We're continuing to create space for indigenous creatives to thrive and dedicate a month to learning about First Nations experiences.
To celebrate and honour National Indigenous Peoples Day, we're continuing our commitment to creating space and opportunity for more First Nations creatives. But, we're also undertaking an exercise to improve our ability to tell stories and help brands develop meaningful, honest relationships with the people that most align with their vision. Today and well into July, we're reflecting on how Indigenous nations across Canada (and other parts of the world) practice storytelling and why storytelling plays a vital role in preserving heritage, connection to past and present community members, and their native lands.
The climate is in a state of emergency. Our politics and practices continue to leave people without sufficient food, shelter and essential social services – especially in reservation communities across Canada. We're building more than we are restoring, placing considerable stress on the environment.
It's no wonder many social purpose organizations want to build community—the bigger the community, the greater a brand's voice and ability to affect change at a systemic level.
But we know community building is deep work - it's more than sharing your values and purpose and harping on the problems. It requires understanding how people interact with each other, what experiences they carry and the cultural cocktail that sums up who they are and choose to be. It requires tremendous patience, trust, and vulnerability, which can be difficult in a fast-paced environment with limited resources.
First Nations storytelling is about progressing holistic learning, strengthening relationships, and understanding lived experiences at both a human and spiritual level. First Nations stories can help us understand how we can build communities of deep connection that create space for strength, hope and perseverance. First Nations stories can give direction to real practical solutions for how we can achieve a greater understanding of our self, life cycles and our interdependency with the natural world.
For the next few days, we will reflect on how First Nations people have told stories using symbolism, nature's processes, travel and mysticism.
We encourage you to share stories that have impacted you to wokepr@gmail.com. Let us know if you want to participate in these learning sessions or want our reading list.