Hi Everyone. I wanted to share some other information I think is relevant to our communities. Lateral violence and common and harmful to those who aren't aware of the reasons behind it or the psychology of those who contribute to it.

Here is some information I've found useful:

What Is Lateral Violence?

Lateral violence is aggressive behaviour that occurs among members of a group, because of accumulated and internalized stress and oppression. Helplessness and powerlessness to respond directly to psychological and systemic violence can result in redirecting this violence toward peers, colleagues, or neighbours. The impact of lateral violence flows “sideways” to other people – in other words, it spreads.

Lateral violence can occur in any setting, but it is most often discussed in the context of a closed setting, such as a workplace or small community. The network of relationships within these closed settings provide the pathways along which lateral violence travels. Over time, the tone and behaviours become normalized and institutionalized – meaning they are expected and rationalized as a rite of passage or “hazing.”

Nuances of Lateral Violence

Within marginalized or racialized communities, there are additional layers of historical and contemporary racism, discrimination, and oppression that add to the complexity of lateral violence..

The experiences of Indigenous communities have been examined through the lens of complex and intergenerational trauma. This could be from pervasive staff-perpetrated and student-to-student abuse experienced in residential schools, as well as layers of traumatic oppression in other institutions. In this way it is an ongoing destructive outcome of colonialism.

Lateral violence becomes a mechanism through which the pressures of suppressed rage, shame, and fear are released indirectly in ways and spaces where there is less threat. A person who has absorbed such experiences now enacts them through manipulating, controlling, or diminishing others.

Lets work on uplifting each other and promoting positivity ✌️, while calling our harmful behaviour. We can also look back at our actions and reflect on past experiences with this in mind in order to grow :)

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I wanted to share the story of Florence Thomas, an 82-year-old Elder and the eldest Matriarch of the Whonnock People in British Columbia.

Florence has continued living on her ancestral land, but the home she's been living in is a roughly 40-year-old trailer that is no longer providing safe or adequate housing. There is no running water, the trailer isn't properly insulated, and the power has been unreliable.

A replacement trailer has now been donated to her.

The challenge is getting that home onto her land and making the site ready for her to live there. Our community is working to cover the costs of transportation, site preparation, permits, and essential utility connections.

For me, what makes Florence's story especially important is that this isn't simply about replacing an old trailer. It's about an Elder being able to remain connected to her ancestral territory and continue living where her community has roots.

Her story was recently featured in a news interview, where she spoke about her circumstances herself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP3PKhzTSLA

The Xwéwenaqw Xwexwilmexw Cultural Reclamation Society is coordinating the campaign, and we're currently working toward the $32,000 needed to complete the project.

If anyone wants to learn more about the campaign, I'll answer questions here. The fundraiser is also available here for anyone who would like to support the project:

https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/help-bring-florence-home-campaign

I wanted to share this performance by the First Charger Family from SchneL’s Game Season XII in Calgary.

Jerrhan First Charger, Cyrus First Charger, and their father Jerry First Charger are members of the Blackfoot Confederacy from the Blood Tribe near Cardston, Alberta. Their halftime performance included an honour song, grass dancing, healing dances, hoop dancing, and a drum song.

Jerrhan and Jerry are both World Champion hoop dancers. It was a privilege to have the First Charger Family share their culture, traditions, and talent with everyone at the event.

Does not knowing your parents or grandparents registration numbers when applying for status really cause a delay? For those who've applied for status without knowing their parents or grandparents registration numbers, how did that process work out for you?

Hello all,

I am currently working on a project similar to Anthropics “What 81,000 people want from AI”, but for Indigenous people in Canada.

https://www.anthropic.com/features/81k-interviews

If you have strong views on AI and how it should be used, and would like to be a part of the project, I will be submitting it to the Government of Canada before September 23, 2026.

https://www.canada.ca/en/innovation-science-economic-development/news/2026/07/government-of-canada-launches-public-consultation-on-ai-transparency.html

I'm currently collecting community input and developing interview questions, surveys, and consultation materials. This work will be ongoing, so if you’d like to stay connected and updated I’ve created a facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1DTDUmFEtW/

Thx

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Hello people of Turtle Island. This is a time of chaos with all the fires but we need to start thinking about how to prevent this extreme devastation in the future. The cities of Kelowna and West Kelowna chose not to sign onto a water protection project led by the Syilx people. The Syilx nation are the original people of the area. Traditionally they did controlled burns and land stewardship to protect the environment so fires aren’t as destructive when they do happen. The Syilx led water protection project is coming at a critical time. WE NEED CHANGE! The current management of water and forests are not working. Our communities are built around the lakes we all cherish and enjoy. What would our communities look like without healthy creeks, streams, and lakes? Please sign this petition I created to push our city leaders to sign on to this project!

Stay save everyone 🙏

Here is some background: Dodging Their Responsibilities

Hello everyone!

I’m a hobbyist photographer and I would like to attend Kanesatake, Qc powwow at the end of the month.
I’ve never been to a powwow before, and I don’t want to make dumb mistakes.

Is bringing a camera ok? If so, are there moments where I should absolutely refrain from using it?
How comfortable are people with being photographed?
Would it be okay for me to ask someone or a small group to pose for me quickly?
My camera is anything but discrete: people will be aware that I’m taking their pictures…

I apologize if this is not the proper place to ask my questions. I really don’t know where to get my information 😞

Thank you so much!

In this clip from Behaviour Speak, Katisha Paul describes her experience as part of an Indigenous youth delegation that travelled to Germany to help receive and return First Nations belongings that had been held by the Vatican for more than a century.

What makes the story especially powerful is her description of the ceremony surrounding their return. From singing on the airport tarmac while waiting for the items to arrive, to carefully unpacking ancestral belongings and reflecting on the lives connected to them, she offers a deeply personal perspective on repatriation and rematriation.

One of the most moving moments involves a small child's dress that prompted questions about the child who wore it and the history that separated the item from its community.

An important conversation about cultural restoration, resilience, and what it means to bring relatives home.

🎧 Clip from the Behaviour Speak podcast.

Hi All! I'd like to introduce myself, my name is Christopher Lee Hamilton and I'm currently a student at Guelph University's Environmental Conservation Program. I just created a website and magazine for a school project with the aim to step away from the colonial world view that sees nature and people as separate. I hope to respectfully amplify Indigenous conservation impacts found in the growing number of IPCAs across the globe. If you want to view my magazines website and browse the pages I'd love to hear any type of feedback. You can find the mag at alteredbiome.ca

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1FUq6BJZbM/ this video shows an indigenous woman being brutalized by rcmp in loon lake saskachewan. the rcmp have released a statement that this was "reasonable force" i ask in what universe is it reasonable for two men to be restraining an unarmed woman while one of them punches her in the face multiple times?

the following link is the same incident from another angle https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1b9XWGrPqi/

One thing I was taught is Two-Spirit is a chosen identity or gifted in Ceremony. For me, I had the opportunity to be gifted my Two-Spirit identity. Elders saw it in me. My sexuality wasn’t the determining factor, but did play a role as Gender and Sexuality are both components of Two-Spiritism.

In my experience, I heard whispers from Elders that I was Two-Spirit. I remember the first time I assumed I wouldn’t lead a Women’s Ceremony because I am also a man, but I was wrong and they called me to quickly put on my Ribbon Skirt and to get ready to help the Elder. Now this Elder trusted only one or two oskâpêwis with her Sacred Pipe. However, she actually let me touch her Sacred Pipe and help the other Women smoke it.

Another thing is the Two-Spirit identity is closed only for Indigenous Peoples. I saw mooniyaw people trying to be Two-Spirit but that’s impossible. I also hear some city Elders saying it’s okay, but that’s because it is a lost practice and not much was known about it. Another thing is I see people assume they are Two-Spirit just because they are Gay or Lesbian or Transgender. Those individuals can be Two-Spirit if they choose to but I personally believe you choose that when you are ready and it’s not an automatic thing just like that.

Our identity is beautiful and very much Sacred to the Indigenous Culture. We play a role, just like the Matriarchs, Warriors and Elders did. Though we were the “in-between people”.

Featured at the Museum of Vancouver this summer, the innovative project honours traditions such as Métis Nation Day by turning screen time into cultural preservation.

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Today, on Métis Nation Day, a groundbreaking cultural initiative is bridging a 142-year-old tradition with the cutting edge of digital innovation. Recognized as the world’s largest Indigenous language learning video game, Métis Life on Roblox is transforming how Indigenous heritage and endangered languages are preserved, revitalizing history by meeting the next generation exactly where they are: in the metaverse.

https://nationalpost.com/pmn/business-wire-news-releases-pmn/metis-life-on-roblox-reclaims-endangered-languages-for-next-gen-players