2 National Centre for First Nations Governance

Governance

and Cultural

Match

Youtube Video 2

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Refers to the way people work in organizations and the delivery of services

“Traditional” governance was viewed in terms of creating peace and living the best way possible

Governance was flexible and adaptable to community needs

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What is Governance?

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“It’s the process of ‘getting the best of both worlds’ – whereby the developments create a synergy between First Nations cultural traditions and European Canadian systems.”

-Richard Missens

Sovereignty, Good Governance, and First Nation Human Resources: Capacity Challenges

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What is Cultural Match?

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NCFNG Governance

Principles:

▶ The Land

▶ The People

▶ Resources

▶ Laws and Jurisdiction

▶ Institutions

Culture

Traditions

Language

History

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The Land

• Territorial Integrity

• Economic Realization

• Respect for the Spirit of the Land

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The People

• Strategic Vision

• Meaningful Information Sharing

• Participation in Decision Making

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Resources

• Performance Evaluation

• Financial Management Capacity

• Diversity of Revenue Sources

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Laws and Jurisdiction

• Expansion of Jurisdiction

• Rule of Law

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Institutions

• Transparency and Fairness

• Results-Based Organization

• Cultural Alignment of Institutions

• Effective Inter-Governmental Relations

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• To be effective, governing institutions must have legitimacy with the people

• This means they have to match Indigenous ideas about how authority should be organized and exercised

• Institutions that match contemporary Indigenous cultures are more successful than those that don’t

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Cultural Match & Governance

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Cultural Match – Example

Teslin Tlingit Council

• Embeds traditional practices within contemporary government

• Modern expression of the clan system integrated into decision making institutions

• Codified by their constitution

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Cultural Match – Example

SIGA Guiding Principles

• SIGA incorporating Cree values into their business plan

• Five Guiding Principles take from the book Treaty Elders of Saskatchewan; Tâpwêwin, Pimâcihowin, Miyo-wîcêhtowin, Miskâsowin, Wîtaskêwin

• The concepts challenged SIGA to seek balance between traditional and contemporary structures of governance

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Cultural Match – Example

Muskeg Lake Cree Nation

• MLCN Constitutional Development Project invited specific Treaty 6 territory Elders to share nêhiyaw wiyasowêwina (Cree laws)

• Facilitators, researchers, helpers brought in who could speak Cree to work with knowledge keepers and Elders.

• Step towards revitalizing and reclaiming traditional knowledge

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Cultural (Mis)Match – Examples

Indian Act: • Bands as administrative units • Limited decision-making power • Organization dictated by Ottawa • Accountability – Minister of Indian Affairs

Other Examples: • No independent judicial function • Politicized business management

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Cultural (Mis)Match – Effects

• Institutions imposed from outside typically lack that support

• People say, “It is not our government. It is someone else’s.”

• The result is abuse and distrust

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Challenges of Cultural Match

• Cultures are in constant flux • Internalized oppression has operated

extensively in First Nation communities - Colonization

• Create “cultural match” in the end product as well as the process

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Connecting the Dots

• Governance structure reflects culture and

tradition = cultural match and legitimacy

• Greater legitimacy = community support

• Community support ensures effective

governance

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What matters is not that things be done in the old ways. It is that things be done in ways – old or new – that win the support, participation, and trust of the people, and that can get things done.

Some will be old. Some will be new.

But they will be accomplished in your way.

Final Thoughts

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The Land

People

Resources

Laws

&

Jurisdiction

Institutions

Contact us

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National Centre for First Nations Governance

Jocelyne Wasacase-Merasty, Prairie Regional Manager

306.651.6180

306.220.9601 jwasacase@fngovernance.org

www.fngovernance.org