Kiigehdan(Healing)

Our Indigenous people residing within the Maniwaki area are dealing with housing crises, substance abuse, family violence, homelessness and poverty resulting in a higher rate of suicides, and loss of language, culture, and identity. All of these social issues stem from intergenerational trauma caused by colonialism, Indian Act, Residential Schools, the 60's scoop, and systemic racism in Justice, Health, Education etc...

The Algonquins of Barrier Lake (ABL) have a population of approximately 600 people, and half of them live in urban areas, a majority of them being in Maniwaki, Gatineau and Ottawa areas or within the ABL traditional territory. The Kitigan Zibi community has approximately a population of 1500. (need to add more)

Indigenous men and women who have been through intergenerational trauma have abandoned their families and responsibilities living off the streets and abusing drugs and alcohol. Children are often neglected wake up and go to bed hungry and eventually end up in social services, and elders worry constantly for their children's and grandchildren's well-being. We need to break the cycle and give them back their sense of community and belonging. 

The goal is to bring families together to participate in cultural workshops, events and activities. These workshops will be hosted by Nishna Boutique. A safe space dedicated to the Every Child Matters Movement. 

During these workshops, events and activities, we will learn the cause and effects of Intergenerational Trauma. We will develop programs that are culturally safe for people to share their stories and express themselves through arts, crafts, and medicines. Cultural activities can be used as a tool for healing. Getting back to our roots that many of us have lost due to colonialism and Residential Schools. Integrating cultural learning as part of our healing process.

Our target will be two Algonquin communities,  Kitigan Zibi and Barriere Lake.  Many of the rural Indigenous population have suffered and are still suffering from the effects of residential schools. Since the Every Child Matters Movement began, there is a pain and sadness that our people have had to endure without much support that is so needed that is culturally safe.  Our solution is to face these issues and use our culture that is unique as a tool for healing. 

We see the potential within these people who are struggling and who have learned from our past elders who taught them about history, way of life and so much more, and we want to bring them into the circle and empower them. A majority of the Indigenous people who are living on the streets are men and have lost a sense of purpose. Our goal is to ignite the fire within them through these activities, events and workshops to help them become the true native men and role models they are supposed to be.

We plan to engage with elders and others who are willing to support our cause to support and guide us in our quest to heal those who are struggling. 

We have created a sense of belonging and community with those who are willing to reach out to us and have maintained that relationship through various outreach work, events and activities. 

The elders, men who have lost their ways, women who are overwhelmed, and children who are stuck in the middle of our many social issues from both Kitigan Zibi and Rapid Lake. We believe that with unity we will be stronger as a nation. We want to give our indigenous people the opportunity to learn and practice our culture, in hopes to build resilience for Indigenous communities.

This can happen through Indigenous service providers, traditional healers, or in mainstream healthcare settings. Effective trauma treatment for Indigenous people should:

• be informed by Indigenous peoples themselves
• be culturally relevant
• strengthen bonds with Indigenous traditions and heritage
• foster resilience, which helps those exposed to trauma survive, resist, and cope with its destructive effects
• understand that a traumatized person’s behavior is a normal response to trauma
• embrace a strengths-based approach (as opposed to a deficiency-based approach which focuses on the flaws in the “character” of the trauma survivor)
• respect the individual and their culture and treat them with dignity
• acknowledge the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of one’s overall health
• be non-linear and adapted to the needs of each individual

Nikita is proactive in her connections to family and Anishinaabeg cultural practices, as she uses her traditional medicines (sage, sweetgrass, cedar, and tobacco), practices traditional ceremonies, and traditional powwow dancing. She is a leader in her community and surrounding communities as she volunteers at National Women’s Day Events, Kitigan Zibi Traditional
Powwows, and Kitigan Zibi Cultural Day. She promotes creativity and community and is regarded as hard-working. Nikitas's mission is to interconnect all her passions and family ties to lead a successful
Anishinaabeg art café business with services that promote community values, interests, and needs.

Nikita comes from a family that still practices their language, culture, and traditions. Her grandfather Maurice Wawatie attended Kenora Residential School and in his younger days tried to help his community by speaking about the issues that colonialism and residential schools have caused. He created an event every year for the community to come together and do cultural activities. He believed strongly that the Anishnabe people needed guidance, which the Wawatie family continues to offer since his passing. The Wawatie family and like-minded team members collectively share the same goal by offering these teaching to anyone willing to learn, they have offered these teachings in schools, events, and gatherings. Nikita would like to offer these teaching to everyone and continue the work her grandfather and grandmother have envisioned for decades. Creating Kiigehdan will be the start of many other people's healing journeys.

I am applying to Solve in hopes to raise awareness and get funding for supplies and materials needed to run these workshops continuously for years and years to come. My next goal after this project is to open a cultural healing camp and build on the work we started. 

Nikita grew up in Kitigan Zibi but she is originally from Barriere Lake First Nation. Nikita is very much connected to both communities. Her children are registered with the Kitigan Zibi band, while she remains on Barriere Lake Band. 

It is crucial to acknowledge the harm done to Indigenous peoples in Canada and to understand how the effects of intergenerational trauma continue to impact the cultural, social, and economic realities of many Indigenous people today. Without considering root causes, one of which is intergenerational trauma, conventional solutions, and treatments simply won’t work. Intergenerational resiliency can break the cycle, some of the inherent strengths of Indigenous communities, such as connection to the land, to culture, and to traditional ways of knowing, are all essential in healing. Effective programs to address intergenerational trauma draw on the power of resiliency by reconnecting with our culture.  

The project is planned for the year 2023-2025. Workshops are set to start in September 2023. They will run a few days a week. Some will be held in different sessions as there are many stages in some activities.

The goal is to bring families together to participate in cultural workshops. During these workshops, we will learn the cause and effects of Intergenerational Trauma. We will share our stories and express ourselves through arts, crafts, and medicines. Cultural activities can be used as a tool for healing. Getting back to our roots that many of us have lost due to colonialism and Residential Schools. Integrating cultural learning as part of our healing process. 

The Project will require resource people to run the workshops.

1. Gracy Wawatie – Regalia Making & Beading & Traditional Cooking

2. Gracy Ratt- Moose Teaching, moss bags, gloves and mitts making, muks and moks making ribbons skirts, tanning moose and deer hides, Animal, fur, hid and bone teachings and displays

3. Mariah Smith- Traditional dance 

4. Jeremy Dumont- Carving, Painting, Rattle Making

5. Pauline Ratt- Medicinal walks and medicine Teachings, smudging and prayer, ceremonial practices

6. Nikita- Self-Care, Health & Wellness

7. Elder Kokom Rose- Residential school survivor/Knowledge Keeper

Target

By 2023, target the indigenous communities and start a healing journey. in 2025 Open a cultural healing camp. 

Indicators 

Seeing our people strive and overcome issues

Indigenous people have experienced, and may continue to experience, collective trauma stemming from colonization, the effects of which are passed on from one generation to the next; this is referred to as intergenerational trauma. Colonization led to losses of culture, traditional values, and family stability, as it was made impossible, in many cases, for parents and Elders to pass along vital cultural knowledge and resilience to children who were taken away. In addition, relocation and settlement took many Indigenous people away from their traditional ways of living and thriving. 

First Nations people have said that: a connection to spirit (identity, values, and belief) promotes hope; a connection to family, community, land, and ancestry promotes a strong sense of belonging; knowing who one is and where one comes from allows one to think and feel and understand life from an Indigenous perspective and promotes a sense of meaning; and an understanding of the unique First Nations way of being and doing in the world promotes purpose” (Thunderbird Partnership Foundation & Health Canada, 2015, p.13).

Most Indigenous communities base their healing practices on the belief that connection with nature and community is vital to the overall health of an individual. My Solution offers all the necessary teaching to help families heal from their traumas. I strongly believe that this solution will benefit generations to come, breaking the cycle of intergenerational trauma.

Our solution is mainly hands-on cultural practices. Perhaps we can use technology to film and collect data that will show the progress and impact made during our project. 

The solution is a collective effort between two Algonquin communities. a group of men, women, and elders who have the same vision for healing. Everyone on the team is equally involved in this project. It is important to have a team who shares the same goals, we all have something to offer and we respect, support, and listen to one another. This is a teaching that the Anishinabe people believe in. Creating a safe space where everyone can feel comfortable participating in conversations about our identity.

Maniwaki area needs a delectable Anishnaabeg grab-and-go and dine-in community café. Living on reserve the Nikita Wawatie and Jeremy Dumont’s family are deeply compelled to make Kigedan Art café and Drive Thru part of the community. Kigedan( ki-ge-dan) means healing and the Kigedan café aims to support community healing as a welcoming gathering place that combines a healthy, tasty home-cooked Anishinaabeg menu with local Anishinaabeg artwork.

Located at 84 Kichi Mikan on Kitigan Zibi Reserve Kigeden is a
go-to unique café in a prime highway location. The café will
serve Kitigan Zibi reserve and Rapid Lake community members
that live in Maniwaki as well as Maniwaki locals and visitors to
the area. The business will offer both a dine-in café experience
and drive-thru service. Around Algonquin territory, people take food and coffee, and Anishinaabeg arts seriously. 

Kigedan's Art café and Drive Thru's mission are to transform the 84 Kichi Mikan building into a successful Anishinaabeg-themed café and drive-thru operation to serve the community and visitors with a unique cultural café. As well, intergenerational healing is prioritized through café products, services, consignment art sales, and workshops to support local Indigenous artisan recognition, community pride, and social gatherings. This includes art show openings, music venues, and catering community social events and craft workshops. Kigedan will develop a strong reputation within the community for consistency, affordability, quality nutrition, and a friendly atmosphere.

Our main plan is to apply for grants to run these workshops and eventually build on our solution by creating healing camps that offer these teachings on a bigger scale. If the grant system is not enough we will bring in revenue in other ways, such as...  

Cultural revival workshops and events 

Kigedan aims to inspire family-oriented innovation, creativity, and hobby development. Community members can host events and or workshops at Kigedan by renting the upstairs space. Kigedan will invite monthly guests from ABL and Kitigan Zibi to host a workshop. Workshops include carving, earrings (beaded, painted), dreamcatchers, sewing (skirts/shirts, baby clothes, regalia), medicine pouches, hand, and foot care, cooking (bannock, pies), hygiene, self-care, painting (rocks, canvas), hairstyles, and cuts and makeup. The intention of the workshops is skill and hobby building and development, learning, and sharing diverse cultural heritage teachings and practices, gathering in a positive way, and enjoying the company of all ages. 

Anishna Beauty Salon is a beauty center that will eventually be located downstairs. Anishna Beauty Salon will provide hair and esthetician services to the community but also accommodate the growth of other beauty salon entrepreneurs in the area looking for a studio space to rent. Four salon chairs and booths are available for rent revenue back to the corporation.

Native Innovation Art Studio will be an art space on the upstairs floor of the building for local artists to rent and use as a working studio for artistic creation and workshops. It will also be a public art gallery where completed artwork can be displayed and showcased in the café on the main floor for sale through consignment. The Native Innovation Art Studio gives café guests exposure to various local artists and a means to discover and support their work. The art studio space is also a space to host indoor workshops. In-house Kitigan Zibi artist Jeremy Dumont will display his work here and promote and host skill development workshops and classes related to indigenous arts and crafts.

All three businesses will bring in revenue to fund our solution for the long term if the grant system is not enough.  

I've invested my own money to purchase some supplies or materials to offer family members the tools to work on their healing journey. Our team has also contributed their time and supplies to run these workshops on a smaller scale. We currently offer these types of workshops to other organizations, events, or gatherings. The work we offer is currently being paid through contract-type work by organizations or band funds depending on what sector, for example, education or health departments. The amount paid is anywhere between 150-300$ for a 2-hour workshop. We have done workshops for Kitigan Zibi and Barriere Lake School, Native Women's Associations of Canada, and the Maniwaki Native Friendship Center. Some events pay anywhere between 700-1000$ if it's a full-day event. 

This business model is at the beginning stage. I currently finished the business plan and have yet to submit it for any kind of funding.