“Exciting time” ahead, says winner of inaugural Indigenous Educator Awards

Deloria Many Grey Horses Violich of the Kainai First Nation is one of 12 recipients of the inaugural Indigenous Educator Awards.

“I feel really honoured and blessed,” said Violich. “It is an exciting time for the Indian community, being provided the space to have your own culture.”

If there is one thread that runs through Violich’s work, it is the importance of maintaining ties to traditional culture.

“Remember where you come from. Hold onto culture while existing in mainstream culture,” she said.

As Aboriginal engagement consultant in the Calgary Office of the Child and Youth Advocate in Alberta, Violich cites shocking statistics. Sixty-eight per cent of young people in care in Alberta are Indigenous. In Edmonton, the percentage of Indigenous youth in the criminal justice system hovers around 80 per cent. The office, now independent from the provincial government, reports to the Legislative Assembly.

Those who work with youth in care address their needs from a cultural perspective, she says.

Violich views the work and times as positive.

“The government sees the importance of moving away from colonization.  It is a good time for Aboriginal people,” she said.
“Space has been created, whereas my parent’s generation had to fight for that space.”

In her work with public education specialists, traditions, family, community and kinship are of importance.  For Violich, these values extend beyond her people. Everyone can benefit, not just Aboriginal people, she says.

Of her many projects, the one she is most proud of is her recent work as project manager to create the Manual of Aboriginal Best Practices in Sports and Wellbeing. It will be launched at the opening ceremonies of the 2013 Alberta Indigenous Games in Edmonton, Aug. 5-9. The manual, she explains, has two components. In the first part, she has interviewed role models from throughout Indian country in both the United States and Canada to determine what has helped others to be successful. She discovered that the connection to culture, relationships to Elders and having meaningful relationships inspired success in young people.  The second part, the Circle of Courage, based on contemporary research, uses the medicine wheel to show young people how to benefit from the model in the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual realms.

A graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, Violich studied the history of minorities, specializing in Native American Studies and Ethnic Studies. Ten years ago she participated in the creation of a documentary titled A Place at the Table, produced by the Southern Poverty Law Centre.  Ten people from various backgrounds were interviewed. Each had a different experience, but all had been affected by colonization.

Violich believes this is a time of new beginnings. “Many generations have made it possible. I want to emphasize the beautiful aspects of Aboriginal culture.”

The Indigenous Educator Awards were formerly known as the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards.

Photo caption: Leadership Award winner Deloria Many Grey Horses Violich with her husband Francisco Violich and her father Phil Lane Jr. at the award’s gala dinner in Calgary on March 15.