Remarkable Resilience FNAT 102 Lecture Spring 2009

The Nature of Resilience (Lalonde, 2007) Positive outcome despite adversity Sustained competence under stress Successful recovery from trauma Weakened for “those who lose the thread of their continuity”

“Every single person served the community…” (page 26) Aboriginal resilience has a collective essence combining: Spirituality, family strength, oral traditions, support networks, elders, community ritual; shared wisdom Shared sense of ownership in the success and continuation of the community (HeavyRunner & Marshall, 2003) e.g. whole community support for Stacey’s dream Value vigilance and adaptability (LaBoucane-Benson, 2007)

“See these children…you owe nothing but kindness to them” (page 20) A dense network of relationships Families guided by strict rules & defined roles “The law is simple …and this family lives within it” (page 124) Health = Proper social behaviour + working hard + connected to tradition Affectionate Lecturing (Native Council of Canada, 1990) “Both children knew their father expected no less of them…a sense of duty she could not explain” (page 61)

That the People Might Live (Weaver, 1997) A community wholly defined by family relationships Stories “ that’s how you know you belong” Everything relevant is to be ‘remembered and re- told’ Hope and future resting in memory “Singing helped him unleash the memory of his ancestors” (page 97)

“The only thing that really mattered in the village: building families of their own” (page 137) Stacey curses her parents for “continuing to live like her grandparents had” “The law. The law, it must be obeyed” (page 59) “If you have only yourself as a start and end point, life becomes a pretence at continuum” (page 62)

“Don’t worry son [and daughter]. You’ll know the answer when you need to.” Vigilance based on shared knowledge (the strength of connection & continuity) but also adaptability “Culture and law is only good if it keeps people good hearted and healthy” (page 180) Sent to seek for new knowledge outside but “trust Stacey to understand her laws and hope” (page 193)