Our Box Was Full ::An Ethnography for the Delgamuukw Plaintiffs /

For the Gitksan and Witsuwit'en peoples of northwest British Columbia, the land is invested with meaning that goes beyond simple notions of property or sustenance. Considered both a food box and a storage box of history and wealth, the land plays a central role in their culture, survival, history, and identity. In Our Box Was Full, Richard Daly explores the centrality of this notion in the determination of Aboriginal rights with particular reference to the landmark Delgamuukw case that occupied the British Columbia courts from 1987 to 1997. Called as an expert witness for the Aboriginal plaintiffs, Daly, an anthropologist, was charged with helping the Gitksan and Witsutwit'en to "prove they existed," and to make the case for Aboriginal self-governance. In order to do this, Daly spent several years documenting their institutions, system of production and exchange, dispute settlement, and proprietorship before Pax Britannica and colonization. His conclusions, which were originally rejected by Justice MacEachern, were that the plaintiffs continue to live out their rich and complex heritage today albeit under very different conditions from those of either the pre-contact or fur trade eras. Our Box Was Full provides fascinating insight into the Delgamuukw case and sheds much-needed light on the role of anthropology in Aboriginal rights litigation. A rich, compassionate, and original ethnographic study, the book situates the plaintiff peoples within the field of forager studies, and emphasizes the kinship and gift exchange features that pervade these societies even today. It will find an eager audience among scholars and students of anthropology, Native studies, law, and history

Improving Dementia Care for Gitxsan First Nations People

This project originated from nursing staff’s learning need for knowledge, approach, attitude, and skills in dementia care that was identified by the Gitxsan Health Society. In collaboration with the First Nations Health Authority, the Gitxsan Health Society sought to educate nurses on how to provide culturally appropriate care to older Gitxsan persons living with dementia, and also to increase the understanding of nurses, family caregivers, and the wider community about dementia as a chronic condition. This project involved a mixed-methods approach (multiple qualitative approaches, as well as a quantitative component). The team was guided at each stage by a Cultural Advisory Council of four Elders recognized as Knowledge Holder from the community. The project involved a strong element of reciprocal co-learning and knowledge exchange. From discussions and exchange with community members, three large interlinking themes emerged to guide the researchers: (a) loss and grief; (b) relationality; and (c) access and connection. These themes gave voice to the gaps and needs in care, but also highlighted the potential areas of strength that can be built on to improve care for the older Gitxsan person living with dementia. Family and other community members identified the need for more information regarding dementia, the need to access in-community and external supports, and the need to inform nurses about what considerations are required when caring for Gitxsan people living with dementia. A better understanding of the Gitxsan ways of knowing about dementia can help nurses incorporate more culturally safe practices into the care of persons living with dementia