My name is Michaela and I am a white settler, born and raised in Ottawa on unceded Algonquin Territory. I identify most with my Acadian ancestry from my mother and grandmother’s side, as generations of my ancestors have lived and worked on Prince Edward Island in the East Coast of Canada. I do not know much about my ancestors, as my grandparents have all passed away… some many years before I was born, so I was never able to ask them questions about my history. I was fortunate enough, however, to see some of my history documented in the Acadian museum near my Uncle’s house. My ancestors were some of the first Acadian settlers on PEI, which they called L’Ile de Saint Jean, or Epekwitk (meaning cradled by water or lying on the water) as named by the Epekwitnewaq Mi’kmaq. It was reported that the Acadians and Mi’kmaq had civil, neighborly relations within the region. When the colonial English settlers started persecuting the French Acadian settlers in what was called “The Great Acadian Expulsion”, my ancestors fled to the mainland and actually took refuge with Mi’kmaq families, who hid them from English colonizers. Without this act of neighborly kindness, my history, lineage and life would likely look vastly different today. I remember this history and walk with gratitude as I build relationships with Indigenous communities and try my best to give back to the people who helped my ancestors in a time of need, many years ago. I also hold gratitude for the people who steward the land and waters that form an integral part of my life today.
I am a farmer, seed steward and social worker, and I recognize the important, sacred role that the land, water and seeds play in keeping us all alive and healthy. Food sovereignty has been a lifelong passion of mine and I understand it to be the right and ability for people to choose the kinds of foods that are best for them and their families. These may be cultural foods/country food, organic or locally grown food, or just basic grocery store food… people should be able to access the foods that will sustain them. I contribute to this movement by engaging in local, sustainable agriculture initiatives.
For the last 5 years, I have worked very closely with Inuit communities through my job. My teachers/colleagues are strong & resilient Inuit women, many of whom have become close friends. My work involves decolonial program development, using Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ) principles as our primary framework. The IQ values were outlined by Inuit Elders and leaders based on guiding values that had been used since time immemorial, but formally set out by the Government of Nunavut in 1999 (Levesque, 2014). After working closely with Inuit for the last 5 years, the IQ principles have also become personal values of mine. Truth and Reconciliation has impacted me indirectly, as it significantly impacts every aspect of my friends’ and colleagues’ lives. If I were to suddenly stop caring about Truth and Reconciliation, it would mean that I also stop caring about my friends and their wellbeing- which I could not do. Although my own rights and freedoms have not been impacted by colonialism (and I, in fact, benefit from the colonial structures of Canada) I can’t ignore something that takes up so much space in my work and in my interpersonal relationships. Therefore, despite my privilege as a white settler, I am impacted and emotionally connected to Truth and Reconciliation efforts.
As a social worker, my practice is deeply grounded by my work with Indigenous youth, as well as by Kathy Absolon’s (2019) explanation of Indigenous Wholistic Theory- something that has been used globally by Indigenous Communities since time immemorial. This informing theory explains that the body, mind, spirit, land and community are all essential components for wellness and they must all be in balance for true healing to occur. This theory grounds my practice and I feel strongly that gardening and other experiential learning activities can provide meaning and fulfillment within all of these important areas- thus it’s an excellent tool for bringing wholistic growth to fruition.
As I progress through my career, I commit to critically reflecting on how my life, my work and my programs interact with Indigenous world views, communities and decolonial theory. I commit to receiving feedback with compassion when I get things wrong, and I will try to always keep learning from my Indigenous friends and neighbors, so that Laughing Radish becomes a community organization that is decolonial and supportive.
References:
Absolon, K. (2020). Indigenous Wholistic Theory: A knowledge set for practice. First Peoples & Child Family Review, 5(2), 74-87. https://doi-org.proxy.library.carleton.ca/10.7202/1068933ar
Levesque, F. (2014). Revisiting Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit: Inuit knowledge, culture, language, and values in Nunavut institutions since 1999. Etudes Inuit Studies. 38(1), 115-136. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24368319
