I've utilized self-help/DIY books throughout my life and well structured and to do lists make me happy. I would enjoy writing something to encourage people who are feeling ready to take the next steps and want a book to help guide a path forward.
I am very interested in sharing some of my knowledge and research with you. There are two areas that come to mind when you shared previous concepts:
1. Very much along the lines of what business can do to work with Indigenous people and to decolonize. That is much of my work right now with facilitating and presenting to post secondary decolonizing classrooms and institutions.
2. A how to for Indigenous would definitely also be of interest for me but not only resources/ how to business forms, grants, loans, organize yourself but also a front end to it talking about working within the colonized system itself... navigating something that may feel foreign as it can feel so far from Indigenous pedagogy.
Truth and Reconciliation has been complete since 2015, which has led individuals, small business, large business, institutions and government to then begin the work of implementing the calls to action.
Adequate support to these calls are being rolled out as we learn to navigate the systems and come across barriers, challenges and systemic walls of Indigenous pedagogy and colonial ways of working.
This book is written in hopes to support these individuals, businesses and institutions in navigating the system from an Indigenous lens. How and when to implement Indigenization strategies? How and when to hire Indigenous employees? Creating a culturally appropriate safe space that will lead to recruitment of talent and retention of Indigenous people.
Also, addressing as an Indigenous person what it looks like to start your own business in the times of Reconciliation, what resources financially, educationally and mentorship supports are there to help set you up for success, and what barriers to look out for with regards to systemic colonial racism.
Preface xvii
Introduction xxi
1 Why Indigenize? Some Background Information 1
1. The Oppression Tree 1
1.1 Roots 2
1.2 Supporting structure 2
1.3 Branches and leaves 2
2. Racial Profiling 2
3. The Indian Act 3
4. Residential Schools 4
5. Indian Day Schools 4
6. Indian Hospitals 5
7. Empathy versus Sympathy 5
8. Truth and Reconciliation 7
9. United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) 7
10. Clean Drinking Water 8
11. Indigenous Consultation and Legal Matters 8
12. Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls 9
13. Indigenous Children and Youth in Care 10
14. Tying All This Together 10
15. What Next? 11
2 Strategy Consi derations 13
1. Indigenization Strategy 13
2. The Medicine Wheel 14
2.1 Mission 15
2.2 Objectives 16
2.3 Strategy 18
2.4 Actions 20
3. Best Practices and Protocols 21
3.1 Obtain informed consent 24
3.2 Equitable access for Aboriginal peoples 32
3.3 Systemic barriers impacting wellness 44
3.4 Unions as they pertain to businesses and
these types of plans 47
3.5 An eight-hour work day and a six-day work week 50
3.6 Minimum living wage 51
4. Education on Indigenous History 52
4.1 Residential schools 52
4.2 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples Act (DRIPA) 57
3 Intercultural Competency 61
1. Food as Exploration of Cultures 61
2. Culture-Specific Knowledge 66
3. Sociolinguistic Awareness 67
4. Global Issues and Social Climate 69
5. Conflict Resolution 70
5.1 Communication 71
5.2 Different values 71
5.3 Differing interests 71
5.4 Personality clashes 71
5.5 Racism 71
5.6 Anti-racism 72
4 C Creating Your Indigenization Plan 73
1. Items to Include 73
1.1 Acknowledgement of traditional territory 73
1.2 Terminology 74
1.3 Respectful use of traditional knowledge and/
or Indigenous intellectual property 74
1.4 Building community 75
5 E Esp ecially for Indigenous Entrepreneurs 81
1. Questions for Indigenous Entrepreneurs 81
1.1 Should you quit? 82
1.2 Take a break 82
1.3 Mental Health 83
1.4 Physical health, addiction, sobriety 83
1.5 Self-care 86
1.6 Dress for the job you want 86
1.7 Emotions and trauma in business 87
1.8 Spiritual wellness for Indigenous businesspeople 89
2. Barriers Indigenous Businesspeople Face 90
3. SWOT Analysis for Indigenous Entrepreneurs 90
4. The Five Ws 93
4.1 Why? 93
4.2 Who? 94
4.3 What? 94
4.4 When and where (and how)? 95
5. Beyond the Five Ws 95
6. Indigenous-Started Business Plan 97
6.1 Executive summary 97
6.2 Objective and mission statement 97
6.3 Background information/description
of your business 99
6.4 Organization, management, legal entity, location,
hours of operation, etc. 99
6.5 Products or service line, and suppliers/
manufacturers 101
6.6 Market analysis 102
6.7 Competitive analysis 102
6.8 Marketing strategy and plans 103
6.9 Distribution 104
6.10 Promotional strategy 105
6.11 Financials 105
7. Dress to Impress 106
8. Treat Everyone with Dignity and Respect 106
9. Being Powerful without Too Much Pow 106
10. Hold the Door Open 114
11. Don’t Be Afraid to Fail 115
12. Work Hard 115
13. Don’t Forget Your Roots 115
Download kit 121
Questionnaires
1 Self-Reflection Part 1 6
2 Self-Reflection Part 2 12
3 SWOT Analysis 22
4 Questions for Indigenous Entrepreneurs 91
5 Beyond the Five Ws 96
6 Your Indigenous Business 116
Samples
1 Job Posting 34
2 Indigenization Plan Example 77
3 Indigenous-Started Business Plan Template 107
Table
1 1900–2000 Timeline 4
