15 Ways to bridge the gap between cultures and communities in conflict
I shed tears this weekend. They weren’t for me. They were for others, and their stories, I heard, as a participant, along with 200+ others, in the first ever Truth and Reconciliation conference between Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals in Victoria. The conference was titled “Open Hearts, Clear Minds: A Road to Reconciliation”, and took place at [...]
The turtle: A symbol of creativity AND collaboration
The turtle is a central figure in mythologies around the world; including the aboriginal traditions in the Pacific Northwest region of North America where I live. I’ve used a turtle as a logo on this blog since day one. John Cleese on creativity and the turtle While I have my reasons for liking turtles (read [...]
Lessons in community values and culture from the Canadian outposts
Communities that are isolated from the mainstream population often develop distinct, rich cultures, based on a firmly established set of values and practices. There are many examples of these communities in Canada, from sea to sea to sea. Yet, a strong set of values is no guarantee that community or its culture will persist. And [...]
Historical UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – can implementation be far behind?
On September 13, 2007, the UN General Assembly adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This universal human rights instrument is a symbol of hope for the world’s 370 million indigenous people. It took 20 years of international negotiations to create this human rights instrument. Yet, the fun has only begun! [...]
Aboriginal ideas shape and influence our collaborative mindset
In my neck of the woods (British Columbia, Canada), how we imagine ourselves as a society owes much more than we realize to the Aboriginal people who live here (and have for a very long time), and their ideas. So goes the argument put forth by noted Canadian thinker, John Ralston Saul, in his book [...]
The circle as a process
I’m always impressed by the process and outcomes when we gather in a circle. As collaborators, leveraging the power of the circle seems something we can do more of. Our ancestors gathered around a fire in a circle. Families gather around the kitchen table in a circle. As a society we seem slow in learning [...]
