Impacts of Industrial and Resource Development on the Wholistic Health of Akwesasronon: A Human Responsibility/Rights Solution
Date
2018-09-21
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Abstract
This dissertation demonstrates how wholistic health of the Akwesasronon is directly connected to Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen (Thanksgiving Address), which reflects the healthy relationships and connection between all living things including human beings and the natural world. Using a Haudenosaunee Research Methodology with Community Based Participatory Action Research methodologies, including Photovoice with Akwesasne community members and interviews with Knowledge Holders, I show how wholistic health includes healthy relationships and connections with self, family, community, Mother Earth, The Waters, The Fish Life, The Food Plants, The Medicine Herbs, The Animals, The Trees, and finally, the Four Winds, the Thunderers, the Sun and the Moon, the Starts and our Teachers (all aspects acknowledged in Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen). I also argue that wholistic healthiness of Akwesasronon is protected through the practices of Haudenosaunee Laws. I present the impacts of industrial and resource development that have had detrimental effects upon the mind, body and spirit of Akwesasronon and on all aspects acknowledged in Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen. The impacts also included many losses of emotional, spiritual, physical, mental well-being of Akwesasronon and the environmental well-being of the natural world. Despite the impacts, I acknowledge the resiliency and strength of Akwesasronon that shines through because they have been able to maintain the practices of Haudenosaunee Laws that protect their wholistic health. I explain and utilize Kuswentah theory to establish the different ways of thinking and analyzing between Haudenosaunee laws and Euro-Canadian laws. Haudenosaunee laws represented in their canoe, focus on the roles and responsibilities of human beings within the bigger picture of the natural world and natural laws. Euro-Canadian laws, represented in their ship, focus on the rights of human beings, and - specific to this study- on how the rights of Aboriginal peoples in Canada are defined under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 of Canada. I argue that the right to self-determination based on the practice of Haudenosaunee laws that protect wholistic health of Akwesasronon is protected as a Kuswentah right under section 35. Nevertheless, Akwesasronon Knowledge Holders shared their hesitancy in litigating their section 35 rights, leading to my discussion of reconciliation and decolonization of Euro-Canadian laws.
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Keywords
Indigenous Health, Indigenous Legal Traditions, Indigenous Research Methodologies, Haudenosaunee Laws
Citation
Jacobs, B. K. (2018). Impacts of Industrial and Resource Development on the Wholistic Health of Akwesasronon: A Human Responsibility/Rights Solution (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/33129