frustrates me and probably a lot of you reading this that the government abuses its power. The government needs to start valuing Indigenous peoples lived experiences and knowledge. The knowledge needs to be represented in the policies and legislation passed to challenge colonial regulations.

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How Colonization led to Intergenerational Trauma?

Have you ever heard this term used in any duration of your life? Intergenerational trauma is defined as the effects of colonization and the assimilation policy on Indigenous people in Canada across generations (Baskin, 2007). This term is a clear representation that colonization is still ongoing in today’s society. Intergenerational trauma is a result of colonization. The trauma from residential schools, the Indian Act, and the Sixties Scoop led the community to suffer from one generation to the next. We need to understand that Indigenous homelessness is directly linked to historical trauma (Indigenous Peoples, 2017). For example, the children put into residential schools were left with no option but to face the consequence of destroying their family relationships due to the oppressive system.  These children were not offered the opportunity to learn the importance of healthy parenting from their parents (Gaetz & O’Grady, 2013). Also, they were not provided the chance to learn from the staff at the schools. The staff did not equip the children with the resources that would have allowed them to thrive as parents.

As a non-Indigenous person, I am able to understand intergenerational trauma from the standpoint of an immigrant that escaped a civil war. My grandparents and parents lived through war, but I was able to immigrate to Canada in search of a better life. I lost a huge part of my identity when I moved to Canada. I share my story under this section to allow everyone to gain a better understanding of the term. However, for people who do not have lived experiences, an educational background, or still do not understand the term, I have linked a video that explains the concept in depth.

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Neoliberal discourse of victim blaming in relation to Indigenous Homelessness

As a result of colonization, the discourse of blaming Indigenous folks as the problem has become prominent in mainstream society. This stems from the neoliberal ideology that indigenous homelessness is a personal problem rather than a result of colonization. The media most often associates an Indigenous person experiencing homelessness with addictions or mental health as a reason to validate that it is the individual’s fault. This is how the blame is put on the individual because it is rationalized through the person having addiction problems (Dinca-Panaitescu, Hulchanski, Laflèche, McDonough, Maaranen, & Procyk, 2017). This shows that the problem is a structural issue, which needs to change, and not the individual’s fault.

We need to recognize and acknowledge this discourse, and then work hard to challenge neoliberalism. This is the only way we can challenge homelessness that was resulted from colonization and move towards reconciliation. Furthermore, this is the only way we can come up with appropriate solutions for the structures that marginalize Indigenous people experiencing homelessness. If the blame is put toward the individual this leads to institutionalization and isolation (Dinca-Panaitescu, Hulchanski, Laflèche, McDonough, Maaranen, & Procyk, 2017). This is the colonial way to solve the issue and not the way Indigenous communities handle the problem. These approaches are not as beneficial since Indigenous homelessness is still yet to be resolved.  We need to find solutions that come from Indigenous worldviews that focus on interconnectedness and holistic approaches to healing (Baskin, 2007). There needs to a specific focus on supporting the community rather than pathologizing folks as addicts to alcohol.

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Impacts of Colonial Government Policies on Indigenous Homelessness:

Residential Schools:

Residential schools were created by the Canadian government and administered by the churches to educate Indigenous children for them to assimilate to Christianity. The children were forced to leave their families and were prohibited from practicing their traditions. The punishments for speaking their languages were severe. The staff physically, sexually, emotionally, and psychologically tortured these young children (Baskin, 2007). Residential schools systematically affected generations of Indigenous culture, which was passed down from one generation to the next.

Indian Act:

After residential schools were closed down, the Indian Act was created as a Canadian federal law that administrates Indian status, land, resources, and so on. This was not created to aid the Indigenous community but to control them. The community was forced to live on reserves in order to not lose its status. These reserves were isolated from resources, and this was done on purpose by the government. This is another prime example of the outcomes of colonization as it further isolated the community and put it in a vulnerable position to experience homelessness. 

Policies connection to Colonization: 

I believe these colonial policies play a key component in showing how colonization contributed to Indigenous homelessness. Even though residential schools closed in 1996, the impacts are ongoing (Baskin, 2007). Due to stripping children from their land and placing them in this school, their way of being was negatively impacted their way of being. We can see that these colonial policies have a direct correlation to how the government uses its power to control the lives of Indigenous folks. As a result, it has led the community to lose its identity and sense of home.

In addition, land has a huge amount of significance for Indigenous people. Colonialism and settlers taking Indigenous people’s land show the State deliberately wanted to eliminate this group. This explains that Indigenous people today are not just also without a physical shelter, but they are without a sense of belonging. If they have no sense of, belonging this justifies that they are bound to experience homelessness. It is important to remember that Indigenous homelessness is beyond shelters. Therefore, I propose the question that without a sense of belonging for the community what is home?

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What is colonization?

The term colonialism means “… one society seeking to conquer another and then rule over it” (Woroniak & Camfield, 2013, par1). The form of colonialism that took place in Canada is settler colonialism, which is when European settlers decided to permanently take over land that belonged originally to Indigenous people (Woroniak & Camfield, 2013). The focus was to displace the community rather than using them for labor. This resulted in the process of colonization, which negatively affected the community as a whole. Hence, colonization is one of the main reasons that led to Indigenous communities experiencing homelessness (Baskin, 2007). Moreover, I believe it is important to understand that the process of colonization forced people from the community to experience homelessness. I will be outlining in the next couple of posts specific policies and legislations created by the government that further explain the historical process of colonization. I want to make clear that I only picked a couple of key past components to mention, but there are several parts that I do not touch upon. However, I want to stress that does not mean these aspects are not important to colonization. I have attached a Prezi that provides a timeline for anyone who wants more specific dates in order to understand that colonization did not happen overnight. It is a process that still happens in today’s society

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What is Indigenous     Homelessness?

Indigenous people are also referred to as Aboriginal people under the Canadian Constitution Act and belong to groups including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis (Halonen & Blanchard, 2016).  Most people have read this in some of their high school history textbooks. However, these textbooks do not include or explain Indigenous homelessness. Indigenous homelessness is different from other forms of homelessness because it is defined as  “… a human condition that describes First Nations, Métis and Inuit individuals, families or communities lacking stable, permanent, appropriate housing, or the immediate prospect, means or ability to acquire such housing” (Thistle, 2017).  

In addition, it is important to comprehend that Indigenous homelessness is not only due to the lack of resources, such as shelter. The problem is rooted in the historical oppression due to colonization that resulted in displacing these individuals from their traditional worldviews (Thistle, 2017). It is highly important to understand this and not blame the community from a micro perspective, but to take into consideration the macro point of view that oppressed these individuals. Everyone needs to understand that Indigenous people view the home as having a spiritual, social, cultural, and political association of one’s Indigenous identity (Thistle, 2017). The Government of Canada did not acknowledge Indigenous worldviews, and prevented the community from being self-governing and forced a colonial way of living on them. This ties directly to colonization, which is another highly important term to learn because it played a huge role in Indigenous homelessness

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Introduction:

There are many people in Canada that are privileged enough to never experience homelessness or even think about this topic. Most often, people are ignorant to acknowledge these individuals or view them a part of the community. If this was not the case, then I would not have to write this blog. Many people fail to recognize the individuals and communities in today’s society that experience homelessness. There are many communities that experience homelessness, but I will be specifically focusing on Indigenous communities and the impacts of colonization.

In the first two posts, I will discuss two important definitions, which are Indigenous homelessness and colonization, to provide a basic understanding of these terms. In the next several posts, I will explore historical colonial racist government policies that were enforced upon Indigenous communities, which contributed to them experiencing homelessness. This will include posts on residential schools and the Indian Act. The fourth post will explain the neoliberal discourse that blames Indigenous communities as the problem for experiencing homelessness, which stems from a colonial legacy. As a result of colonization, the community experiences intergenerational trauma, which is explained in the fifth post. In the next post, I will explain the difference between Indigenous Homelessness on and off reserve. Also, I will discuss the importance of intersectionality when discussing Indigenous Homelessness. Lastly, I can explain how everyone aid in the process of challenging colonization and move toward the path of ending Indigenous homelessness.

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Trigger Warning:

This blog will be examining and showing videos related to intergenerational trauma experienced by Indigenous communities. The videos showcase the historical and ongoing violence experienced by the community. However, I believe it is important for everyone to watch these videos but at the same time please feel free to do what is best for you! 

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How has colonization impacted Indigenous communities that experiences homelessness?

Hello everyone!  Welcome to my blog!  I am a third-year social work student practicing from an anti-oppressive framework. Please feel free to comment and share on this blog!