Oppression is defined in the oxford dictionary of current english as: “cause to feel depressed or anxious” (Soanes, 2001, p. 628). The state of oppression is found commonly amongst many aboriginal people in our Canadian society (Barnes, Josefowitz & Cole, 2007). Aboriginals’ experiences with past events such as residential schools have caused this oppression and the affects are still strong today (Barnes, Josefowitz & Cole, 2007). Residential schools were funded by the government and run though churches in Canada (Barnes, Josefowitz & Cole, 2007). These schools took aboriginal children from their homes and striped them from their “language, culture, religious practises” (Barnes, Josefowitz & Cole, 2007, p.20). These school provided conditions of abuse, neglect, cultural genocide (Barnes, Josefowitz & Cole, 2007). After leaving these schools aboriginal children left with long term affects of negative psychological/physical conditions, poor education, loss of culture, poor health, est which continued to affected them into their adult lives (Barnes, Josefowitz & Cole, 2007). This is only one example of many what has contributed to the issues aboriginal people face today in Canada.
It is important for the mistreatment and oppression of aboriginal people caused by “Euro-Canadian dominant ideologies” to be addressed and not forgotten. (Morrissette, 2006) The aboriginal perspective is an ideology that works towards this. The dominate ideology and the policies in place today are still causing oppression in the aboriginal population (Morrissette, 2006). Discussed earlier in this blog were a number of issues that aboriginal people face as a result of mistreatment in the past and still continues today. In this blog I’m going to discuss how aboriginal people with a disability benefit and not benefit from the structures and policies in health and economics from the aboriginal perspective.
In “1991 Health and Activities Limitation Survey (1991 HALS) indicates 16 per cent of Canada’s population has a disability, the 1991 Statistics Canada Aboriginal People’s Survey indicates that 31.3 per cent of Aboriginal people were persons with disabilities” ("Aboriginal Persons with Disabilities", n.d) “Aboriginal persons was 23.1 per cent as compared to a rate of 8 per cent in the general population” ("Aboriginal Persons with Disabilities," n.d).
Newbold (1999) discussed how conditions such as “geographic remoteness, physical access to
health care, distrust of western medicine, racism” est are some of the potential causes of not accessing services resulting in high amounts of health/disability issues among the aboriginal population (p. 291). Conditions such as these are causing any aboriginals to receive inadequate health care and services (Newbold, 1999). In order to fix this the government needs to help improve these “social conditions” (Newbold, 1999, p. 195). Unlike the neoconservative perspective which believes in the notion that everyone should fend for themselves which is causing this oppression to continue. (Morrissette, 2006). The aboriginal perspective believes in a “qualitative” social change and focus on the well-being of the community (Morrissette, 2006). Social change is based around the needs of the people rather than the larger society (Morrissette, 2006).
Research states that many aboriginal people suffer from low socioeconomic status in “education, employment, income, and health” (Durst, 2006, p. 15). This low socioeconomic status affects aboriginals with disabilities to an even higher extent (Durst, 2006). Many of these poor conditions are caused because of the poor housing and large amounts of unemployment on numerous reserves (Durst, 2006). It is also stated that when aboriginal people with disabilities try to move off the reserves to urban areas they are faced with similar issues in finding sufficient housing, employment, home care services, transportation, and educational opportunities resulting in forms of poverty (Durst, 2006). The aboriginal perspective does not believe in means tests and feels that a community should help its members. The welfare state works towards making sure that all individuals and families have the essentials that are needed to live and access to proper services (Morrissette, 2006).
A negative aspect of the aboriginal perspective is that the structure of their government has changed towards a view close to a liberal/neo-conservative perspective (Morrissette, 2006). This does not allow individuals any choice in their leaders or much participation in social change (Morrissette, 2006). This leadership structure is hierarchical which can lead to some needs in society not being met or acknowledged (Morrissette, 2006).
Nicole Gauthier
Reference
Aboriginal Persons with Disabilities (n.d.). In Manitoba Disabilities Issues Office. Retrieved November 3, 2010, from http://www.gov.mb.ca/dio/citizenship/aboriginal.html
Barnes, R., Josefowitz, N., & cole, E. (2007). Residential schools : Impact on aboriginal students' academic and cognitive development. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 21, 18-32. Retrieved from http://cjs.sagepub.com.proxy1.lib.umanitoba.ca/content/21/1-2/18.full.pdf+html
Durst, D. (2006). Urban Aboriginal Families of Children with Disabilities: Social Inclusion or Exclusion? 9-20. Retrieved from http://www.nafc.ca/PDF/NAFC-Disability-17-03-06.pdf
Morrissette, V. (2006). Towards an Aboriginal perspective that addresses ideological domination in social policy analysis. Chapter 5: Implications for Social Work (pp.162-189). Unpublished master’s thesis, University of Manitoba.
Morrissette, V. (2006). Towards an Aboriginal perspective that addresses ideological domination in social policy analysis. Chapter 5: Implications for Social Work (pp.162-189). Unpublished master’s thesis, University of Manitoba.
Newbold, K. B. (1999). Disability and use of support services within the Canadian aboriginal population. Health and Social Care in the Community, 7(4), 291-300. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.proxy1.lib.umanitoba.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&hid=15&sid=5a43d95c-b244-41b6-bec3-12efd394f003%40sessionmgr4
Soanes, C. (2001). Oxford dictionary of current English (3rd Ed.). New York, US: Oxford University Press.
I learnt a lot from our class on Aboriginals and Residential Schools. I had heard about residential schools before, but hadn't realized to what extend it's effect had and continues to have on Aboriginal people. You did a great job with your blog in providing information on the history and it's effect on Aboriginals. It's history that can't be ignored and that affects the present.
ReplyDeleteSarah H
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ReplyDeleteGood job Nicole. The data that you presented illustrates the amount of people that have a disability, and these people cannot be ignored. Whats more disturbing is the growing trend of Aboriginal people with a disability, and since more aboriginal people have less adequate health care, one can wonder how they can manage. What could be the reasons, other then less sufficient health care, that would cause a greater percentage in aboriginal people with disabilities, compared to other Canadians?
ReplyDelete-Rocco Scarcella
That’s pretty shocking that 23.1% of aboriginal Canadians have some sort of disability. However I’m not surprised that over the general population a whole 16% have some sort of disability. I do agree with the indigenous perspective and social change the fact that you stated it is based on the needs of the people rather then the whole society.
ReplyDeleteAutumn B.
Hello everyone! Thank you for your comments! Yes, there are other reasons I found in my research for the large number aboriginal people with disabilities such as genetic disabilities and effects from poor living conditions on reserves are contributors. Many aboriginal people have suffered from a past that has taken away their culture and traditions and left them in a state of oppression today. I agree that the past cannot be ignored and needs to be addressed in order to help these people live quality lives like they deserve.
ReplyDeleteNicole G
Nicole, I also think a big contributor to the large amounts of physical disabilities prevalent in Aboriginal communities is because of insufficient healthcare. In fact, insufficient healthcare as you mentioned Nicole, in conjunction with other marginalized factors, keep Aboriginal rates of disablement high. For example the high price of nutritional food, such as milk in northern reserves causes high rates of diabetes in Aboriginals of these communities. This in turn subjects Aboriginals to rely on the oppressive nature of the healthcare system to an extent. I think the stigma Aboriginals may have attached to the healthcare system has therefore led them to be reluctant to use the system which then leads to health problems, and physical disablements in some cases.
ReplyDelete-Brooke D.
Great post Nicole! We really need to start focusing on social change and focus on the well-being of the community like you stated. Healing should be the number one thing in these communities. I know for example that people are suffering from physical and mental disabilities on the reserves because it is so difficult for them to get transportation into the cities and communities where they have the proper resources and equipment. We should be putting more emphasis on getting these people the resources and care they need so they are not suffering in silence.
ReplyDeleteTiffany
Canadian's pride themselves on the multiculuralism, integration and acceptance of other. The residential schools just goes to show that eveybody has skeletons in the closet. The aboriginal ways are so rich in tradition and culture and accepting of people. Instead of think we could teach the aboriginals something we should have been taking lessons from them. Not only has an entire generation been lost, but stories and traditional ways have been lost as well. I pride myself on knowing my family histories and traditions, and not knowing the history and traditions that make me, me would upset me deeply.
ReplyDelete~Jordan