Provides overview of society including spirituality, organization. kinship, culture, customs, ceremony, ritual, and law.
Chapter 2 from: Aboriginal Benchbook for Western Australia Courts by Stephanie Fryer-Smith.
Chapter 2 located by scrolling to page 2:1.
Joe Duquette, born 1904, on Mistawasis Reserve, never attended school, completely self-educated. Now Senator of F.S.I. and involved in teaching and counselling young people. He tells the story of his arranged marriage.
Interview includes a description of life on the reserve that describes milking, sheep-shearing and fishing weirs. It also consists of stories about a woman whose husband turned into a lizard; a story of Wisakedjak; and how Thunder Blanket killed his wife and then himself.
He tells a story of a woman who was taken prisoner and carried off to live in an enemy camp; her treachery against her brothers and husband when they came to rescue her; how she was killed by her own mother because of her treachery; her mother's atonement after the killing.
File contains a presentation by Grace Delaney. Delaney discusses her personal spiritual views and gives her perspective on the need to "recognize the misdeeds that people are doing in our communities."
File contains a presentation by Wilson Okeymaw, executive director of an additions facility on Ermineskin First Nation. He addresses the problem of addictions among Canada's Aboriginal peoples and speaks of his own struggle with alcohol. Following the presentation is a brief question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
This file contains a part of a transcript of a portion of a sitting of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples at The Fern Resort, Orillia, Ontario. This part includes a presentation given by Neil Monague at the Round Table discussion on Healing issues(Body, Mind and Soul) in the Aboriginal Community.