1-3. Mixing "Two" World-Views

Native people had belief systems in place before the arrival of the Europeans. These systems helped sustain them in environmentally dependent societies.

Some of the values may have included:

• respect for self, others, environment,
• community vs. personal responsibilities,
• elders,
• knowledge vs. material possessions,
• hunters,
• bravery,
• women,
• humility,
• etc.

Some of the European influences upon the Natives' world views include:

• fur trade,
• gold rushes,
• fishing,
• logging,
• mining,
• missionaries,
• reservations,
• residential schools,
• governments and their laws,
• farming,
• education,
• etc.

All of these European influences, and more, brought "mind-sets" which had great impact upon the Native peoples of Canada. The imposing of the Euro-Canadian world view upon Natives has created, in many Natives, different levels of dysfunctionalities. The juxtaposition of the two world views often leads to confusion. The Native person can not make sense of either world view because both appear dysfunction, in his eyes.

If the two world views become distorted within a person, it results in uncertainties, lack of self-respect, problems coping with life, and many more problems. Students need help sorting out these two world views.

	Respect
Schools: Demands Authority Others Control Power      =Externally enforced	HOW RESPECT IS "TAUGHT"	Healthy First Nations: modeled "peaceful" internal children seen/treated as adults      =personal
Huge overlap on WHAT both cultures see as respectful

First Nations cultures, and the Euro-Canadian culture readily agree on much of what respect is, the problem occurs when the two world views look at how respect is taught, and the philosophy behind the concept of respect.

Euro-Canadian institutions use positional power, expectations to obey, etc. whereas healthy First Nations personalize respect.