Pathways to a decolonized future?

Session Nr.1: "Epistemic practices of story telling for reconciliation"

This paper aim to expand possibilities for analyzing and responding to the phenomenon of violence in Sámi communities in the light of the stated ambition of the Sámi Parliament to establish a reconciliation commission.  The hope is that violent stories of the past retold offer possibility for reconciliation in the present. Endorsing this political ambition,  as well as relating to reconciliation practice in Australian, we propose that many stories do indeed need to be told as well as listened to by a Norwegian public, for reconciliation to happen. In addition, we argue that what becomes crucial, is recognition both of Sámi storytelling practices and what gender is. Taken together they need to serve as organizing device.

Session Nr.2: "Indigenous based research to develop evidence-based and culturally relevant programs to address substance abuse and family violence: cultivating indigenous resilience and transcendence"

Culturally specific interventions are needed to address the pervasive violence and mental health disparities experienced by Indigenous populations in the U.S., yet culturally relevant and evidenced-based programs to address such challenges are typically not available. Clear understanding about the process of culturally adapting interventions is needed to undertake such endeavors in a responsible and ethical way. We follow Whitbeck’s (2006) five-stage process to develop evidenced-based culturally specific intervention programs from Indigenous peoples.  This paper presentation describes the process of using community-engaged research to identify culturally specific risk and protective factors related to the violence and mental health disparities across multiple levels. An in-depth, critical ethnographic approach was used as part of a larger convergent mixed-methods design incorporating the following forms of data: (a) 206 deidentified psychosocial intake forms from a tribal behavioral health clinic and results of a needs assessment from 293 tribal members; (b) 436 participants were part of the qualitative portion of the study in the forms of individually focused interviews, family interviews, and focus groups with subsamples of elders, professionals, adults, and youth; and (c) A total of 127 participants completed the quantitative follow-up survey created from qualitative data. From this research, an evidenced-based and family-focused, strengths-based prevention program was selected that addressed primary risk and protective factors. This program has an Indigenous overlay created by an Indigenous non-profit organization. Next steps are to adapt the intervention for a tribe using community-based participatory research to infuse culturally specific content and test its efficacy.

Session Nr.3: "Developing pathtways to a decolonized future in Australia"

Developing pathways to a decolonized future is not an easy task. Healing, health and wellbeing comprise physical, spiritual, psychological, social, collective, and restorative components. Restoration necessitates a holistic approach in relation to the emotional, spiritual and physical nexus in terms of the individual and the collective, the political and the cultural.

Achieving decolonization will be dependent on the action of both non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australians.  Past and current wrongs need to be fully recognized, and issues relating to grief, loss, and shame addressed. Shame breeds fear.  If left to smoulder it reduces tolerance for vulnerability and invariably leads to denial, anger, and retaliation. A shift in how shame is viewed may be central in avoiding these outcomes. Efforts to instill pride in the nation state traditionally rely on focusing on past and current glories while shameful actions are erased. If the dichotomy between shame-as-bad and pride-as-good can be transcended, it may be possible to explore the constructive, productive qualities of shame in a way that can aid decolonisation and enrich our society.

In 2000, Laenui presented a five-stage decolonization model which may offer a structure for this process. In Laenui’s model the five stages are:

1. Rediscovery and recovery
2. Mourning
3. Dreaming
4. Commitment
5. Action

Two new stages ‘Acknowledging Current Realities’ and ‘Healing and Forgiveness’ have been now been added to Laenui’s model