Cultural Revitalization and Coming Home to Culture in the Anishinaabe context

• Main Author: Saunders, Paige
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: University of Guelph 2022
• Subjects: Anishinaabe; Indigenous anthropology; Cultural anthropology; Indigenous; culture; Coming home; anishina*
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10214/26893

This undergraduate honours thesis discusses the Anishinaabe context of cultural revitalization, specifically with the Chippewas of Nawash or Neyaashiinigmiing. This work is extremely important as we, in Canada, are now in a time of reconciliation. We, as Indigenous peoples, must reconcile not only with Canada but with ourselves. Coming home to culture means reconciling with ourselves and the shared histories of our communities. Likewise, Indigenous resurgence is important for upholding and ensuring the strength of our communities. It is time for healing and the only way to truly heal our communities is to heal ourselves and our kin. Anishinaabe communities and specifically the Chippewas of Nawash hold an extremely important place in my heart as they have given me the teachings and the support to engage and connect with community. Through visiting, sharing meals and spending time, I have appreciated being a part of this community. Anishinaabe communities are so rich, vibrant, and resilient as they have faced adversity and come out the other side. I am grateful to be a part of the Chippewas of Nawash community and am proud to call it my home. I discuss ‘coming home’ to culture as a central concept in my research. Coming home in this context means healing, healing spiritually, mentally, and physically. Coming home can mean a variety of things, for some, it is coming home to their community or territory, for others, it is coming home to ceremony, coming home to cultural teachings, or coming to sobriety. For each person, it is coming home to themselves in whatever way provides healing. There is limited research on coming home to culture, therefore, my work is a minor piece of what can be accomplished. My work is informed by a literature review and scoping review. I have analyzed sources from various Indigenous and non-Indigenous authors. I have tried to prioritize Anishinaabe-centric literature, however, did not discount various other accounts and perspectives across North America, Turtle Island. Throughout the ...