Before there was writing, oral cultures listened to stories and paid attention to the meaning of things. Meaning attaches to your heart and is easy to carry around all the time. It is easy to remember. The greatest example is the traditional understanding that “we are the caretakers of the land” because the land is the source of life for us. Once you carry this in your heart you know how to behave in an infinite variety of situations. You can apply this value first and then every action makes sense from there.
On September 9-12, 2013, the Gwich’in Tribal Council (GTC) brought together Aboriginal people from all over northern Canada to talk about the opportunities and challenges in their journeys to implement self-government. At a conference John B. Zoe a Tłı̨chǫ Government Negotiator began by noting the common refrain that First Nations must be “strong like two people”. They want…
View original post 511 more words
